Margot Robbie has revealed that the original villain of Birds of Prey was supposed to be the Penguin, but Matt Reeves stepped in to stop it.
Penguin Almost in Birds of Prey
While promoting her new movie A Big Bold Beautiful Journey with Colin Farrell, Robbie told Entertainment Weekly that Christina Hodson’s first draft of Birds of Prey featured Penguin as the main villain.
“The first draft that Christina [Hodson] wrote of Birds of Prey, the villain was the Penguin,” Robbie told Farrell. “And then Matt Reeves said, ‘Don’t use the Penguin. I’m going to use him in my thing.’ And so we swapped it to Black Mask.”
That’s how Ewan McGregor ended up playing Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, in the 2020 film.
Reeves Saved Penguin for His Batman Universe
Reeves eventually used Penguin in The Batman (2022), with Colin Farrell playing Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot. Farrell reprised the role in HBO’s The Penguin series, which earned him a Golden Globe win and an Emmy nomination. He’s also set to return for The Batman: Part II, scheduled for release on October 1, 2027.
Robbie added that Hodson’s Penguin was “amazing” and that she still has a copy of the script. “It’s probably on my computer,” she said, offering Farrell the chance to read it.
Harley Quinn’s Future Unknown
As for Robbie’s Harley Quinn, it’s unclear if she’ll appear in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe. The character hasn’t been announced in any upcoming projects, leaving her future uncertain while Farrell’s Penguin remains a key part of Reeves’ Batman saga. She said she hasn’t heard anything.
