I believe it is only a matter of time before we see Harley Quinn in Matt Reeves’ Batman Universe, which has been officially dubbed “The Batman Epic Crime Saga.” Considering how many movies featuring the Clown Princess of Crime we have seen in only the last decade, despite the character only existing since 1992, this new canon of upcoming DC movies led by Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight would not be complete without her.
I cannot be certain that we will see the villain once known as Dr. Harleen Quinzel in the upcoming The Batman Part II but if and when she is inducted into this bleak vision of Gotham City – which was expanded on with the new DC TV show, The Penguin – I can only imagine who would be chosen to play her. In fact, I did use my imagination to put together a list of talented actors whom I believe would be ideal to play the Harley Quinn to Barry Keoghan’s Joker one day.
Sydney Sweeney
I think most audiences would agree that Sydney Sweeney did not have the most satisfying superhero movie debut, having starred in 2024’s Madame Web cast as Julia Cornwall in the critically reviled Sony Spider-Man Universe installment. While there are other Marvel characters I would like to see Sweeney play, I believe that an even better second chance at comic book movie glory would be offering the Euphoria cast member the role of Harley Quinn, which would also give the talented actor an opportunity to play a someone deeply unhinged.
Margaret Qualley
An actor who is almost too good at playing unhinged characters is Margaret Qualley, as she has demonstrated with her roles in the likes of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the underrated dark comedy Sanctuary, and Coralie Fargeat’s body horror masterpiece, The Substance. So, as far as I am concerned, all Andie MacDowell’s daughter would need to do is dye her hair blonde and she has the role of Harley Quinn in the bag.
Rosa Salazar
Another actor who has proven her ability to play unhinged characters, such as in the Hulu original miniseries Wedding Season and the 2021 Netflix horror TV show Brand New Cherry Flavor, is Rosa Salazar. The Peruvian and French-Canadian actor, who made her comic book debut in the title role of Alita: Battle Angel, is about to be added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Diamondback in the upcoming Marvel movie, Captain America: Brave New World but, hopefully, that does not interfere with her potential.
Florence Pugh
Already an MCU alumna is Florence Pugh who, in addition to playing a few badasses in her day – namely Yelena Belova, whom she is reprising in the upcoming Thunderbolts* movie – has played roles that meaningfully address mental health, particularly Dani Ardor in A24’s Midsommar. All the Academy Award nominee would really need to do is combine those abilities into one, let her natural talent guide her the rest of the way, and she would be a perfect Harley Quinn.
Amanda Seyfried
Despite having no experience acting in comic book adaptations, nor portraying “unhinged” characters (unless you count her role as Karen Smith in the Mean Girls cast or Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout), I still believe Amanda Seyfried (pronounced “sigh-fred,” by the way) has what it takes to make a great Harley Quinn. The key to her eligibility, for me, is not necessarily in the Brooklyn femme-fatale accent she perfected for her Academy Award-nominated performance as Marion Davies in Mank but just in her eyes, which have enough character in them to nail the portrayal alone.
Imogen Poots
English actor Imogen Poots is also gifted with striking blue eyes that would lend beautifully to her hypothetical Harley Quinn portrayal in a sequel to The Batman. However, unlike Amanda Seyfried, many of Poots’ best movies and TV shows (including Amazon Prime sci-fi neo-Western series Outer Range, the Twilight Zone-esque Vivarium, and the erratic dark comedy Filth) see her taking on roles that do require her to go a little off the deep end and I think that playing the DC Comics villain could be her magnum opus in that regard.
Naomi Scott
It was not until she gave an astonishing performance as a pop star driven insane by a parasitic demon in one of the best horror movies of 2024, Parker Finn’s Smile 2, that critics and audiences finally began to notice just how talented Naomi Scott is. If the English actor – also previously known for 2017’s Power Rangers and the live-action Aladdin remake – were to channel that same energy into a portrayal of Harley Quinn, it could be something really special.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Taking a look at the best Natasha Liu Bordizzo movies and TV shows – including Ahsoka, The Society, and The Voyeurs – it is clear that she has played quite a few scene-stealing roles of a relatively dark variety. I could see the Australian-born model-turned-actor of Chinese and Italian descent trying something different with the Harley Quinn role – perhaps making her more outwardly reserved with a chilling underlying mania, which might actually be a perfect fit for the tone of the Batman Epic Crime Saga.
Lady Gaga
I don’t think there is a single person who blames Lady Gaga’s performance for the poor critical reception of Joker: Folie à Deux, in which she plays a version of Harley Quinn who is already broken and committed to Arkham Asylum when she meets and falls for Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck. So, I say, give the Oscar-winning pop music diva a second chance at the role in another gritty DC Elseworlds story that would allow her to really explore the complexities of the character in her more definitive form.
You may have noticed that I did not mention Margot Robbie, whose version of Harley Quinn originated from the now-defunct DC Extended Universe. Well, honestly, I am not sure she is right for the world introduced in The Batman but I would still absolutely love to see more of Robbie’s iconic iteration of Harley in the DCU canon.
