Batman and Robin

The unmade sequel toBatman & Robinalmost introduce Harley Quinn to the world ofDClive - military action picture years before she really debuted in this capacity . Batman & Robinhas a complicated position in the chronological record ofBatman film chronicle , being one of the most easily recognisable - and most consistently disliked - releases in the Dark Knight ’s entire film catalog . However , this only serve to make the genuine life story of the installment and its core on DC ’s movie landscape all the more interesting .

This is especially true when it get to the affair of the pic that was initially intended to come afterBatman & Robinin the Batman movie batting order , as it was n’t at first intended to be the last release of the serial publication . In fact , the unmade 5th plastic film was seemingly go under to be a grand ligature together of this film roll , land back some surprising villains , and introducing new I all the while . Plans for the story even brought Harley Quinn into the fray to look off against alive - action mechanism Batman , which could ’ve ensue in some key change for the character and for DC by and tumid .

Batman Unchained Could’ve Been Harley Quinn’s Live-Action Movie Debut Years Before It Happened

Harley Quinn’s Movie History Was Almost Very Different

While Harley Quinn first came to the small screen in 1992 with her first ever appearance inBatman : The Animated Series- and made a risible first appearance not long after this - it was a much longer hold back before her comer on the enceinte screen . Suicide Squadbrought the first resilient - natural process film version of Quinn to life , butthe persona almost seem in a cinematic press release long before that withBatman Unchained , which was projected for a 1999 spill - notably only a few years after hearing first met DC ’s other major buffoon .

Mark Protosevich ’s script fortheBatman Unchainedmoviereportedly had the DC hero facing off against both Scarecrow and Harley Quinn in the events of the movie , allowing the serial to explore newfangled territory while still giving it useful tie back to the Joker and the serial publication ' account for when and if they could be utile . However , the flick never terminate up occur to fruition , resulting in a long stretch wherein Harley Quinn remained only in comics , television , and revivify movie until 17 age later with the 2016Suicide Squad .

As the current defining lively - action movie version of Harley Quinn , Margot Robbie has leave a solid series of performances as the reference betweenSuicide Squad , Birds of Prey ( and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn ) , andThe Suicide Squad . However , it ’s notable that - until Joker : Foile Á Deuxintroduced Lady Gaga ’s iteration of Quinn to the earthly concern in 2024 - she was also the only live - action film version of Harley Quinn to have graced screens . As such , the mysteries regarding whatBatman Unchained ’s Quinn would ’ve fetch to the point are especially apposite .

Batman and Robin Movie Poster

Introducing Harley Quinn Into The Earlier Batman Movie Series Would’ve Had Fascinating Results

Batman Unchained Had A Unique Iteration Of The DC Character

Harley Quinn ’s evolution in - cosmos and in the real humanity has been an interesting unconscious process . First introduced as the adoring and blindsided by sexual love sidekick to the Joker - a function played up for comic effect - inBatman : The Animated Series , taradiddle quickly began to explore the trials and tribulations of being romantically entangled with a pitiless supervillain , with the toxic nature of the distich ’s human relationship a core part of Harley ’s write up , eventually culminating in the duo splitting up in rules of order to give Quinn her own storylines .

Interestingly , Batman Unchainedwould’ve reportedly made Harley Quinn the Joker ’s daughter , drastically changing the dynamic she would have had with the then - drop dead Joker and making her piazza in the movie landscape all the more interesting . aggregate this with a prospective casting of Courtney Love as Harley Quinn and the Joker being planned to pass in the picture - albeit as a figment of Batman ’s imagination brought back by the event of the plastic film - and it ’s clear Quinn ’s story would ’ve been like no other version told yet , make the missed luck all the more noteworthy .

It ’s also worth note that Quinn ’s first appearance being inSuicide Squadwas a mixed result , as while Robbie ’s carrying into action received congratulations , the movie itself did not get along as well . As such , looking at howBatman Unchainedmight have change the character reference ’s live - natural action unveiling is also interesting in this sense , although the motion-picture show never fall to fruition leaves this mostly up to the imagination .

Split image of Batman & Robin Batman and 1989 Batman Joker

Image By Zoe Miskelly

Why Batman Unchained Didn’t End Up Being Made

Batman Unchained Was In A Tricky Position For More Than One Reason

at long last , Batman Unchained ’s office asBatman & Robin ’s continuation was seemingly what lead to its ruin . While piece of work had set out onUnchained ’s book beforeBatman & Robin ’s release , the reception to the movie - which stay on systematically negative to this day , base on its 12 % critic score and 16 % consultation score onRotten Tomatoes- mean it was tough to imagine a follow - up release paying off . This was matched with lower box office results compared to every other Batman movie release in the series before it - despite some hopeful opening weekend leave forBatman & Robin- reinforcing its failures .

This order , Batman Unchainedmay not have been made even ifBatman & Robinhad been a more critically and commercially successful movie , as the freehanded swing the fib took may have been too much to justify to executive - thoughBatman & Robinitselfno incertitude did n’t facilitate . In a composition fromThe Hollywood newsman , writer Mark Protosevich point giving the script ’s first draft to theater director Joel Schumacher and a Warner Bros. executive , submit Shumacher describe it as , " the most expensive movie ever made . " According to Protosevich , what play along was radio secretiveness from the studio apartment , espouse by the project ’s conclusion .

However , the details ofBatman Unchainedand what could have been for its tale will always make it a enchanting chapter of DC history , even if it ’s one that never saw the Inner Light of day as a heir toBatman & Robin . With a new rendering of Harley Quinn likely set to go forth from the DC Universe and its upcoming ticket of releases , it will be interesting to see how the hereafter of DC ’s moving picture press release reflects its past tense , and whether any fragments of whatUnchained ’s Harley Quinn could have been like can be glimpse in new loop of the eccentric .

Harley Quinn standing in Batman The Animated Series

Serving as the fourth and final installment in Warner Bros.’s original Batman movie series, Batman & Robin sees the caped crusader and his faithful sidekick come up against Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane. The movie also marks the on-screen debut of Batgirl, who is played by American actress Alicia Silverstone.

Cast

Serving as the fourth and final installment in Warner Bros. ’s original Batman movie serial ,   Batman & Robin sees the caped crusader and his faithful buddy issue forth up against Mr. Freeze , Poison Ivy , and Bane . The movie also mark the on - screen entry of Batgirl , who is played by American actress   Alicia Silverstone .

Upcoming DC Movie Releases

Batman & Robin

Serving as the fourth and final installment in Warner Bros.’s original Batman movie series, Batman & Robin sees the caped crusader and his faithful sidekick come up against Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane. The movie also marks the on-screen debut of Batgirl, who is played by American actress Alicia Silverstone.

Headshot Of George Clooney

Headshot Of Chris O’Donnell

Superman 2025 poster

Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow Poster

Movies

Batman & Robin

DC Extended Universe