Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey has a number of nods to other films in the DCEU franchise. However, one franchise that the film is heavily linked to is Suicide Squad. With a sequel on the way and one already in the bag, Harley Quinn in particular is a part of that bigger world.

Since Warner Bros. wants to set up this movie while making a number of nods to the original, it made sense that Birds of Prey would serve as the perfect launchpad for The Suicide Squad. Here are five ways that Birds of Prey links to the original and five that it links to the upcoming Squad film.

Captain Boomerang was one of the most memorable villains on the original team that Harley was a part of. The character was shown to us again on a poster, reminding fans that he’s still around somewhere, waiting to return.

We know that Captain Boomerang is actually returning in the next Squad outing and therefore, this seems relevant that not only does it look back on the squad that has been, but is also looking forward to the next one that will be created.

SETS UP: HARLEY’S SENDOFF

Harley Quinn herself has a pretty definitive sendoff at the end of the movie. She and Cassandra Cain ride off into the sunset, presumably to the next adventure. With rumors that she could turn up with the Squad again, this makes a lot of sense.

Harley is free of her ties with the Birds of Prey and therefore it doesn’t get complicated trying to cross these franchises over. She’s not in any status quo either, so rocking her life with a new mission wouldn’t be too much of a change of pace.

Harley Quinn has a past that she’d rather forget. Whether it’s her relationship with the Joker, her criminal days or even her time with the Squad itself, it’s as if she’s running away from it all and trying to start something completely new.

The opening credits of the film see an animated sequence that recounts the events of the first Suicide Squad. It reminds everyone of Harley’s past and fills in the blanks for audience members who hadn’t seen the previous film.

SETS UP: NEW THREATS

The DCEU is clearly still evolving as a number of new threats continue to emerge. The Black Mask and Victor Zsasz were both new villains to this universe, showcasing that other costumed bad guys are still being created.

With Black Mask’s death in particular, this opens up another gap in the market once again⁠ — one that presumably another crime boss could fill. It seems like this could make way for a new villain that the Squad might have to face.

Joker’s empire also plays a large part in this movie. Due to the breakup between the Joker and Harley Quinn, she is no longer protected by the Clown Prince of Crime. She’s open to any and all attacks from across the city.

This opens up an interesting piece of information about just how much Mr. J really controlled in Gotham City. We didn’t quite get this sense of empire in the last film, but Birds of Prey actually elevates that character in many ways.

SETS UP: DIFFERENT TEAM

The idea that different teams can form in the DCEU is now in everyone’s heads with the creation of the Birds of Prey. However, there will be an actual team shift in the next film about the Suicide Squad in terms of their members.

With Quinn perhaps off the team and Captain Boomerang possibly off the grid, there’s a chance here to relaunch the team completely. Of course, some characters will appear again but this concept of change is heavily present here.

Batman’s war in Gotham City might not have made the streets any safer. While big crime bosses were taken down, it has allowed others to simply fill in the gaps and make up for the vacuum of power.

With Batman gone for now, it looks like the streets are rougher than ever. This is symbolized heavily by the fact that even Quinn isn’t in jail, when it was Batman who put her in there. Even the police can’t keep up with it all.

SETS UP: SAME UNIVERSE

For the Suicide Squad to really form and to link back to the original film as well, the concept of the DCEU needs to be strengthened. It’s proper that there are a number of elements that show this is a shared universe.

It’s important to remind fans that just because there have been hiccups along the way, this doesn’t mean that the old films have been thrown away. Characters like Rick Flag will return again, for instance, while others will be brought in for the first time.

There’s a huge piece of character development for Harley Quinn between the two films that she’s starred in thus far. The first one saw her become incredibly reluctant to work with anyone else. She believed she was best on her own.

However, her experiences with the Squad have clearly changed her. It’s actually Quinn that suggests that the group should work together, essentially creating the Birds of Prey. She’s absolutely come a long way from where she once stood.

SETS UP: CROSSOVER CHARACTERS

As the DCEU continues to expand, the issue of crossovers comes up once again. Now that the Birds of Prey exists and Cassandra Cain is working alongside Quinn, there’s potential for all of them to show up somewhere in the future.

With Quinn pretty much confirmed for a role in the next SuicideSquad, it would make sense that many of these other characters could be making an appearance. Where they have all been left could be the key to working out how these big franchises will interlink with one another.