Harley Quinn Showrunners Confirm What We Suspected About Any Future Joker Romance
"Harley Quinn" has finally returned to HBO Max for its 3rd season. Season 2 memorable ends with Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) finally becoming a couple, and the new batch of episodes kicks things off with the villainous dynamic duo going on a road trip around the world to celebrate their new relationship in a typically chaotic fashion. "Harley Quinn" is known for its comedic tone and unhinged violence, which go hand-in-hand with the satirical approach to comic book heroes and villains.
That tongue-in-cheek tone continues into Season 3, as showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker previously revealed how one episode riffs on a classic Batman show. Schumacker told /Film, "We have an episode that's a big love letter to 'Batman: The Animated Series' ... We even got some original backgrounds from the show that we use in the episode."
But now that Harley is with Ivy, it'll be interesting to see what her infamous ex the Joker (Alan Tudyk) makes of their relationship. After all, he was incredibly possessive over the baseball bat-wielding villain when they were together. But the "Harley Quinn" showrunners recently confirmed what everyone suspected about any future romance with the Clown Prince of Crime.
Harley and the Joker are done for good
Don't worry, Harley Quinn is following in Taylor Swift's footsteps as she is never, ever, ever getting back together with the Joker. Although Harley has been the Joker's girlfriend and sidekick since her debut on "Batman: The Animated Series," there's been a huge shift in her arc across comics, TV, and movies in the last few years. Writers and audiences have recognized that the Joker is an incredibly abusive and toxic person to be in a relationship with, and part of Harley's growth is getting rid of him.
It's the same in the "Harley Quinn" animated series, and it has done her a world of good, especially considering how happy she is with Poison Ivy. Thankfully, showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker told AV Club that there'll never be another romance between Harley and the Joker in the HBO Max show. Schumacker said, "We still have the occasional fan reaction of 'I don't like Harley and Ivy together. She should get back with the Joker,' which we're never going to do. Harley and Ivy will never break up in the series as long as we have a say. That's something that we never want to touch again."
The Joker will still pop up in "Harley Quinn" to cause chaos for the anti-hero, but his romancing days are done. Good.