Harley Quinn Showrunner Addresses Controversial Justice League Joke, Supports Snyder Cut

The showrunners of DC Universe’s Harley Quinn recently participated in a Q&A where they addressed a myriad of topics including the infamous Justice League “Release the Snyder Cut” joke. When Harley Quinn first premiered, it was clear it was the polar opposite of every DC animated show that preceded it. The titular heroine of Harley Quinn is ruthless, completely unapologetic, and unafraid to take aim at the entire DC Universe – including its fervent fanbase.

Now that the show is in its sophomore season, Harley Quinn has only stepped up the insanity. The show has already killed off several beloved DC Characters (RIP Penguin and Mr. Freeze). It’s also set its sights on controversial topics in DC’s greater cannon. One joke that set the internet on fire was a scene in Harley Quinn season 2, episode 5 where two fanboys critics rail on Harley Quinn for “virtue signaling” among other things. The meta joke was only made more poignant because one of the alpha fanboys was wearing a “Release the Snyder Cut” t-shirt. While nothing is off-limits on Harley Quinn, the Justice League Snyder Cut controversy split the DC fanbase down the middle. Therefore, even though it’s been years since the initial fiasco, any mention of the Snyder Cut still kicks up the fanboy hornet’s nest.

On May 11, Harley Quinn’s showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker did a live Q&A on DC Universe and answered a few fan questions. Eventually, a fan asked about the Snyder Cut joke, specifically how it came to be on the show. Schumacker explained he had “cold feet” about the joke and was sure that it would never make it into the show:

Honestly, I put the shirts in there as an internal joke, and assumed those would never make it into the final cut haha. Ultimately these guys were comedic to me because of how deep their toxic fandom ran, (particularly the one guy). And I don’t think he’s representative of all the Snyder Cut enthusiasts AT ALL. In truth, I had cold feet about keeping the shirts but I’m glad we did at the end of the day, and the Snyder Cut fans’ response has been outstanding. Such great sports!

Given how the Synder Cut fanbase has acted in the past, it’s mighty of them to take the joke in stride. With the joke being as pointed as it was, Schumacker also clarified his personal feelings about the Snyder Cut in the same Q&A, calling himself “a completist who wants to see it released. I want all director cuts to be released.” Schumacker even took it a step further, sharing a photo on Twitter of a custom “Release the Snyder Cut” sign from his island in the game Animal Crossing:

It’s impressive that Harley Quinn managed to tackle a topic like toxic fandom without much push-back. Since the internet is filled with fans who love nothing more than attacking any property or person that doesn’t conform to their opinions, it would have easy for them to attack Harley Quinn. However, it appears miracles do happen, and a joke can just be a joke. The fan reaction could also be a comment on Harley Quinn as a show, which makes fun of everything in DC’s cannon, so nobody raises an eyebrow at a controversial joke – much like South Park. For now, Harley Quinn season 2 is still ongoing, and it’s a fair bet there will be many more jokes that set the internet on fire.