The DC brand is currently undergoing a massive creative renaissance in theaters. Following the commercial and critical success of Superman in 2025, James Gunn and Peter Safran have successfully anchored a new shared universe built on earnest storytelling. This momentum is set to continue with a packed schedule featuring the Milly Alcock-led Supergirl and the body-horror Clayface later this year, alongside the 2027 sequel Man of Tomorrow. Even the Elseworlds branch remains robust, as Matt Reeves is currently preparing to begin production on The Batman Part II this spring. However, the path to the new DC Universe was paved with failures. For years, the defunct DC Extended Universe struggled under the weight of executive meddling and a disjointed narrative vision that resulted in high-profile disappointments like 2017’s Justice League, The Flash, and Wonder Woman 1984. Yet, even during that turbulent era, certain projects delivered top-tier superhero entertainment.
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Chief among DC’s overlooked theatrical entries is Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), which made its debut exactly six years ago on February 7, 2020. Directed by Cathy Yan and produced by Margot Robbie through her LuckyChap Entertainment banner, the film served as a vibrant pivot for the franchise, abandoning the desaturated look of its predecessors in favor of a neon-soaked, R-rated crime caper focused on the aftermath of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) breaking up with the Joker. Despite its unique energy and sharp writing, the movie struggled to find its audience at the box office, grossing only $205 million on an $82 million budget. Nevertheless, while the rest of the cinematic universe felt like it was crumbling under corporate mandates, Birds of Prey delivered a cohesive and stylish take on DC characters that deserves more love than it ever got.
Birds of Prey Is One of the Best DC Movies Ever
Birds of Prey stood out within the superhero genre for its commitment to an aesthetic that felt entirely separate from the house style of either Marvel or previous DC directors. By utilizing a non-linear narrative structure driven by Harley’s chaotic internal monologue, the production managed to feel like a living comic book rather than a generic action movie. The action choreography, in particular, was also a massive step forward for the brand, as the creative team collaborated with the stunt experts from 87eleven to ensure that every punch and kick carried weight. This resulted in sequences like the evidence locker break-in and the funhouse finale, which remain some of the most inventive and well-shot set pieces in modern comic book cinema. Furthermore, Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Black Mask provided a terrifyingly petty and narcissistic villain who felt genuinely dangerous without needing a world-ending weapon to be a threat.
It’s a shame that Birds of Prey did not receive the commercial attention it deserved, as its failure to launch its own series of movies left several compelling character arcs in a state of limbo. Jurnee Smollett’s interpretation of Black Canary, in particular, was a masterclass in modernizing a classic hero, giving Dinah Lance a world-weary cynicism with an underlying sense of justice. Fortunately, the establishment of the new DCU has already set the necessary precedent for characters and plot points to transition into the updated timeline. Because Birds of Prey existed largely on the fringes of the larger DCEU narrative, it is ideally positioned to be recontextualized as a foundational piece of the new Gotham City lore.
The DCU Can Pull a Peacemaker with Birds of Prey
The blueprint for saving Birds of Prey has already been successfully executed through the premiere of Peacemaker Season 2. The show utilized a “Previously in the DCU” recap to effectively retcon the Season 1 finale, replacing the Snyder-era Justice League cameos with the Justice Gang members like Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). This strategic maneuver confirmed that the core emotional journey of John Cena’s antihero and the central story of Peacemaker were valid even while specific plot points were erased. Similarly, the animated Creature Commandos made direct verbal references to the events of The Suicide Squad, confirming that the mission in Corto Maltese is now part of the new timeline. Finally, despite the 2023 live-action Blue Beetle failing to break even, James Gunn confirmed that the creative team, including director Angel Manuel Soto, would return to continue Jaime Reyes’ (Xolo Maridueña) journey in an animated series.
The DCU can apply this same logic to Harley Quinn’s story, maintaining her emancipation from the Joker while ignoring the specific version of the Clown Prince of Crime (Jared Leto) seen in 2016’s Suicide Squad. That way, DC Studios can preserve Robbie’s definitive performance without being beholden to the defunct continuity, while also salvaging other characters, plot points, and filmmaking choices that helped Birds of Prey to become so special. Ultimately, the unique voice of Yan’s film is too valuable to be left in the graveyard of the DCEU, especially when the new universe is actively looking for character-driven narratives to fill out its roster.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
Do you think the Birds of Prey characters should return in the DCU? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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