We have previously told you that Warners was impressed with Christina Hodson’s script for Birds of Prey, but apparently they are so impressed that they are fast-tracking the production, perhaps at the expense of Suicide Squad 2.
Deadline states that the studio has hired director Cathy Yan to direct an as-yet-untitled film from Hodson’s Birds of Prey script. She is the first Asian woman to direct a superhero film.
Yan is a relative novice at the directing game, with only a three short films under her belt and her making her feature film debut this year with the small budget indie Dead Pigs, which she wrote and directed. She apparently was chosen over a number of other. male directors on the strength of her presentation for the film and Margot Robbie’s desire to hire a female director for the project.
Her hiring as the director means that the film will go into production this year. What does that mean for Suicide Squad 2? Variety film writer Justin Kroll has the answer, and another reason why Yan’s film is getting pushed:
As for SUICIDE SQUAD 2, clearly moving out of 2018 shoot. The move to go with BOP not only had a lot to do with Hodson's script but also the idea of doing with BATGIRL what Marvel did with Black Panther in CIVIL WAR by introducing them into universe before giving them own film
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) April 17, 2018
Of course, almost everyone and their brother is pointing out that Warner’s has already spun off characters from DC Extended Universe films before, namely Wonder Woman from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad.
Speaking of Ms. Quinn, the article states that the character will be in the film. Fans of the four volumes of the Birds of Prey comic books know that Harley Quinn was never a member of the team.
What does this mean? Well, the article also says that the film is as yet untitled, meaning it might not be a exclusively a Birds of Prey film, and the film is described as a “girl gang” movie.
While this could mean anything, my guess would be that the untitled film will not only spin-off into the Batgirl film, but also set up the still in development Gotham City Sirens film. In other words, Batgirl and whatever characters compose the Birds of Prey will face off against Harley Quinn and whatever characters make up the Gotham City Sirens.
Of course, that is just an educated guess. Warners could just be treating Harley Quinn as the “Poochie” of the DCEU, shoving her into places where she really doesn’t belong.
More on this as it develops.
