Things We Saw Today: Margot Robbie Calls the Harley Quinn and Joker Movie “A Love Story”

Actress Margot Robbie describes the relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker as “romantic in a messed up way.” How about just plain messed up?

Harley and the Joker have a famously abusive relationship, and it’s unsettling to hear Robbie talk about them like this—especially since she’s seemed more than aware of their problematic nature in the past. As Moviepilot points out, during Suicide Squad promotion, Robbie expressed frustration over fan idolizing the Harley/Joker pairing: “Fans seem to really love that about her, that she has this complete devotion to a guy that treats her badly,” she said, and has termed their relationship “unhealthy, dysfunctional, destructive and toxic,” which is correct. But now, with the Harley and Joker movie in development, Robbie is talking about them like they’re Bonnie and Clyde:

I’m personally a sucker for a love story. In any iteration. I think people enjoy seeing two characters who, in Harley and Joker’s case, would die for one another. It’s kind of romantic in a messed up way.

Obviously we have a long way to go before we can predict what kind of movie this is going to turn out to be (Bad Santa’s Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are currently in talks to write and direct). But quotes like this and the involvement of Jared Leto make me want to just open a big ol’ can of NOPE on the whole thing. The only way this ends well is if Harley Quinn drives off into the sunset with her girlfriend Poison Ivy while the camera slowly zooms in on the Joker crying alone. (via Moviepilot, image: Warner Bros.)

• Speaking of DC ladies, and on a happier note, LOOK AT THESE WONDERFUL DC BOMBSHELLS FUNKO. Gotta catch ’em all. (via Comicbook.com) 
• A series of Black Mirror novellas (edited by creator Charlie Brooker) was announced, with stories in the first volume by Cory Doctorow, Claire North, and Sylvain Neuvel. (via BoingBoing)
• Could the delightful Robert Picardo, a.k.a. the Doctor on Voyager, be showing up on Star Trek: Discovery? (via Syfy)
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore awesome Chewbacca socks to several important events in New York, because Canada likes to taunt America with how much cooler their leader is. I don’t think Donald Trump knows who Chewbacca is. (via Vanity Fair) 

So what’d you see?

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Kaila Hale-Stern

Kaila Hale-Stern (she/her) is a content director, editor, and writer who has been working in digital media for more than fifteen years. She started at TMS in 2016. She loves to write about TV—especially science fiction, fantasy, and mystery shows—and movies, with an emphasis on Marvel. Talk to her about fandom, queer representation, and Captain Kirk. Kaila has written for io9, Gizmodo, New York Magazine, The Awl, Wired, Cosmopolitan, and once published a Harlequin novel you'll never find.

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