L-R, Robbie, Yan — Photo: Claudette Barius/© 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. & © DC Comics(LOS ANGELES) — Next Friday, Warner Bros. launches Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, its third DC Comics-based film fronted by a female director, counting the as-yet-unrelased Wonder Woman 1984.
Yan, who only had a small budget — but well received — feature called Dead Pigs under her belt, recalls to Variety she “never” thought she’d land the job.
Birds of Prey not only stars a predominantly female cast, led by Margot Robbie’s Harley, a Suicide Squad favorite, but was also produced by her and was written by a woman, Christina Hodson.
A friendly coffee with Han led to Hodson suggesting she direct. “[S]he was like, ‘Well, how about you?’ It took me aback, because I didn’t really think that I could do something like that — or be in the conversation for that.” On directing, the Asian American admitted, “I’d never seen anyone who looked like me do it.”
Yan tells Variety she reached out to Patty Jenkins, the director of both of WB’s Wonder Woman movies for advice.
“I’m like, ‘What am I doing?’ Yan recalls with a laugh. “She told me, ‘You’ve got to remember that no one knows this movie as much as you. That’s what makes you the director.’ And that was really, really helpful.”
Birds of Prey also stars Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Rosie Perez, and shows Harley coming into her own after breaking up with The Joker.
The fact that Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984, as well as Marvel’s Black Widow and The Eternals, feature female directors, is, “pretty freaking amazing,” Yan enthuses.
“I remember when I was just starting off being told, “Actually, we’ve been looking for female directors, but there aren’t that many that want to do action movies.” I remember thinking, ‘I do! I love action movies.’ Women are capable of this.”
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