BIRDS OF PREY: All The Confirmed Details, Rumors, Leaks, And Spoilers You Need To Know

Birds of Prey looks set to be the next DCEU movie to move into production and we're now taking a look at everything you need to know about it, including confirmed details, leaked intel, spoilers, and more!

By JoshWilding - Sep 03, 2018 08:09 AM EST

Filed Under: Birds of Prey

As Warner Bros. looks to finally put the DC Extended Universe on the right track, the studio is planning a very interesting slate of movies, most of which may not end up connecting to the world of the Justice League in a direct way as the focus on a shared universe is made less of a priority. Among those is the Harley Quinn led Birds of Prey, a release which looks set to start shooting as soon as next January.

With the casting process heating up and more details about the DC Comics adaptation starting to surface, we're now breaking down all the confirmed facts and rumours about the female-led ensemble.

The cast may not have been put in place as of yet but we know an awful lot about them, while a lot of very interesting rumours shed some light on the villains, surprise cameos, and the plot. So, to check out this list in its entirety, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button to check them out.

It's Going To Boast An R-Rating

In a number of interviews, Margot Robbie has confirmed that Birds of Prey will boast an R-Rating, a pretty unexpected move for a movie which would probably clean up at the box office if it were to be PG-13 (just look at Wonder Woman). The likes of Deadpool and Logan have proved that adult orientated superhero movies can succeed, so that's no doubt what Warner Bros. is banking on here!

What's The Story?

There are a lot of directions Birds of Prey could head in but a brief synopsis has been doing the rounds which lines up with a lot of other things we've been hearing about the movie in recent months. Apparently, we'll pick up with Harley Quinn shortly after she's broken up with The Joker and this team of female superheroes will come together to save Cassandra Cain (Batgirl) from an evil crime boss...

The Birds Of Prey Roster

According to The Wrap, Harley Quinn will be joined by Black Canary, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya. That's a solid enough roster but one which is bound to disappoint some fans, especially as there's no sign of Batgirl. Understandably, there have been reports that Warner Bros. would rather keep that character in a PG-13 setting which means we can forget about Oracle too.

Production Begins Next Year...With An All-Female Crew?!

This is very much a rumour but one report claims that Warner Bros. and director Cathy Yan are hoping to secure an all-female crew to work on the movie. That's unheard of and one which would obviously give women in those jobs opportunities they might otherwise miss out on. However, it also feels a tad like a gimmick and you just know that trolls will have a field day if this ultimately proves to be correct.

Black Mask Will Be The Movie's Big Bad

Multiple sites have now "confirmed" that Black Mask will be Birds of Prey's lead villain and while it would have been cool to see him square off with Batman, he definitely feels like a good choice for this movie. A powerful and bloodthirsty crime boss, he'll make a great foil for these women and given his horrific appearance, chances are he'll fit in well in this R-Rated adventure for Harley and company.

Harley Quinn Will (Probably) Be The Lead

In the comic books, the Birds of Prey are a pretty heroic group but Margot Robbie describing it as a movie which features a "girl gang" has pointed to us seeing them operate in a space that's not necessarily black or white. It also sounds like Harley Quinn will be the lead and that much of the story will revolve around her finding some new friends and allies who can back her up when she needs help.

We May End Up Seeing The DCEU's First Openly LGBTQ Superhero

I mentioned Renee Montoya a little earlier on in this post and if she does make an appearance (and audition tapes point to that most definitely being the case), then that means we'll see the first opening gay superhero in the DCEU which is a big step forward for the genre. What we don't know is whether or not she'll end up suiting up as The Question or will remain a regular detective throughout this film.

The Studio Is Looking For A Multiracial Black Canary

Looking at the comics, the Birds of Prey crew is pretty...white? It's understandable then that Warner Bros. will look to bring a little more diversity to the team and that's set to start with Black Canary according to a number of reports. It was never specified which race the studio is leaning toward but there's really no reason why fans should take issue with this as Marvel Studios does it all the time.

Peyton Elizabeth Lee Could Be Playing Cassandra Cain

As we noted, Birds of Prey is expected to revolve around Cassandra Cain to a large extent and one name which has come up in regards to who will play her is Peyton Elizabeth Lee. The star of the Disney Channel original series Andi Mack, she seems like a perfect choice to play the character (on the surface at least) and it could actually prove to be a breakout role which then puts the youngster on the map.

The Penguin Was Supposed To Be The Movie's Villain

Thinking about it, you could just as easily have had The Penguin as the man the Birds of Prey come up against as Black Mask, right? Well, that was the original plan until Matt Reeves told Warner Bros. that he wants Oswald Cobblepot for The Batman. While it would have been smart to include an A-List villain here, the studio is probably banking on the popularity of the heroes to sell this movie over the bad guy.

Harley Quinn Is Getting A New Look

Margot Robbie has confirmed that Harley Quinn will get a new costume in Birds of Prey, so that presumably means we'll be saying goodbye to the tiny shorts and t-shirt and something a little more practical for the villain (which hopefully has something in common with her comic book counterpart). Given the female talent involved with the movie, a sexualised costume is likely off the table. Sorry!

Lady Gaga Is Wanted For Black Canary

When it was first revealed that Lady Gaga had turned down the role of Black Canary in Birds of Prey, many fans claimed to be glad that the singer wouldn't be given the opportunity to play a superhero. Well, she's since been unanimously praised for her performance in Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born and new reports claim that Warner Bros. is doing everything they can to get her to play the superhero.

There's A Chance We'll See Barbara Gordon

Batgirl may not be making an appearance in this R-Rated adventure but according to one report, that doesn't mean we won't see Barbara Gordon! That's a pretty unexpected decision but one which totally makes sense if it lays the groundwork for her to then take the spotlight in her own movie. However, with Warner Bros. moving away from a shared universe, this Barbara may be a different version.

Jodie Comer And Vanessa Kirby Are Also On The Black Canary Shortlist

If Lady Gaga doesn't wind up playing Black Canary (and it certainly doesn't appear as if she will at this point), then there are two actresses seemingly waiting in the wings and on Warner Bros.' radar. Jodie Comer is best known in the UK for her work in Doctor Foster, while Vanessa Kirby has starred in The Crown and recently delivered a breakout performance in this year's Mission: Impossible - Fallout.

Alexandra Daddario Could Be Huntress

We haven't heard a lot of names in regards to who will play Huntress but one which keeps coming up is Alexandra Daddario, the True Detective and Baywatch star comic book fans have been hoping will play a superhero for quite some time now. There's no denying she has the right look for the character and while her track record isn't overly impressive, she's a big enough name to draw some interest.

There Are No Plans For Catwoman

While David Ayer's Gotham City Sirens was reportedly set to revolve around Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, the latter two characters aren't expected to play a role here and it's been reported by a number of sites that Selina Kyle won't be making an appearance. Whether or not that means there are other plans in place for her isn't clear but chances are Catwoman could appear in The Batman instead.

The Director And Writers

Warner Bros. is putting a lot of faith in female filmmakers (as they should) and that's why Cathy Yan is in charge of Birds of Prey. Meanwhile, Christina Hodson is penning the screenplay and her focus is said to be on making Harley Quinn her own character rather than just The Joker's ex-girlfriend. With that in mind, we should probably forget about lots of references to the villainous Clown Prince of Crime.

Katana Could End Up Returning

Harley Quinn struck up an unlikely "friendship" with Katana in Suicide Squad and that might explain why we've heard rumours about the character returning here. That would be an interesting way of setting up the Suicide Squad sequel anyway, especially as it's a movie which has actually been pushed back to give Margot Robbie time to shoot Birds of Prey first. Nothing has been confirmed just yet.

Plans For Green Arrow

One of the audition tapes for Birds of Prey saw Renee Montoya mention finding a perp who had been taken down with an arrow and while we thought that was a reference to Huntress, there's a lot of talk about it relating to Green Arrow too. One Redditor claims that he'll be mentioned a lot in this movie because one of the ideas Warner Bros. is mulling over is a team-up movie with him and Black Canary.

What do you guys think about these Birds of Prey rumours and details? Are you excited for the movie or has your interest in the DCEU waned? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below.

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43 Comments

1 2

Repian - 9/3/2018, 8:17 AM

I want Bobby Cannavale to play Roman Sionis.

Mattygrand - 9/3/2018, 8:19 AM

Honestly hyped for this movie. People can say what they want, bitch and complain all they want, but there is plenty of potential in this movie. Living up to said potential is another story, but I’m more then willing to see where this leads

dragon316 - 9/3/2018, 8:29 AM

@Mattygrand - I am also looking forward to this movie getting tired of all marvel movies have stupid comedy crap involved all time once in while I want seriouus movie critics love movies revenant and blade runner 2 I was blared fell sleep through one of them but they both popular I didn’t like them.,

It shows critics do not people they know movies I’m movie fan I will see this I like most dc movies it’s good change to marvel laugh fest fans complain abounsome stuff in movies are not accuse to books look at Thor raganrock book is all serious movie is laugh fest Thor character does not do and say anything funny but in movies he does fans want to complain about comic accurate there is one reason I won’t name countless others

Nightmare - 9/3/2018, 8:29 AM

So conflicting.

inkniron - 9/3/2018, 9:43 AM

@Nightmare - My thought exactly. They want a multi-racial BC who is also Lady Gaga. Like What the F

Fritzthecat - 9/3/2018, 8:30 AM

99OPTIMISTPRIME - 9/3/2018, 8:33 AM

You can't make this rated R.😂🤣 Not only would you want women to see this movie, but you'd want young girls to have something that they can enjoy other than Wonder Woman. I'm disappointed that Margot Robbie just kinda glossed over the importance of that. That's where you have to have WB execs, that are good at making smart business decisions. And for the most part, the DCEU has been lacking that.

Oberlin4Prez - 9/3/2018, 9:16 AM

@WAKANDABATMANFOREVER - Idk man, Deadpool still makes good money and I'd say even though it's an R-rated property there's a lot of younger boys that are into that character. Harley Quinn is very much loved by tween and teen girls that would probably eat up a rated - R movie with her in it.

CaptainElrond - 9/3/2018, 9:22 AM

@Oberlin4Prez - Well deadpool attracts adults. If it's r rated they might not be allowed in. Little dogs.

Oberlin4Prez - 9/3/2018, 9:32 AM

@TheInsaneCipher - Little dogs? Huh?

WarnerBrother - 9/3/2018, 11:26 AM

@WAKANDABATMANFOREVER -

Another rumor is this film will be a smaller scale production with a smaller budget. It isn't
supposed to be a tentpole for WB. That's the trade off so they can have a higher level of violence
and deal with a number of LGBTQ and Feminist issues. This will not be the only DC property
with a female lead besides Wonder Woman. Gotham Sirens, Batgirl, Supergirl are still being developed
and Harley Quinn will take center stage whenever Suicide Squad 2 gets made.

CaptainElrond - 9/3/2018, 12:21 PM

@Oberlin4Prez - Sorry...I just hate teenagers.

bropous - 9/3/2018, 8:53 AM

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...

Kumkani - 9/3/2018, 9:10 AM

Do what you want with this one WB

GhostDog - 9/3/2018, 9:21 AM

TheMisfit138 - 9/3/2018, 9:26 AM

Harley Quinn is just an annoying little girl trying really hard to be funny & crazy. Please make someone else the lead. She's steaming pile of Godzilla poop

SisterSunday52 - 9/3/2018, 10:11 AM

@TheMisfit138 - I think she'll be a lead in the same way she's a "lead" in "Harlequinade" where the Birds need her help finding the villain's hideout and they have to put up with her in order to save Oracle and the young Cassandra Cain.

Peel - 9/3/2018, 9:39 AM

Here's a quick fancast:

Harley Quinn - Margot Robbie

Black Canary - Elizabeth Debicki

Huntress - Nina Dobrev

Renee Montoya - Eiza Gonzalez

Cassandra Cain - Hailee Steinfeld

Black Mask - Mads Mikkelsen

LORDbuckethead - 9/3/2018, 11:50 AM

@Peel - Mads as Black Mask is a pretty solid pick. I could see it.

elcamino - 9/4/2018, 2:37 AM

@Peel - To expensive of a cast. Renee would be better for Stephanie Hunt if this is R rated.
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SisterSunday52 - 9/3/2018, 9:58 AM

😒 *Sigh* Warner Bros. is not moving away from a shared universe. How are people still believing this, when we have seen evidence in the news and/or trailers for “Aquaman” and “Shazam!” (and possibly even “Wonder Woman 1984”) that they are still continuing to expand on Zack Snyder's DC Films Cinematic Universe?

They are scaling back on ties to each other. They all live in the same world, but they only visit each other on special occasions. You won't need to see any of the other films to enjoy whichever DC Film you go to. “Wonder Woman” is a direct tie in to “Batman v Superman”, but you would be hard pressed to find others who notice that. With the exception of, hopefully, “Shazam!”, (I'm begging for a Superman cameo) the other films will be the same way. No cameos. No “We’re talking about this huge thing which spoils another movie you need to have seen in order to understand it” moments.

I imagine it will be more like Marvel Netflix than MCU. That means minor references, and it means actors that play characters in one film, will play them in other DC Films. Simply put, unless one Barbara Gordon is significantly younger or older than another, (based on the time period in which a DC Film is set) the actress who plays Barbara Gordon in “Birds of Prey” will play her in other DC Films.

LORDbuckethead - 9/3/2018, 11:52 AM

3 things:

1. There's no way in hell this will be R-rated.
2. I bet one of the antagonists ends up being Cassandra Cain's father (which seems obvious).
3. I REALLY hope we get to see whomever they cast as Montoya suit up as the Question.

inkniron - 9/3/2018, 3:09 PM

@LORDbuckethead - But who will they cast? There will be backlash, as there should be, if she isn't Latina After the Ruby Rose controversy that never should have been, you best bet they cast an LGB actress. That starts really narrowing the scope of known actors.

LORDbuckethead - 9/3/2018, 3:32 PM

@inkniron - I bet they cast a staright woman. Most likely hispanic.

Just a guess though.

inkniron - 9/3/2018, 3:40 PM

@LORDbuckethead - This is the DCEU. Knowing them, Demi Lovato is probably their ideal. I may be less upset about a white woman trying to be Hispanic than Demi trying to be an actress.

elcamino - 9/4/2018, 2:40 AM

@LORDbuckethead - Stephanie Hunt. She is half Hispanic and played a lesbian in Friday Night Lights.
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LORDbuckethead - 9/4/2018, 7:19 AM

@elcamino - Hmm, interesting choice, I like it! I haven't seen her in anything though. Unfortunately I never got on the Friday Night Lights train.

I could see it though, after looking at her roles in various things.