Margot Robbie's new project revealed
It's official, Australia's Margot Robbie will soon star in a much-anticipated Suicide Squad spinoff.
The actress took to Instagram on Wednesday to post a picture of a script called Birds of Prey with a handwritten note scrawled onto the title page. The note reads: "And the fantabulous emancipation of one Harley Quinn."
According to the script, the film will be directed by Christina Hodson, the woman behind the upcoming Transformers prequel.
The announcement comes after the original Suicide Squad movie failed to leave a lasting mark on critics. It also comes at a time when DC is shifting its focus from the likes of Batman and Superman to women who are dominating the box office.
For example, Suicide Squad snapped up $US746.8 million ($1 billion) in ticket sales in 2016 thanks to its star-studded cast. While that figure is eye-wateringly high, it wasn't as successful as last year's Wonder Woman film which earned $US821.8 million ($1.14 billion).
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.
Robbie's role in Suicide Squad did win critical praise, though, with her bubble gum-chewing villain leaving a lasting impression on fans. Her performance earned her a 2016 Critics' Choice Award as well as a People's Choice Award that same year.
The Australian actress, who shot to international fame by playing Leonardo DiCaprio's wife in Wolf of Wall Street, has enjoyed worldwide recognition for some time. Last year, Time listed her among the 100 most-influential people in the world. This year also saw Robbie nominated for an Academy Award for the first time (for her role in the biographical film I, Tonya).
Earlier this year, Warner Bros gave the strongest indication yet that that it is shifting its focus from legacy characters to female superheroes. September saw the studio reportedly part ways with British actor Henry Cavill, who has played Superman in three critically underwhelming films since 2013.
Hollywood trade publications have suggested Warner Bros is pouring its time and energy into creating more Wonder Woman films as well as a Supergirl movie. As for Harley Quinn, additional films featuring the Gotham City villain are rumoured to be in the pipeline (including, but not limited to, Suicide Squad 2).
Broede Carmody is an entertainment reporter at Fairfax Media.
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