‘Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey’ was one of the most critically acclaimed offerings by DCEU to date. However, people were surprised by the fact that Oracle, the alias of Barbara Gordon, who co-ordinated efforts in the original ‘Birds of Prey’ group, was not there. What went wrong? Could Oracle be making an appearance in future movies?
‘Harlequin: Birds of Prey’ is a brilliant film. It takes up the story of the crime-fighting badasses and amplifies it by several degrees. However, it is missing a crucial detail. In the comics, Oracle, the alias of Barbara Gordon, is the person who brings the Birds of prey together for their missions. She is not only one of the most significant characters in the ‘Birds of Prey’ comics, but she is also the person who holds the often warring group together.
Highlights
- Who is Oracle in the DC Universe?
- Could Oracle be coming to DCEU?
- Where is Barbara Gordon in DCEU?
However, DC seems to be mostly mum about Barbara Gordon. While she’s all set to appear in her own ‘Batgirl’ movie, what is her future is ‘Birds of Prey’?
Who is Oracle?
Barbara Gordon was one of the most prominent characters in Gotham long before Oracle even existed. Detective Gordon’s daughter has been Batgirl before and fought crime alongside Batman. She has even held her own in her series with gusto.
However, the story in ‘Killing Joke’ would change all that. ‘Killing Joke’ is significant in many ways, but, mostly its legacy remains the depiction of the relationship between Batman and Joker. There’s another thread of the story that gets forgotten often. The thread of Joker attacking Barbara viciously and leaving her paralyzed by severing her spine.
Barabara lived through the trauma and ended up in a wheelchair. She became Oracle and brought together the Huntress, Black Canary team, and others to do missions. ‘Birds of Prey’ was established initially by Oracle, and she plays a primary role in the group, keeping it together and giving them work.
Not only is Barbara one of the most intelligent characters in the entirety of DC comics, but she is also one of the most competent fighters in ‘Birds of Prey’. In the comics, she learns to fight and overcome her disability through sheer will. She also plays a hand in defeating some of the enemies that the team face.
The DCEU saga
Due to the nature of ‘The Killing Joke’ and its highly adult content, it was always suspected that she might not come to the DC movie universe at all. Not only is the novel too graphic, but it also forms the essential primer for Oracle as a character in a way that is viewed as very misogynist by most critics.
Recreating such scenes in any kind of live-action format would automatically earn the film an R rating. Plus, given the tumultuous waters, DCEU has been in due to a lack of returns than the MCU.
Profits have been at the centre of controversy within the DC universe since its inception. Zack Snyder was reportedly pushed out of the ‘Justice League’ film due to its faltering profits. So, of course, when it came to the Oracle, the ‘Birds of Prey’ movie never conceptualized the character.
However, the future appearance of the Oracle in ‘Birds of Prey’ has not been ruled out by the DC executives.
The Batgirl movie and Oracle
The Batgirl movie has been in talks for a long time. Everyone from famed novelist Roxane Gay to the nebulous Karen Gillian has thrown their hats in the ring for being a part of the movie. However, due to Whedon leaving the film in disgrace and the recent accusations, DC has moved in to put a woman in charge of the ‘Batgirl’ movie.
This aside, the movie has been in relative development hell. Due to the risks associated with the film’s making, DC executives have said that the movie might debut directly on HBO Max. Batgirl might benefit from meeting the cast of ‘Birds of Prey’ and helping them bring the group together.
The group in ‘Birds of Prey’ has many issues, and they keep fighting each other in the meanwhile. Batgirl could play the role of Oracle without going through the traumatic events of ‘The Killing Joke’. Fan art has shown Oracle in ‘Birds of Prey’ in the movies here.
While the ‘Batgirl’ movie is a go, Oracle’s future in the DCEU is still up for grabs. However, Oracle could play a role in the future of ‘Birds of Prey’ soon with the upcoming movie. Given their shared history it would be a great way to introduce the group as a coherent story for the movies.
