Hi folks! Got some BIRDS OF PREY news to share:
Deadline reports that, at the U.S.-China Entertainment Summit in LA yesterday, director Cathy Yan talked a bit more about her experience pitching and preparing for the upcoming BIRDS OF PREY movie from Warner Brothers.
"I immediately loved the script, and it felt like something I could really do," said Yan. "It felt very much like my own voice." Yan's Sundance debut, DEAD PIGS, had a very dark comic tone, and it sounds as though BIRDS OF PREY will go in the same direction - although since it stars Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, fans would expect no less!
"The tone of the film is similar to that in my films," confirmed Yan. Asked if there would be elements of Asian culture in the film (DEAD PIGS was set in Shanghai), she said that she and screenwriter Christina Hodson,who is half Chinese, are "sneaking little bits in," and that there is a half-Asian character in the movie: Cassandra Cain, who will be in the Birds of Prey in the DC Entertainment cinematic universe.
This is exciting news for us Cassandra Cain fans, who haven't gotten to see much of the "Asian Batgirl" since DC Comics gave her some sad new identity like "Orphan" and then, essentially, orphaned her from the rest of the Bat family. At one point, Cassandra was the star of her own BATGIRL comic, but I'm not 100% sure she was ever in the Birds of Prey in the comics universe (maybe a guest appearance?)
The character of Cassandra Cain has yet to be cast in the feature, although some other exciting casting choices have been made. Margot Robbie is, of course, returning as Harley Quinn, Rosie Perez is playing Rene Montoya, Mary Elizabeth Winstead is playing Huntress, and Jurnee Smollet-Bell was recently announced as Black Canary.
Yan reportedly wants to cast Cassandra as a 12 year old girl, which is exciting, but also challenging, as this character will need to have martial arts moves that rival even The Batman. Although if this footage of the Shaolin Temple students practicing is any indication, maybe she should be scouting there for some badass kids! I mean, Cassandra Cain is supposed to be mute, right? It's not like she needs to be an American actress, as long as the director can communicate with her!
What do you think, talkbackers? Are you ready for this? BIRDS OF PREY is scheduled to open Feb. 7, 2020.
- VR
