Based on the long-running comic book series by DC Comics, Birds of Prey will center upon the titular group - an all-women team of vigilantes who operate out of Gotham City, dealing with the problems that don’t ping on The Batman’s radar. Produced by Margot Robbie, the movie will see Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad and sharing the screen with Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress and Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s Black Canary on a mission to protect a young girl from one of Gotham City’s crime lords.
We’ve collected everything you need to know about Birds of Prey, from its cast to story details.
- Movie: Birds Of Prey Release Date: February 7, 2020 Cast: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell Director: Cathy Yan Writer: Christina Hodson
Last Updated: September 26, 2018
Margot Robbie Will Reprise The Role Of Harley Quinn
The first major casting announcement for Birds of Prey was that producer Margot Robbie would once again be playing the role of psychiatrist turned supervillain Harley Quinn. Though it is unclear precisely how and why it will happen, Dr. Harleen Quinzel will be fighting a little more firmly on the side of the angels in this movie, having ended her romantic relationship with The Joker following the events of Suicide Squad. This mirrors Harley’s journey in the comics, where she became an anti-hero of sorts after making the decision to leave “her Puddin’.”
Read More: Margot Robbie To Reprise Harley Quinn In Birds of Prey
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Will Play The Huntress
Like Batman, Helena Bertinelli was the sole survivor of an act of violence that left her as the scion of one of Gotham City’s old-money families and she likewise devoted her life to waging war on crime as a costumed hero called The Huntress. The two big differences between them is that The Bertinellis were one of the Five Families of Gotham City’s Sicilian Mafia and The Huntress does not share Batman’s traditional stance against killing. She will be played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who most recently starred in the television series Fargo and Mercy Street as well as the movie 10 Cloverfield Lane. This is not Winstead’s first time starring in a comic-book movie, being perhaps most famous for playing the role of Ramona Flowers in the film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.
Read More: Birds of Prey Officially Casts Its Black Canary & Huntress
Jurnee Smollett-Bell Will Play Black Canary
The background of Black Canary in the comics has changed many times over the years, but one thing has remained constant - she’s a tough-as-nails martial artist who does not suffer fools. The current incarnation in the comics is a rogue government agent named Dinah Drake, who hides in plain sight from her former bosses as rock star “D.D.” while using her sonic scream superpower to fight crime as part of the Birds of Prey and Justice League. Jurnee Smollett-Bell, most recently seen in Underground and True Blood, will be bringing Dinah to life in her first cinematic appearance. It remains to be seen what the Birds of Prey film version of Dinah will pull from the comics, or if she’ll donning a blonde wig as part of her costume.
Read More: WB Looking to Cast a Biracial Black Canary
Cathy Yan Is Signed To Direct Birds Of Prey
The first Asian-American director to helm a big-budget superhero movie, Cathy Yan was an unorthodox choice to direct Birds of Prey. Though she has made only one feature-length film to date (2018’s Dead Pigs, starring Zazie Beetz), Yan is a critically-acclaimed filmmaker whose short films have won multiple awards. Her work on Dead Pigs won her a Special Jury Prize at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where she was honored for her work in directing an ensemble. Given that Birds of Prey’s success will be dependent upon how well its actors work together, Yan’s experience should help to bring out the best in the movie’s cast.
Read More: DC’s Birds of Prey Movie With Harley Quinn Gets a Director
Christina Hodson Is Writing The Birds Of Prey Script
Christian Hodson’s first claim to fame was making the Black List (a collection of the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood) three times before she wrote the screenplays for the thrillers Shut In and Unforgettable. Her reputation and talent for writing strong women impressed Paramount enough to have her write the screenplay for the Transformers’ spin-off Bumblebee, which has become one of the most highly anticipated movies of the 2018 holiday season based on writing that seems far truer to the spirit of the original cartoons than the previous Transformers movies. Given all that, Birds of Prey fans have reason to be hopeful Hodson will capture the essence of the comics just as well.
Read More: Birds of Prey Film Being Scripted By Bumblebee Spinoff Writer
Birds Of Prey Has An Official Release Date
Birds of Prey is officially scheduled to start filming on January 14, 2019 in anticipation of a February 7, 2020 release date.
Read More: Birds Of Prey Movie Officially Gets February 2020 Release Date
Birds Of Prey In The Comics
The brainchild of DC Comics editor Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Birds Of Prey first saw life as a series of specials before becoming a monthly comic book in 1999. The comic established a partnership between two heroines - Oracle (grey-hat hacker and former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon) and Black Canary (master martial artist turned super-spy Dinah Lance.) The duo often worked with other heroes, but it was not until writer Gail Simone took over the series with Birds of Prey #56 and expanded the team to include Helena Bertinelli as The Huntress that it became the phenomena it is today. Simone further expanded the group, whose membership became made up of a rotating team of various DC Comics heroines including Hawkgirl, Vixen and Katana. Despite nominally being a heroic team, The Birds frequently operate in moral grey areas with Oracle routinely hacking the bank accounts of known criminals and Huntress and Black Canary both having killed in the line of duty. They have also teamed up on more than one occasion with Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn - the anti-heroines collectively known as the Gotham City Sirens.
Read More: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Birds Of Prey
The Story Of The Birds Of Prey Movie
Surprisingly little has been said about the specific plot of the Birds of Prey movie beyond it involving the team protecting a girl named Cassandra Cain from an unnamed crime lord in Gotham City. The team’s line-up will include Harley Quinn, Black Canary, The Huntress and GCPD cop Renee Montoya, but beyond that, it is anyone’s guess if the team will have any other members, such as Oracle or Batgirl. The identity of the crime lord also has yet to be confirmed, but the primary suspects are The Penguin and Black Mask.
Read More: Birds Of Prey Movie Rumored Synopsis Reveals Why The Team Comes Together
Black Mask Is Rumored To Be The Movie’s Villain
Of the two villains rumored to be the main villain of Birds of Prey, Black Mask has become the clear front-runner. This is due partly to a rumor that the villain would be a character never depicted in live action before (which would eliminate Penguin) and partly due to rumors that Warner Bros. has been courting both Ewan McGregor and Sharlto Copley for the role of the Birds of Prey villain. Given that Penguin is traditionally known for his short, squat physicality, it seems far more likely that Copley and McGregor would be considered for the role of crime-boss Roman Sionis - another scion of a rich Gotham family, who developed an obsession with masks and became the crime boss Black Mask.
Read More: Black Mask May Be The Villain Of The Birds Of Prey Movie
Birds Of Prey’s Connection To the DCEU
Beyond the brief synopsis of the film’s plot referring to a break-up between The Joker and Harley Quinn and Harley Quinn being played by Margot Robbie, there is nothing at this time to connect Birds of Prey to the DC Extended Universe. It is known that Batman will not be making a cameo in the movie, despite the action of the film being set in Gotham City. In fact, the synopsis suggests Batman is actually not in Gotham when the movie takes place. There have also not been any suggestions of a cameo by either Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman or any of Harley’s teammates from the Suicide Squad.
Read More: Birds of Prey: Margot Robbie Teases ‘R-Rated Girl Gang Film’
Birds Of Prey Does Not Have A Trailer Yet
There’s no trailer for Birds Of Prey available yet. We’ll be sure to update this page as soon as a trailer becomes available.
Birds Of Prey Does Not Have A Poster Yet
Warner Bros. has yet to unveil an official poster for Birds Of Prey. We’ll update this page when a poster becomes available.
More Birds Of Prey News
- Birds of Prey Filming In 2019; Eyes All-Female Crew Birds of Prey Movie Reportedly Won’t Include Catwoman Birds of Prey Will Have A Smaller Budget Than Other DC Movies Harley Quinn Will Have a New Costume in Birds of Prey Movie Birds of Prey Movie: Margot Robbie Pushing to Hire Diverse Co-Stars Birds of Prey May Feature Barbara Gordon - But Not Batgirl Birds of Prey Theory: Barbara Gordon Is Already Oracle Birds of Prey Rumor: Andi Mack Star Eyed For Cassandra Cain Role Lady Gaga May Have Turned Down Starring in Birds of Prey Birds of Prey Working Title Revealed, Early 2019 Filming Start Confirmed Birds of Prey: WB Wants Ewan McGregor or Sharlto Copley For Villain Birds of Prey Reportedly Takes Place In Gotham But Without Batman
More Upcoming DC Superhero Movies
Aquaman Shazam! Wonder Woman 1984 Joker
Birds of Prey Release Date: 2020-02-07 Aquaman Release Date: 2018-12-21 Shazam! Release Date: 2019-04-05 Wonder Woman 2 Release Date: 2020-12-25 Joker Release Date: 2019-10-04
