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Margot Robbie's 'Birds of Prey' footage shows a 'scrappier Gotham'

Hanna Flint
·Contributor
Margot Robbie’s new Harley Quinn look in ‘Birds of Prey’ teaser
Margot Robbie’s new Harley Quinn look in ‘Birds of Prey’ teaser

The first footage of Birds of Prey was screened at CinemaCon to critical acclaim.

Margot Robbie’s second outing as Harley Quinn is directed by Cathy Yan and features a team up with Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell).

According to those at the event, Harley isn’t actually part of the Birds of Prey team yet – which is unsurprising considering her villainous backstory – but as the full title of the film includes “The Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn” it’s clear she’ll be shedding her Joker baggage.

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Though it’s reported that she stirs the pot for the female squad – made up of Huntress, Back Canary, and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) – and that there is also a scene showing Ewan McGregor as villain Black Mask practising with weapons.

“This is not Batman’s Gotham. It’s a scrappier Gotham,” the cast says in a pre-recorded message.

The film’s plot is meant to revolve around Harley once again wearing her antihero hat in order to save Cassandra Cain from the Gotham City crime lord Black Mask and she joins forces with Huntress, Black Canary and Gotham police detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to do it.

In DC Comics, Cain is a skilled martial artist who ends up becoming Batgirl after being taken in by the OG Batgirl Barbara Gordon.

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Huntress/Helena Rosa Bertinelli is a super-spy and heir to “the entire Sicilian mob,” who is seeking revenge for her family’s murders.

Black Canary/Dinah Drake is the founder of the Birds of Prey who is known for her expert hand-to-hand combat and fighting skills as well as being a talented motorcyclist, gymnast, covert operative and investigator.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Since the events of Suicide Squad, Batman has disappeared, leaving Gotham City unprotected from crime, and Harley Quinn has left the Joker. When Cassandra Cain, a young girl, comes across a diamond belonging to crime lord Black Mask, Harley joins forces with the Birds of Prey: Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya, to help protect her

The movie is rumoured to be the first instalment of a Harley Quinn trilogy which will be followed by a sequel based on the Gotham City Sirens team.

A Sirens movie is still in development at Warner Bros and would centre on Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, as well as a Batgirl movie so Gotham’s cinematic universe may soon be dominated by super female characters for once.

Birds of Prey is expected in cinemas from 7 February, 2020.