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James Gunn Says Harley Quinn Will Join the DCU Eventually, and if Margot Robbie Wants to Play Here He’ll ‘Bend Over Backwards to Explain That in the World’
James Gunn says Harley Quinn is likely to appear in the DC Universe, but Margot Robbie’s return would depend on whether she wants to play the character again. The question matters because Gunn has not established whether Robbie’s earlier films, including his The Suicide Squad, fit the rebooted DCU’s continuity.
Gunn said Quinn’s connection to the Joker makes her history difficult to reconcile, as the DCU has not yet established whether the Joker exists. He praised Robbie’s performance and said he would find a way to make her version fit if she wished to return; otherwise, he may cast someone else. Gunn also said DC Studios is preparing to cast the DCU’s Batman, ahead of 2027’s Man of Tomorrow.
In short
- Harley Quinn is likely to join the DCU.
- Margot Robbie’s return is her decision.
- Gunn may recast if she declines.
Explained simply
The DC Universe, or DCU, is the shared film and television world DC Studios is building around characters such as Superman, Batman and Harley Quinn. James Gunn, who leads the studio and directs its films, is shaping which stories and actors belong to this new continuity.
Harley Quinn first appeared as the Joker’s partner, but has since become a prominent character in her own right. Margot Robbie played her in several earlier DC films, including The Suicide Squad, which Gunn directed; those films’ place in the new DCU has not been established.
The question matters because bringing Robbie back could connect the new continuity to earlier films, while recasting would give the DCU a different version of Quinn. The Joker’s status in this world is also unclear, making Quinn’s past harder to carry across.