Everybody loves a good anti-hero, and while Warner Bros might be a little late to the
party they're about to dominate it.
Yes Suicide Squad is coming, and rumor has it Warner Bros is so pleased with David Ayer's
work that the studio is already pushing for Suicide Squad 2 to begin shooting in 2017.
And since the first Suicide Squad movie has basically become the Joker and Harley show
- although Jai Courtney's Boomerang seems to be giving them a solid run for their funny
money - it makes sense that an important player in the Joker-Harley relationship should make
her debut in Suicide Squad 2: Poison Ivy.
Yes while Deadshot has proven to be an interesting DISTRACTION as of late, Poison Ivy is actually
as crucial to the development of the character of Harley Quinn as Mr J!
And I'm not the only one who thinks Poison Ivy should make her DC Cinematic Universe
debut, as BTT Viewer Glitter Geek recently tweeted me to ask who I think should be cast
as Poison Ivy - and I do indeed have a few ideas.
But first, allow me to introduce Poison Ivy, who actually isn't that well known these days
thanks to largely being benched in the Batman Arkham video games - which does seem to be
the driving creative force for the Batman brand these days.
Yet even in the comics these days Harley Quinn is DC's top female character, getting even
more attention than Wonder Woman!
However, long before Batman The Animated Series introduced the character of Harley Quinn,
another female doctor freed from her inhibitions by villainy was considered the sexiest member
of Batman's Rogues Gallery.
And perhaps the similarities between the two characters is what led Batman The Animated
Series to pair them up in the episode that would make Harley Quinn a character in her
own right - Harley and Ivy.
Debuting about a year after Harley's debut in Joker's Favor, Harley and Ivy highlighted
an aspect of the Harley Quinn character that gave her more depth than Batman's other female
villains - that she was a poster girl for domestic abuse, and all its complications.
Yes, Harley Quinn's relationship with Mr J isn't black and white, even though her best
friend Poison Ivy feels that it is.
So over the course of Batman The Animated Series, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn became
their own dynamic duo - and such a fan favorite that there episodes together became even more
highly anticipated than when Harley Quinn appeared with the Joker.
Paul Dini and Bruce Timm even continued their adventures in a provocative mini-series, that
confirmed what may fans had long suspected - that there was a sexual component to their
friendship.
Interestingly, in the comics Harley Quinn eventually became so independent that she
outgrew BOTH Mr J and Poison Ivy, and it was even suggested that Harley was only using
Poison Ivy's feelings toward her to manipulate the green goddess to be another ace up her
sleeve.
But then when the New 52 came along, DC Comics not only added Harley Quinn to the Suicide
Squad roster but decided to make her a full on anti-hero.
That meant a clear break with Mr J, firmly putting him in the abusive ex-boyfriend category,
while Harley and Ivy literally kissed and made up, reimagined as friends with benefits.
However the relationship is no longer unique, as Harley Quinn now also seems to be BFFs
with Power Girl.
But just as its hard to compete with Harley Quinn in the comics, and in the video games,
and in every animated series since Dini and Timm's, will the same thing happen in the
movies?
Not only have Warner Bros and David Ayer reimagined Harley Quinn as a bubble gum biker gang Barbie
doll, but they've cast arguably Hollywood's sexiest actress at the moment, Margot Robbie.
And since Poison Ivy is supposed to be sexier than Harley Quinn, who can they possible cast
who will COMPLIMENT Robbie instead of compete with her?
Here are a few ideas...
See, we need an actress who is both sexy and intelligent, as Poison Ivy is the more responsible
half of this duo.
We also need an actress who has a different look than Robbie, who is game to portray the
lesbian aspects of the relationship, and also can hold her own amongst Suicide Squad's charisma
heavy cast.
Seriously, there are a lot of strong personalities at play here!
But then, nobody has a stronger personality than Lady Gaga.
Yes, fresh off her Golden Globe win, her penchant for elaborate costumes and support of the
LGBT community could make her a very powerful Poison Ivy indeed.
We've already seen her rock it as a redhead, plus her recent old Hollywood makeover shows
she can contrast nicely with Robbie's Harley - even if Lady Gaga is in many ways did it
first.
But if Warner Bros and Ayer want an actress with more experience, it would be hard to
do better than Rooney Mara.
Mara has also played her own version of Harley Quinn, but she's also recently gone "classic"
with Carol.
Mara also has an excellent relationship with the LGBT community, plus an edge that would
make her Ivy a good counterpart to Robbie's softer Harley Quinn.
However, lesbians are often portrayed in movies as supermodels making out with supermodels,
so if Suicide Squad wants to highlight the down to earth friendship part of Harley and
Ivy, Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany could also be a good choice.
Maslany has also been very vocal in her support of the LGBT community, and has plenty of fans
thanks to her work on Orphan Black.
Want a softer Ivy?
There's always Fifty Shades of Grey's Dakota Johnson, who's proven she's not squeamish
when it comes to nudity plus she's turned out to be an excellent understated comedian
who could definitely hold her own against Robbie's more outlandish Harley.
Finally, after race-bending the role of Deadshot, there's an argument to be made for doing the
same with Poison Ivy.
After all, Uma Thurman already took a crack at it back in 1997, and Africa is considered
the cradle of life.
So while Lupita Nyong'o might come across as very innocent, 12 Years a Slave proved
she can lose her grip on sanity just as Dr Pamela Isley did.
Plus surely Harley, and Mr J, would relish all the Jungle Fever jokes.
So do you want to see Poison Ivy introduced in Suicide Squad 2?
And if so, who should be cast opposite Margot Robbie aaaand Jared Leto.
Write your thoughts down below.
I'm Grace Randolph and you can check out more Suicide Squad coverage right now!