Harley Quinn ‘Birds of Prey’ Movie to Be Directed by Cathy Yan

Warner Bros. has set Cathy Yan to direct the next film to feature Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.

According to Deadline, the deal is complete, making Yan the second female director to join DC Films after Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and the first female Asian director to helm a superhero movie.

The film is reportedly for an untitled film featuring Harley Quinn and a girl gang that is based on Birds of Prey. Yan reportedly put together a stellar presentation for her vision of the film. Robbie reportedly insisted on a female director for the project.

In the DC Comics Universe, the Birds of Prey are an all-female hero group founded by Batgirl (Barbara Gordon, going by Oracle at the time), Black Canary, and Huntress. It is not clear if these characters will be involved with the Harley-centered Birds of Prey movie, though the Birds of Prey script is being written by the Transformers Bumblebee spinoff writer Christina Hodson, who has also been hired by DC Films to write DC’s Batgirl movie.

Birds of Prey is just one of up to five films in development featuring Harley Quinn. Harley is also reportedly set for her own solo movie, plus Harley Quinn vs. the Joker, which will presumably focus on her twisted relationship with DC’s Clown Prince of Crime, a Gotham City Sirens movie alongside Catwoman and Poison Ivy, which is being helmed by Suicide Squad director David Ayer, plus the sequel to Suicide Squad, which is in the works with Gavin O’Connor set to direct.

Robbie is the first actor to portray Harley Quinn in a movie. Though Suicide Squad was met with mixed reactions from fans and critics, Robbie’s depiction of Harley was considered a success, which is why DC Films has been so eager to build additional DC Extended Universe films up around her.

Birds of Prey currently does not have a release date, nor do any of the other films set to feature Harley Quinn. Other upcoming DC Extended Universe films include Aquaman on December 21st, Shazam on April 5, 2019, Wonder Woman 2 on November 1, 2019, Cyborg in 2020, and Green Lantern Corps in 2020.