Fans of the excellent animated series Harley Quinn on HBO Max can now rest a little easier, because James Gunn has confirmed the show will continue, even amid all the big changes at DC. This is fantastic news for those who've faithfully followed the show since its humble beginnings on the now-defunct DC Universe app.
Many were likely concerned about the future of Harley Quinn when Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the heads of DC's film division. While the majority of audiences seem confident in the duo's abilities and qualifications (particularly after Gunn's extremely well-received The Suicide Squad film and Peacemaker series), there are always entertainment casualties when such big shake-ups happen in entertainment. So amid several cancellations and surprise announcements, Gunn has seen fit to clear the air on this particular series.
During a recent press event (via ComicBook.com), Gunn and Safran confirmed the fate of Harley Quinn, much to the relief of the delightfully crass masses. "We're going to keep forward with that," Gunn stated when asked about the show's future. Safran added that he thinks Harley Quinn is "fantastic," leading Gunn to quip, "yeah, considering I'm on the show." This refers to the director's extended series of cameos in the most recent season, which saw him as himself creating a biopic exploring the life of Bruce Wayne's late father, Thomas Wayne.
Harley Quinn was a surprising yet modest hit among those who found it during its initial run on DC Universe. Featuring Kaley Cuoco as the voice of the titular psychiatrist-turned-villain, the series follows Harley as she strikes out on her own following a messy breakup with The Joker (Alan Tudyk). She starts a crew of her own that includes members like her best friend and eventual loverPoison Ivy (Lake Bell), King Shark (Ron Funches), and Clayface (Tudyk). Others join up either temporarily or in the long term throughout the series, such as Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale) and the geriatric bionic man Sy Borgman (Jason Alexander). Even The Joker gets some surprising character development throughout the series.
But the real meat of the show lies in its surprising heart. Fans who tuned in expecting raunchy comedy and over-the-top violence were likely caught off-guard when Harley Quinn offered genuine character moments and developments. Perhaps even more shocking is how it pulls those off while maintaining the raunchiness and brutality. The writing is top-notch, with some of the funniest moments in an animated series many have seen in at least a decade. With such a perfect storm of content, the upcoming Harley Quinn Valentine's Day special almost feels like a no-brainer.
But again, the main takeaway is that Harley Quinn is here to stay for now. Gunn and Safran seem to understand how important it is to keep shows like this around, and that's a point in their favor as the new heads of DC Studios. Here's hoping the right decisions keep on coming.
Harley Quinn is available to stream on HBO Max, with season 4 coming sometime in 2023 and Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day set to premiere February 9th on the service.
Source: ComicBook.com