It's strange how quickly cinematic eras dissolve. One minute you've got Margot Robbie swinging a baseball bat in Suicide Squad (2016), owning the chaos in Birds of Prey (2020), and then tearing through James Gunn's The Suicide Squad (2021). The next, she's on the outside of a new continuity—watching her signature role get shuffled into DC Studios' rebooted DCU, maybe never to return.
The latest hint came buried in The Hollywood Reporter's coverage of Weapons director Zach Cregger's in-development Gotham crime drama Henchmen. Supposedly, the project would heavily feature The Joker and Harley Quinn—but as the trade puts it, “Harley Quinn, theoretically but probably not, could still be played by James Gunn's The Suicide Squad star Margot Robbie.” In critic-speak: don't hold your breath.
This is where it gets sticky. Robbie isn't just any Harley—she made the role crackle with psychotic charm and unexpected vulnerability. But she also carries the weight of the DCEU, a franchise DC Studios is clearly trying to sidestep. Then again, John Cena's Peacemaker is marching right into season two without anyone blinking. So… double standards? Or just selective continuity triage?
Meanwhile, Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran are reportedly playing the world's most cautious game of Bat-chess with Matt Reeves. With The Batman Part II deep in development—and a possible Part III on the horizon—they're avoiding villain overlap, not wanting to “step on his toes.” That kind of territorial discipline is rare in superhero IP wars. It also suggests we might not see Gunn's Batman or Joker anytime soon.
Robbie, for her part, saw this coming. In a January 2023 interview, she said she'd always imagined Harley as a legacy role—like Batman, Spider-Man, or Bond—handed from one actor to the next. “Harley's so fun and can go in so many different directions… the options are endless.” She's long pushed for a live-action Harley/Poison Ivy romance, a dynamic fans know well from the HBO Max animated series. “I cannot tell you how hard I've been pushing for that,” she said.
And maybe that's the bittersweet takeaway. Robbie's Harley was never going to be the only Harley. But losing her so soon—before Ivy, before the next Joker—feels like skipping the dessert course before you've finished the main.
5 Key Takeaways from the Harley Quinn Update
Robbie's Return Looks Unlikely
THR reports DC Studios is “probably not” bringing her back as Harley Quinn in the DCU.
Henchmen Could Feature Harley & Joker
Zach Cregger's planned film would spotlight Gotham's underworld, but casting is wide open.
Batman Villain Strategy Is Protective
James Gunn and Peter Safran are avoiding character overlap with Matt Reeves' The Batman series.
Robbie Wanted Harley to Be a Legacy Role
She's publicly embraced the idea of other actresses taking over, citing endless creative possibilities.
The Poison Ivy Romance Remains Untouched
Robbie's long-standing wish to see it in live-action hasn't materialized—yet.
What's your verdict—should the DCU move on from Robbie's Harley, or is it a mistake to let her go before we get that Poison Ivy arc? For those keeping tabs on where the DCU—and the rest of the cinematic world—is headed next, our updated 2025 Movie Schedule lays out every confirmed theatrical release you'll want on your radar.
