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When Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) hit theaters in 2020, fans were introduced to Ewan McGregor’s eccentric and menacing Roman Sionis, better known as Black Mask. But according to Margot Robbie, that wasn’t the plan from the start. The actress recently revealed that the original villain in Christina Hodson’s first draft of the script was none other than Oswald Cobblepot, aka the Penguin.
Margot Robbie says, Penguin’s Almost-Cameo Changed Birds of Prey Forever
While promoting her new film A Big Bold Beautiful Journey alongside Colin Farrell, Margot Robbie explained that the character’s inclusion was blocked by The Batman director Matt Reeves. “The first draft that Christina [Hodson] wrote of Birds of Prey, the villain was the Penguin,” Robbie said. “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 switch not only changed the trajectory of Birds of Prey but also cemented Penguin’s place in Reeves’ gritty Gotham storyline.
Reeves would go on to cast Farrell as the iconic crime boss in The Batman, where the actor’s near-unrecognizable transformation became one of the standout performances of the film. Farrell reprised the role in HBO’s The Penguin, a series that expanded Cobblepot’s criminal empire and scored both critical acclaim and a Golden Globe win for Farrell. The series racked up an impressive 24 Emmy nominations and has made Penguin one of the crown jewels of Reeves’ connected Batman universe. Farrell will also return in The Batman: Part II, scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027.
For Robbie, though, the “what if” remains intriguing. She revealed that Hodson’s draft featuring Penguin was “amazing” and admitted she still has a copy saved. “It’s probably on my computer,” Robbie teased, even offering Farrell a chance to read it. While fans may never see Harley Quinn face off against Penguin, the revelation offers a fascinating glimpse at how close the Gotham underworld came to crossing over with Robbie’s Harley-centric film.
As for Harley herself, her cinematic future remains in limbo. With James Gunn steering a new era of the DC Universe, Robbie has yet to confirm if she’ll be reprising the role that made her a fan favorite. For now, Harley’s fate is uncertain, while Penguin continues to dominate Gotham in Reeves’ saga. The revelation underscores how behind-the-scenes creative decisions can shape the direction of major franchises, altering the villains, heroes, and entire storylines we ultimately see on screen.
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