Birds Of Prey Shortlist Reveals Who WB Has Their Eye On

Though it hasn’t quite hit the ground running like Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984, Birds of Prey is still a huge priority for Warner Bros. And one need only look to the rumor mill for proof of that.

Over the past few weeks, it seems that every big name in Hollywood has been linked to the project, which has several meaty female roles that we’re sure tons of actresses are just dying to snag. Vanessa Kirby, Alexandra Daddario, and Blake Lively were among the early candidates rumored for Birds of Prey, but if this latest update is true, then the studio may be shifting its focus a bit, as it seeks to flesh out an ensemble cast around Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, the undisputed lynchpin in this female-powered mash-up.

According to Deadline, those aforementioned actresses are no longer in the picture anymore, with the role of Huntress said to have The Mummy‘s Sofia Boutella, Fargo‘s Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Cristin Milioti and Margaret Qualley circling it. Meanwhile, for Rene Montoya, we’re being told One Day at a Time‘s Justina Machado is being considered along with Roberta Colindrez. And finally, testing for Black Canary at the moment are Belle‘s Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Underground actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell.

Behind the lens for this one is Cathy Yan, with a script from Bumblebee and Batgirl writer Christina Hodson. And though it’s still early, early days for the project, Warner’s female-fronted spinoff is fast becoming the talk of the town – as you can see. Some of these actresses would be great choices, too, though whether any of them ultimately land roles in the pic remains to be seen.

Regardless, with filming on Birds of Prey expected to begin early next year, we should see some concrete casting details begin to emerge over the next few months. As always, watch this space for more.