Cathy Yan in Early Talks to Direct Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn Movie

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Cathy Yan is in early talks to direct Margot Robbie in the next Harley Quinn movie, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Yan is best known for writing and directing her feature debut “Dead Pigs,” which took home the World Cinema Dramatic Award For Ensemble Acting at Sundance earlier this year.

Yan would be the third female filmmaker to join the DC universe with this film, which is still known as the Untitled Girl Gang Movie at Warner Bros. She will also be the first Asian woman to direct a DC film.

Also Read: DC's 'Batgirl' Movie Lands 'Birds of Prey' Screenwriter Christina Hodson

The girl gang movie is being written by screenwriter Christina Hodson, and it will be produced by Robbie, Kroll & Co Entertainment’s Sue Kroll, and Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless. Hodson is also writing “Batgirl” for DC.

Yan will not direct the “Gotham City Sirens” or “Harley vs Joker” films also in contention at Warner Bros.

Also Read: Here Are the 3 Harley Quinn Movies in Contention at Warner Bros.

Yan was previously a reporter for the Wall Street Journal in New York, Hong Kong and Beijing and was one of the youngest writers in the paper’s history to pen multiple front-page stories. She is represented by CAA.

Deadline first reported the news.

11 DC Comics Superheroes and Villains Who Deserve R-Rated Movies (Photos)

With R-rated films like "Logan" brutalizing the box office, an insider tells TheWrap that DC Films would "100 percent" make R-rated superhero movies with the right characters. Here are a few suggestions for characters dark enough to demand an R rating.
1. Justice League Dark

Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment released a successful R-rated "Justice League Dark" animated movie, and there's no reason they can't do the same in live action.
DC Comics
2. Suicide Squad 2

The first "Suicide Squad" focused on hardened criminals, but they kept things PG-13. They could do a lot more damage with an R rating.
Warner Bros.
3. Deadshot

Warner Bros. is looking to spin off Will Smith's hardened "Suicide Squad" character. An R-rating would make a lot of sense, given that he's a professional assassin.
Warner Bros.
4. Gotham City Sirens

Warners is also looking to spin off Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn character from "Suicide Squad." We all know the streets of Gotham are deadly enough to deserve an R rating.
DC Comics
5. Lobo

A film about DC's badass alien bounty hunter Lobo is in development, with Jason Fuchs developing a screenplay. An alien can't be expected to abide by MPAA standards.
DC Comics
6. Black Adam

Dwayne Johnson is attached to star as outlaw "Black Adam" for New Line. In the comics, Black Adam rules his own nation — the fictional Middle Eastern country Kahndaq — as a beloved, if violent, dictator. R territory for sure.
DC Comics
7. Nightwing

Bruce Wayne's former ward Dick Grayson set off on his own in the comics, and is expected to get his own movie as well in "Nightwing." R is for Robin.
DC Comics
8. Red Hood

If DC Films is making a "Nightwing" movie, how about focusing on another Bat-underling? Ex-Robin Jason Todd came back from the dead to avenge his killing as Red Hood, and a PG-13 probably can't contain all his rage.
DC Comics
9. Arkham Asylum

The video game series featuring all of Gotham City's craziest villains could easily lend itself to a film in the vein of David Fincher's "Seven."
DC Comics
10. Deathstroke

DC Comics assassin Deathstroke is the villain in the upcoming "The Batman," and if he merits a spinoff, it would be hard to imagine it as anything but an R movie.
DC Comics
11. The Batman

Making "The Batman" R-rated would send a signal that DC Films isn't messing around. In the "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Ultimate Edition, Batman was at his most Frank Miller violent and brutal.
Warner Bros.
If you like this gallery, check out this list of the 14 Biggest Superhero Movies Opening in 2017, From ‘Power Rangers’ to ‘Wonder Woman’ (Photos)

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An insider tells TheWrap that DC Films would ‘100 percent’ make R-rated superhero movies with the right characters — here are few that would be perfect

With R-rated films like "Logan" brutalizing the box office, an insider tells TheWrap that DC Films would "100 percent" make R-rated superhero movies with the right characters. Here are a few suggestions for characters dark enough to demand an R rating.

View In Gallery

11 DC Comics Superheroes and Villains Who Deserve R-Rated Movies (Photos)

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