Joker 2 has taken up a new DC Universe, particularly with popular characters like Harley Quinn, who is played by Lady Gaga. While the fans are pumped to see a new version of Quinn after Margot Robbie’s portrayal of the character, this new adaptation has definitely added some intrigue.
Robbie played Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey; however, her future in DC is unclear, given that she’s set for other comic book movies. Although she portrayed the character really well, she was replaced by the famous singer in Joker 2.
The comic book character, Harley Quinn, was created in 1992 by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini for Batman: The Animated Series and has since become one of DC’s popular characters. While fans speculate that Gaga’s Quinn will be similar to comic books, the trailer and comments from director Todd Phillips suggest otherwise. In Joker: Folie à Deux, Quinn shares some similarities with her comic book, given that she’s a fan of Arthur Fleck, aka the Joker.
In the movie, Quinn joins him in Arkham and sees a reflection of herself in Fleck, sparking an obsession that soon evolves into a romantic connection. Their twisted bond is reflected differently as they dance and sing together onstage, unlike past portrayals of their relationship. Quinn’s feelings for the Joker are displayed less as cartoonish infatuation and more as a dangerous obsession, making their connection darker and unsettling.
However, in the original story, Harley Quinn’s origin showed Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, being manipulated by the Joker and eventually falling in love with him. In Joker 2, this backstory is reimagined, and instead of being a doctor, Gaga’s Quinn is now called Lee Quinzel and is a fellow patient at Arkham. This shift placed both Quinn and Joker on more equal ground, showcasing them as two deeply disturbed, lonely souls. As both see themselves in the other, forming a bond through shared madness, removing the element of Joker’s manipulation.
Furthermore, Phillips once told Variety that he wanted to change Quinn’s comic identity. He said, “The high voice, that accent, the gum-chewing, and all that sort of sassy stuff that’s in the comics, we stripped that away.” Although the character is still fueled by madness and danger, the cartoonish elements are stripped away in Joker 2.
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