First look images from ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ revealed a big shift from Harley Quinn’s original design. This version of Dr. Harleen Quinzel is quieter and creepier in her alter ego and has no relation to the Joker.
Entertainment Weekly reported co-creator Bruce Timm’s comments on the changes as follows:
“I co-created the character, so I have a lot of love and affection for her, but I thought there might be something interesting about bringing her on the show, just not as Joker’s girlfriend.”
He explained:
“So how do we do that? A big part was just doing a basic flip. The original Dr. Quinzel was a little bit more serious, and then when she became Harley, she got really goofy and weird. So, we thought, what if we reverse that? When she’s Dr. Quinzel, she’s a little bit more whimsical and fun, and then when she’s Harley Quinn, she’s scary.”
Her Story Changed As Well
The plot details for ‘Caped Crusader’ suggest that Harley Quinn won’t outright leave her job to become a supervillain as she did in ‘Batman: The Animated Series.’ She will continue working as a psychiatrist and will even be assigned to treat Bruce Wayne.
This way the DC villain will delve into the hero’s mind and what makes him a ‘really weird human being.’ Timm shared:
“He’s not obsessed with his parents’ murder, but it changed him in a way where he’s still not adjusted to being a human being. He’s literally Batman; inside, that’s who he is. Whenever he’s Bruce Wayne, that’s not just him with a mask off, that’s him wearing a person suit. He’s trying to pretend to be something that he’s not.”
The new animated series will also portray Harley Quinn as an Asian-American woman. It will premiere on Prime Video on August 1, 2024.
