'Harley Quinn' Animated Series Teaser Released

During a screening of the Titans pilot tonight at New York Comic Con, DC Universe surprised fans by also releasing a first look at their upcoming Harley Quinn animated series starring The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco.

You can see it above.

The 50-second teaser, which opens with Harley addressing the audience directly, and moves into a series of knowing pop culture jokes, including shots at both Marvel and DC projects. She is seen bouncing off of cellmate Poison Ivy, and even gets a quick visit from a certain pointy-eared Dark Knight Detective.

Cuoco leads a voice cast which includes Lake Bell (In a World…, Wet Hot American Summer series, Childrens Hospital), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Powerless), Ron Funches (Powerless), JB Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Wanda Sykes (Black-ish), Giancarlo Esposito (Bob Roberts, Breaking Bad), Natalie Morales (Bojack Horseman), Jim Rash (Mike Tyson Mysteries), Diedrich Bader (Veep), Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep), Chris Meloni (Happy!, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).

Several of those actors have already done work for DC, including Tudyk and Funches's Powerless roles, Meloni in Man of Steel, and Esposito in Batman: Assault on Arkham. Esposito has expressed interest in doing more comic book work, saying that he would have liked to appear in Suicide Squad if he had been given the chance to reprise his Assault on Arkham role.

This is the first official footage released from the series, which has been shrouded in mystery relative to other DC Universe projects like Titans, Young Justice: Outsiders, and Doom Patrol, which all updated fans on their progress pretty regularly along the way.

Based on the limited plot information revealed in the report, it sounds like the story will take a cue from Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Chad Hardin's comic book run as part of the New 52 and DC Rebirth.

"Harley Quinn, based on the DC characters, focuses on Harley Quinn who has finally broken things off once and for all with the Joker and attempts to make it on her own as the criminal Queenpin of Gotham City. The series features Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and a whole cast of heroes and villains, old and new, from the DC Universe."

After debuting in Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn's popularity has skyrocketed and she has become a mainstay in DC comic books, video games, and TV shows.

The series comes from Powerless producers Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, as well as Dean Lorey and Cuoco, who will produce through her Yes, Norman Productions.