LOS ANGELES—Axel Braun on Friday announced he has chosen Kenzie Taylor, the breakout star of Captain Marvel XXX, to portray Harley Quinn in The Batman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody Series.
The ambitious project is the AVN Hall of Fame director's first series, and is the latest DC AxelVerse entry to be released through Wicked Comix, the imprint of such hit parodies as Batman v Superman XXX, Justice League XXX, Supergirl XXX, Deadpool XXX, Suicide Squad XXX as well as the mega-hit and reigning AVN Best Parody Captain Marvel XXX. The casting of Taylor marks the latest addition to an already stellar cast which includes Seth Gamble as Bruce Wayne and Evelyn Claire as the crossbow-wielding Huntress.
“Kenzie sent me a two-minute audio recording of her talking with Harley’s accent, and I actually thought it was a clip from the animated series,” said Braun. “I was literally blown away, and I cast her on the spot. Of course it wasn’t a difficult choice, she was phenomenal in Captain Marvel XXX, and she is the most talented, dedicated and professional actress I have ever worked with. The fact that she is also drop-dead gorgeous, funny, and sexy as hell is only the icing on the cake.”
According to Braun, Quinn’s hyper-real falsetto is a major factor in her timeless appeal. He said Taylor’s interpretation "will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the work of Arleen Sorkin, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch, Laura Bailey, Jenny Slate, Melissa Rauch, Laura Post, Kaley Cuoco and others who have voiced the character in the DC animated universe and standalone projects."
One of DC’s most celebrated antiheroes, Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel aka Harley Quinn was previously portrayed in the DC AxelVerse by Kleio Valentien, the only actress in adult history to win consecutive Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress AVN awards for the same role (Batman v Superman XXX and Suicide Squad XXX). It’s a record-setting legacy and an artistic challenge Taylor is eager to accept.
“I am super honored and thrilled that Axel has chosen me for the role of Harley Quinn,” Kenzie confided. “It comes with some pretty big shoes to fill...Kleio was amazing in it, so I know I have my work cut out for me to really honor her and make Axel proud. I’ve always been a huge fan of the character, and I will continue to study her accent and mannerism so I can perfect them to the best of my ability. I hope the fans are as excited as I am, because it’s gonna be a fun, exciting, wild ride. Harley is a very complex character and I am definitely looking forward to this challenge and to putting my own spin on it!"
With his unparalleled reverence for the source material and a perfectionist’s eye for detail which frequently results in better costume designs than their theatrical counterparts, Braun is once again blurring the lines between adult and mainstream. Add Taylor’s uncanny resemblance to Margot Robbie (who’ll be reprising her interpretation of Harley Quinn in James Gunn’s upcoming The Suicide Squad and possibly in Justice League: The Snyder Cut), and the fact that The Batman XXX saga will unfold independently from other events in the DC AxelVerse, and the result is the most unique undertaking yet from Wicked Comix.
“Kenzie is gonna absolutely rock this role,” raved Braun. “Her comedic timing is incredible, and the costumes we are making for her are beyond awesome. I can’t wait to start shooting!"
While its mainstream counterpart’s release date keeps being pushed well into 2022, The Batman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody Series will be available next year, exclusively on Wicked.com.
Follow Axel Braun on Twitter and Instagram.
For domestic sales, contact Bonnie Kail at 800-737-7838 or email [email protected]. For international sales, contact Steven Vlottes at 818-349-3593 or email [email protected].
