Asian American Harley Quinn debuts in new ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’
By Ryan General
The upcoming animated “Batman: Caped Crusader” series is shaking things up with a fresh take on Harley Quinn.
Key points:
- Harley Quinn will be depicted as Asian American in the new series.
- The character is no longer paired with the Joker, her usual partner-in-crime.
- She works as a psychiatrist who treats Bruce Wayne, giving her unique insight into Batman.
- The series was initially planned for HBO Max but was later picked up by Prime Video.
The details:
- “Batman: Caped Crusader” is the brainchild of Bruce Timm, the co-creator of Harley Quinn in the iconic “Batman: The Animated Series.”
- To avoid simply rehashing the iconic show, Timm opted for a distinct 1940s aesthetic with no cellphones or computers.
- Timm wanted to move away from Harley Quinn’s typical portrayal as a goofy supervillain linked to the Joker. Here, Dr. Quinzel is a regular psychiatrist assigned to Bruce Wayne.
- This Harley is described as more whimsical as Dr. Quinzel, but her Harley Quinn persona is “scary” and uses psychology as a weapon.
“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.”
- Batman himself is also explored in a new light as a brooding, strange individual who struggles to be Bruce Wayne.
- Voice actors for the show have yet to be revealed.
What’s next:
- “Batman: Caped Crusader” premieres on Prime Video on August 1.
Tangent:
- The show also features new looks for Catwoman and Clayface, drawing inspiration from their original comic book appearances.
Share this Article
Share this Article
