Margot Robbie at the Paris premiere of Wuthering Heights, February 2026. Photo: Ondine Goat / Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
The Lowdown
James Gunn would welcome Margot Robbie back as Harley Quinn, and that is an appealing prospect. The unresolved part is Robbie’s own interest. Keeping space for her return makes sense; making Harley’s next chapter worth returning for matters more than tidying up a timeline.
Key Takeaways
- Gunn wants Robbie back if she wants to play Harley again.
- Her return has not been confirmed.
- He accepts the 2021 The Suicide Squad as DCU canon with a qualification around Harley’s future.
HBO Max · October 29, 2026
The Full Story
James Gunn wants to keep the door open for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. On the October 29 official Suicide Squad podcast, he said he did not know whether she wanted to return. Variety reports that his conclusion about the 2021 film’s place in DCU canon came with a reservation: he wants flexibility over Harley’s future.
Those two points belong together. Welcoming Robbie back leaves one possibility open; preserving flexibility gives Gunn room for a different version if that is where the character goes. Neither amounts to a confirmed return.
Robbie played Harley across Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad. Those appearances put the same performance into different kinds of stories, which is part of the appeal of seeing what another outing could give her.
The canon discussion concerns Gunn’s 2021 film, not a blanket endorsement of every earlier DC movie. Its Corto Maltese mission brought Harley together with characters including Bloodsport, Peacemaker and King Shark under Amanda Waller’s control.
Harley’s wider history already offers room for that kind of change. DC’s character guide follows her beyond the Joker into other relationships and teams. Whatever form her next screen appearance takes, there is more to her than the question of which continuity gets to keep her.
Would you rather see Robbie’s Harley in another team movie or leading her own story?
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