Culture 3 min read By Trevor Kendall
James Gunn says Harley Quinn will almost certainly return to the DCU
DC Studios co-head James Gunn says Harley Quinn will almost certainly appear in the new DC Universe, but Margot Robbie may not reprise the role she played in three DCEU films.
James Gunn has said that Harley Quinn will almost certainly return to his expanding DC Universe, though it remains unclear whether Margot Robbie will be the one to play her. Speaking on the podcast “The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon?”, the DC Studios co-head said he believes Harley will appear in the new continuity, but suggested the actress may have moved on from the character she played in three films of the previous DC Extended Universe.
When Robbie’s version of the character came up during the episode, Gunn said he did not know whether the actress wanted to return to the role. “I don’t know if she wants to play Harley again; she may be over that,” he said, according to coverage of the conversation. Robbie, who played the anti-hero in the DCEU films, has not publicly committed to reprising the part in the new universe.
Gunn was joined on the podcast by Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee, and fans submitted questions about which characters from the old DCEU would carry over into the new one. Gunn’s answers have drawn attention because the franchise is still being built, and his remarks offer one of the clearest signals so far about how the studio plans to handle familiar faces from the earlier films.
Gunn also said he would go to considerable lengths to bring Robbie back if she wanted the part. According to the reporting on the podcast, he would “bend over backwards” to include her in the DCU, a phrase that suggests the door remains open even as he acknowledged her interest is uncertain. The distinction matters: the studio appears to want the character in the new universe, while the question of who plays her is still unsettled.
The comments come as Gunn continues to shape the DC Universe, which he is building alongside Peter Safran at DC Studios. Casting decisions for major roles are also a live topic. In separate remarks about the next Batman, Gunn said the part has not yet been filled but that the casting process is not far off. He said he wants to choose the best actor for the role rather than simply pursue an established movie star, and that his Batman and Superman will be roughly the same age, which he described as making them contemporaries.
That version of Batman is expected to appear in “The Brave and the Bold” and will exist separately from the Batman played by Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ films. Gunn has not announced a casting for either role in the material available so far, and no timeline has been confirmed for Harley Quinn’s return or for Robbie’s involvement.
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