James Gunn Says Harley Quinn Will “Almost Certainly” Appear in the DCU, With or Without Margot Robbie

James Gunn says Harley Quinn is a character he will “almost certainly” use in the DC Universe, but he has not decided whether Margot Robbie will be the one to play her. The DC Studios co-head addressed the question on The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, a one-off episode set to debut Friday, October 30, according to ComicBook.com and The Playlist.

Gunn hosts the episode with Peacemaker co-stars Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee, and its purpose is to sort out which parts of his 2021 film belong to the new DCU. By the end, the trio reportedly settled on a ruling: the movie is part of the canon, with Harley as the single unresolved piece. Gunn called it “one small asterisk” and asked fans for “a little leeway” while he works out how the character will be handled, per ComicBook.com.

Why Robbie’s Harley Is Hard to Place

The complication is the Joker. Harley’s story in the earlier films is bound up with that relationship, and the DCU has not yet introduced its own version of the character. Gunn described keeping Robbie’s version as one of the harder things to justify as canon, according to ComicBookMovie.com and SuperHeroHype.

He was open about the options. If Robbie wants the role, Gunn said he would “bend over backwards” to explain her place in the DCU. If she does not, he may cast someone else so that the new Harley is not tied to what happens to the character in his film, per ComicBook.com. Gunn also said he does not know where Robbie stands, and Gizmodo reports he allowed that she may be finished with the part. He joked that Robbie is the one who decides whether the film is canon at all.

DC Studios and HBO Max have released an official trailer for the episode.

What Robbie Has Said

Robbie has played Harley in three films: Suicide Squad (2016), Birds of Prey (2020) and Gunn’s The Suicide Squad (2021). Comic Basics reports she has said she has not heard from DC about a return, that she would be comfortable with another actress taking over, and that she feels she needs to share the character. Her schedule is also full. Since Harley she has produced and starred in Barbie and built LuckyChap Entertainment, and ComicBook.com notes she is returning to Warner Bros. for Tim Burton’s Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.

A Question Gunn Has Been Answering for Years

The latest comments are the most detailed yet. In August 2025, Gunn told Entertainment Weekly the answer would be “revealed down the line,” per Variety. Back in January 2024, he said on Threads that there were no plans for anyone else to play Harley outside of Todd Phillips’ Joker sequel and animated projects, according to ComingSoon.net.

No casting has been announced. The same podcast also produced a Batman update, with Gunn saying that casting “isn’t very far away,” per ComicBook.com. The next DCU film, Man of Tomorrow, opens July 9, 2027.

Latest on Every Movie Plug · DCU John Cena Says He Hasn’t Heard Peacemaker Is Appearing in Man of Tomorrow Cena was caught off guard by the question, even though Gunn has tied Peacemaker Season 2 to the film. Read the story → Latest on Every Movie Plug · DCU James Gunn Unveils Mister Miracle DCU Series With Josh Hutcherson and Mackenzie Davis DC Studios has cast Josh Hutcherson and Mackenzie Davis in an adult animated series from Tom King. Read the story → Latest on Every Movie Plug · DC Behind the Cape: Why DC Struggled to Match Marvel’s Cinematic Empire Rushed timelines, corporate intervention and a grim tone: how DC stumbled where Marvel’s patience succeeded. Read the article →