Summary
- Despite positive reviews, Birds of Prey did not receive a sequel likely due to low box office returns and Warner Bros’ focus on other projects.
- A Black Canary spinoff movie for HBO Max was cancelled, along with rumors and hopes for a Green Arrow debut in the DCEU.
- It is unlikely that the Birds of Prey will continue in the new DC Universe, with only Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn potentially appearing in future projects.
What happened to the Birds of Prey following their debut in the DCEU? Released in 2020, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) starred Marbot Robbie as Harley Quinn while also introducing several new Gotham-based vigilantes such as Renee Montoya, Huntress, Black Canary, and Cassandra Cain. However, neither the team nor the individual characters involved received any future appearances in the DCEU timeline as originally intended (apart from Harley).
Birds of Prey centered on Harley Quinn’s new status quo apart from the Joker, while also introducing new characters during a major conflict over a diamond sought after by Gotham crime boss Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). Completely unhinged and morally ambiguous, Birds of Prey was a rather unique superhero feature. While Warner Bros’ ongoing struggle over the DC franchise saw Birds of Prey becoming a one-off without any sequels following up on the new team, there were plans in the words that were never realized.
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Birds Of Prey 2 Was Never Put Into Development At DC
A Sequel Was Never Meant To Be
Despite its largely positive reviews and praise for Birds of Prey’s strong female cast and entertaining chemistry, Birds of Prey 2 was never developed by Warner Bros. This was likely due to a combination of factors. Firstly, the first film’s box office returns were not very high, with the movie not being considered a commercial success overall. Warner Bros. even changed the name during Birds of Prey’s opening weekend to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey in a bid to further bank on the name-recognition of Robbie’s return as the Joker’s ex-girlfriend.
It’s also worth noting that Margot Robbie was already set to appear in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad which released in 2021. Combined with a full DC schedule at the time along with WB’s ongoing attempts to course-correct the franchise following 2017’s Justice League, it makes sense that there were no follow-ups in the works given the movie’s low sales ($201.8 million worldwide against an $84.5 million production budget).
A Black Canary Spinoff Movie For Max Was Cancelled By WB
There Were Hopes For A DCEU Green Arrow Debut
That being said, Warner Bros. originally had plans to develop a spin-off feature from Birds Of Prey. Set for release on HBO Max, Birds of Prey’s Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett) was to have a leading role. It was also heavily rumored and hoped for that Black Canary’s primary love-interest Oliver Queen would have also debuted in the new DCEU movie as the Green Arrow. However, the Black Canary movie is all but canceled now that a rebooted DC Universe is in the works from new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
In essence, Birds of Prey was made after plans for Harley Quinn vs Joker and Gotham City Sirens were both canceled by Warner Bros. Birds of Prey was effectively a mix of both ideas with new characters while still maintaining a focus on an emancipated Harley who inadvertently catalyzes the formation of a new female vigilante team. To that end, it certainly seemed as though it would have been the perfect launchpad for sequels and DCEU spin-offs such as the aforementioned Black Canary movie and a Birds of Prey 2 (perhaps even a Gotham City Sirens movie where Harley similarly brings Catwoman and Poison Ivy together).
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Will The Birds Of Prey Appear In The New DC Universe?
There May Only Be Hope For Harley
Despite their great chemistry as a new team in the DCEU, it does seem unlikely that the Birds of Prey will continue into the new DCU in the works. If anything, Birds of Prey will get a fresh start down the line with the team getting new origins and recast actresses. If any of the movie’s characters do return in the new DCU, it will probably just be Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn given her bigger role in the DCEU and connections to the Suicide Squad, which for the most part is surviving into the new universe with the same actors/characters.
Key Release Dates
