Summary
- Margot Robbie’s future as Harley Quinn in the new DC Universe is uncertain, but James Gunn’s past comment suggests a possible return for the actress.
- While Robbie has not been confirmed for any specific DCU projects, there are a couple of potential opportunities for her character, including Max’s Waller series and Peacemaker season 2.
- Robbie’s recent success in the title role of Barbie, which grossed nearly $1.5 billion, makes her potential return as Harley Quinn in the DCU even more likely and could be a win for the new shared universe.
Margot Robbie’s future as Harley Quinn in the new DC Universe is still mostly a mystery, but one key piece of information has already been revealed. Robbie played Harley across three movies set in the old DCEU, with the actress’ most recent turn as the anti-hero coming in director James Gunn’s first DC film: 2021’s The Suicide Squad. That collaboration is significant, as Gunn has now become one of DC Studios co-CEOs alongside Peter Safran, with the duo currently planning the next ten years of DC releases in a new shared universe that replaces the DCEU — the new DC Universe.
Throughout her time in the DCEU, Robbie delivered a charismatic turn as Harley that kept DC fans engaged despite the character’s many changes. From the Joker’s girlfriend to a member of the Suicide Squad to breaking up with the Batman villain and assembling the Birds of Prey to once again joining the Suicide Squad and going rogue, Harley’s journey over the timeline of the DCEU had the character constantly evolving. At the moment, Harley is not one of the confirmed canon characters of the new DC Universe, which leaves Robbie’s DC future hanging in the balance; however, a past comment offers an optimistic path for Harley’s DCU future.
James Gunn Confirmed Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Return Before DCU Plans
Before becoming the creative chief of the new DC Universe, Gunn revealed that Robbie would return as Harley Quinn. While at the time, the director meant the actress would play the DC anti-hero again in the DCEU, that cannot happen anymore, as the shared universe will come to an end this December with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, Gunn’s comment bodes well for Robbie’s future as Harley in the new DC Universe, which will kick off with the animated series Creature Commandos — which Gunn wrote all seven episodes of the first season for — in 2024.
Creature Commandos features the return of Sean Gunn as Weasel, who appeared alongside Robbie’s Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad.
When he revealed that Robbie would return as Harley, Gunn was not one of DC Studios’ co-CEOs. That means the director knew about Robbie’s future as the character because he was most likely working on a project that would see Harley return. While Gunn is now hard at work developing an entire slate of DC movies and series, both animated and live-action, the project that the director had planned for Robbie to return as Harley Quinn in might have jumped universes alongside him. As it stands, there are some announced DC Universe projects that could feature the return of Robbie as Harley Quinn, paying off Gunn’s previous comment.
When Harley Quinn Could Return Is Still Unknown
While Robbie is likely to return as Harley based on the positive reception to her performance as the character and Gunn’s past comment, the actress has not been confirmed to be playing Quinn in any of the announced DCU movies and series. That said, a couple of projects that are part of the new DCU could feature the character. Viola Davis will return as Amanda Waller in Max’s Waller series, and given how Harley and the Suicide Squad previously disobeyed Waller’s orders, she could be after revenge. Of course, that plot would hinge on The Suicide Squad being canon to the new DC Universe, which might not be the case.
Another project that could feature Robbie’s Harley Quinn is Peacemaker season 2. Gunn is currently writing the new season, which will go before cameras after the director finishes work on 2025’s Superman: Legacy. Depending on how much of season 1 and the past of John Cena’s character will be referenced in the new year of the show, Peacemaker season 2’s story could include Harley Quinn, who was close with Rick Flag, whom Peacemaker murdered. If Robbie is not in these two series, then there is still hope for her DCU future, as the announced projects for the DC Universe’s Chapter One equal less than half of its real length.
Margot Robbie’s Barbie Success Could Be Great For The DCU
Another aspect that makes Robbie’s possible return as Harley Quinn in the DCU even more likely is the actress’ recent successful title role in Barbie. The movie ended its worldwide box office run with almost $1.5 billion. Based on the astounding positive reception to the film, which saw thousands of fans help market the movie on social media as a double feature with the also successful Oppenheimer, Robbie is an even bigger name right now. As the new DC Universe needs a series of wins right off the start to separate it from the DCEU, bringing back the fan favorite Robbie as Harley Quinn could help Gunn do just that.