2020 obviously didn’t go as planned, but Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey is still one of the most high profile releases to come out this year. The DC spinoff had Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn finding a group of gal pals to take down Ewan McGregor’s scene-stealing Black Mask after her break up with Jared Leto’s Joker. Months after its release, we still have no idea if Warner Bros has a Birds sequel in the works. If the call should come, here’s how Black Canary actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell would answer:
It's no secret how much I loved playing Black Canary, and [I was] so honored to take on that mantle. I would absolutely do it again if given a chance.
Not only would she do it, Jurnee Smollett told EW she’d jump at the opportunity “in a heartbeat.” The 33-year-old actress could not say if there’s been any internal discussions about another Birds of Prey, but she’s still as enthusiastic about the character as ever nonetheless. For now, the actress is gearing up to star in the new fantasy horror HBO series Lovecraft Country produced by Get Out’s Jordan Peele.
Birds of Prey introduced mainstream audiences to Dinah Lance, previously seen on television with Katie Cassidy’s portrayal on CW’s Arrow. The February release also included Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress, Rosie Perez’s Renee Montoya and Ella Jay Basco’s Cassandra Cain into the DCEU mix. The movie itself ended up being a primarily Harley Quinn-centric story, but still served as a great vehicle to get viewers intrigued by the Birds of Prey team from the comics.
Unfortunately for the movie, it performed under expectations for a comic book blockbuster, making $201 million worldwide against a $84 million production budget. Birds of Prey holds as the lowest grossing DCEU movie to date, under the $363 million of 2019’s Shazam, which is already set for a sequel.
If the numbers were better for Birds of Prey, we may already have heard about a sequel. But it's not outside of the realm of possibility either for the Birds of Prey to return. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is still a major player in the DC Universe since she is set to show up in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad next summer. Even if another Birds of Prey movie is out the window, Jurnee Smolett’s Black Canary could find a place in another DC movie.
Margot Robbie and Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson are reportedly working on a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie together for Disney. Does that mean they are moving on from the DC property? Birds of Prey is set to debut on HBO Max August 15, so maybe that could boost the audience for that film? You can also check out Jurnee Smollett in Lovecraft Country on HBO starting August 16.
