Why DC Just Cancelled Jared Leto's Joker Movies

4. They've Realised They Don't Need The Character Anymore

To begin with, Harley Quinn was synonymous with the Joker. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm to be a henchman for the Clown Prince in the legendary Batman: The Animated Series, but by the time the show neared its conclusion, it was becoming apparent that the character was turning into a force of her own.

Quinn soon made the leap to DC's main comics, where she became a recurring character in the publisher's vast array of Bat-books. These stories too bore Dini's influence, with many electing to expand upon the premise featured in the classic BTAS episode, Harley & Ivy, where Quinn leaves the Joker for good, and embarks on a series of capers with Poison Ivy.

By the time the New 52 emerged in 2011, Harley and Joker couldn't have been father apart. Quinn had joined the Suicide Squad, and her once beloved 'Puddin' had literally lost his face and tried to murder her. Today? they're practically enemies, with the Joker using his abusive hold over Quinn to try and tempt her back.

Point being, the Harley of today no longer has that same synonymy with the Joker, to the point where she's become one of DC's most popular figures. They no longer need the Joker anymore, and there's much more appeal in seeing her break free from that relationship than seeing her confined within it, as has been illustrated by the sheer amount of material published where the characters don't even share the same page.