Harley Quinn is an American adult animated superhero black comedy television series based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. The series is written and executive-produced by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, and Dean Lorey, and follows the adventures of Harley Quinn and her partner Poison Ivy after leaving her boyfriend, the Joker. The series premiered on November 29, 2019.
The first and second seasons premiered on DC Universe, before moving to HBO Max for its third season and Max for its fourth. A standalone holiday-themed special episode premiered on February 9, 2023. In November 2023, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on January 16, 2025. A sixth season is in development.
A spin-off series, Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, premiered in July 2024.
Premise The series follows the adventures of Harley Quinn and her journey of self-discovery after breaking up with the Joker upon realizing that he never loved her. Harley intends to make a name for herself in Gotham City's criminal underworld, starting with the formation of her own crew, which consists of her best friend Poison Ivy, Clayface, Doctor Psycho, King Shark, and Sy Borgman. During her attempts to prove herself as a competent villain, Harley faces her troubled past, gains self-confidence that helps her abolish the Joker's influence on her, and finds an autonomous identity.
In addition to the adventures of Harley's crew, the main storyline revolves around the relationship between Harley and Ivy. Having met in Arkham Asylum when Harley was Dr. Harleen Quinzel and Ivy's therapist, the two developed a strong friendship that gradually deepened over the course of the series. They eventually realize they have feelings for each other despite Ivy's initial insecurity and her engagement with Kite Man. After a series of misadventures, during which Harley proves her selfless love to Ivy and Kite Man breaks up with her in favor of Ivy's happiness, Harley and Ivy become a couple by the end of season two. Over later seasons, the pair experience what it is to be in a healthy romantic relationship with mutual support, honesty, and self-determination.
As the series progresses, more DC characters gain a bigger role in the story, primarily the members of the Bat Family and members of the Legion of Doom as Harley and Ivy figure out their respective goals regarding those affiliations. Harley realizes she wants to help people rather than hurting them while Ivy discovers the true potential of her superpowers and develops a social conscience.
Apart from Harley and Ivy, other members of Harley's crew begin to follow their own path; Clayface breaks out as an actor, King Shark becomes a father and the ruler of the Shark Kingdom, and Psycho starts his own self-help podcast. Most of the seasons also contain a standalone episode that does not feature Harley or Ivy but focuses on one of the supporting characters, such as Joker, Batman, or Bane.
Cast and characters Main Kaley Cuoco as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, Kylie Kryptonite, Harley Clone Lake Bell as Dr. Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy, Cheryl, Barbara Kean, Britney Bionic, Fans 1 & 2 Alan Tudyk as the Joker, Clayface, Calendar Man, Doctor Trap, Condiment King, Firefly, Ocean Master, Kevin, Perry White Ron Funches as Prince Nanaue / King Shark Tony Hale as Doctor Psycho, Felix Faust
Supporting
Charlie Adler as Nick Quinzel, Grandpa Quinzel James Adomian as Bane, Chaz, Ian, Ratcatcher, Clock King, Nelvin Eckles, Snowflame, Eclipso, Vincent Edge Jason Alexander as Sy Borgman Diedrich Bader as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Thomas Wayne, Gorilla Grodd, Steve, No Pinkie Pete Krizia Bajos as Bethany (seasons 3–4) Maria Bamford as Frankette Cherise Boothe as Selina Kyle / Catwoman (season 5) Kimberly Brooks as Shaun Shark Tisha Campbell as Tawny Young, Amanda Waller, Janice, M.O.N.I.C.A. James Corleto as Benicio Sammi Corona-Lampa as Sophia (seasons 2–4) Andy Daly as Harvey Dent / Two-Face, the President, Mister Miracle, Darryl Brown, Mr. Covington, High Owl Briana Cuoco as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl / Oracle Chris Diamantopoulos as Aquaman Paul W. Downs as The Jons Rachel Dratch as Nora Fries, Queen Hippolyta Aline Elasmar as Talia al Ghul, Livewire, Devora Macklewaithe Giancarlo Esposito as Lex Luthor (seasons 1–4) Susie Essman as Sharon Quinzel, Grandma Quinzel Stephen Fry as Brainiac Larissa Gallagher as Prawn, Amelie, Time Sphere Sean Giambrone as Joshua Cobblepot Harvey Guillén as Dick Grayson / Nightwing / Red X, Alvin James Gunn as himself Mary Holland as Jennifer, Tabitha Tom Hollander as Alfred Pennyworth / The Macaroni, Professor Pyg, Toyman Michael Ironside as Darkseid Wayne Knight as the Penguin Kerry Knuppe as Atlee / Terra Rahul Kohli as the Scarecrow Phil LaMarr as Jason Praxis, Black Manta, Lucius Fox, Brian, Samson, Shark God, Koko, Mr. Starr Sanaa Lathan as Selina Kyle / Catwoman (seasons 2–4) Ben Levin as Captain Cold Lilimar Hernandez as Sophia (season 5) Justina Machado as Bethany (season 2) Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Giganta, Joey Day Drew Massey as Jimmy Olsen Christopher Meloni as Commissioner James Gordon, Mr. Veronica Cale, Jeffrey the Parrot Alfred Molina as Mr. Freeze, Stew Natalie Morales as Lois Lane Matt Oberg as Kite Man, Killer Croc, KGBeast, Fred Vico Ortiz as Tefé Holland Edi Patterson as Veronica Cale Wendell Pierce as Lex Luthor (season 5) Scott Porter as The Flash (season 2) Jim Rash as the Riddler, Stan, Mr. Isley, Jor-El, Metallo, Tad, Luigi, Mayor of Gotham City, Imperceptible Man Sam Richardson as Alec Holland / Swamp Thing Zeno Robinson as The Flash (season 4) Will Sasso as Maxie Zeus Rory Scovel as Gus John Slattery as Dr. Jason Woodrue / Floronic Man J. B. Smoove as Frank the Plant Wanda Sykes as Queen of Fables Jeannie Tirado as Volcana Jacob Tremblay as Damian Wayne / Robin Aisha Tyler as Lena Luthor Gary Anthony Williams as the Shark Priest, Prince Shark, King Baby Casey Wilson as Betty James Wolk as Clark Kent / Superman
Guest voices
Cathy Ang as Golden Glider Eric Bauza as Starro, Bouncing Boy Leila Birch as Enchantress (special) Quinta Brunson as Hawkgirl Lacey Chabert as Dr. Kara Zor-El / Supergirl Mary Deaton as Pippa Impersonator Carla Delaney as Goldilocks Keith Ferguson as Steppenwolf, Jonas Janeane Garofalo as Signora Brett Goldstein as himself Meryl Hathaway as Marcus Josh Helman as George Harkness / Captain Boomerang Jameela Jamil as Eris Tom Kenny as Clayface's Hand George Lopez as himself Zosia Mamet as Princess Ladyfingers / General Neytiri Howie Mandel as himself Brad Morris as Victor Zsasz Frankie Muniz as himself Suzy Nakamura as Realtor Griffin Newman as Jervis Tetch / the Mad Hatter Larry Owens as Music Meister Paula Pell as G.A.I.L. Rhea Perlman as Golda Jonah Platt as Clayface (singing voice) Katie Rich as Enchantress (season 5) Matt Ryan as John Constantine Amy Sedaris as Debbie Shirley John Stamos as Etrigan the Demon Jack Stanton as Young Bruce Wayne Nicole Sullivan as Mrs. Cobblepot, Benjamin Talia Tabin as Mrs. Calendar Jill Talley as Brainiac's Wife, Vril Dox II, Mrs. Starr Billy Bob Thornton as himself Gregg Turkington as Clegg Janet Varney as Mera Rain Valdez as Alysia Yeoh Kari Wahlgren as Plastique, Elizabeth II Jessica Walter as Granny Goodness, Wendy Brown Mark Whitten as Herman Cizko / The Cowled Critic Tyler James Williams as Hawkman
Episodes
Production Development On November 20, 2017, it was announced that the then-unnamed DC Universe had ordered 26 episodes of Harley Quinn, a half-hour adult animated action-comedy series created and written by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey. Executive producers were set to include Halpern, Schumacker, Lorey, and Sam Register with Jennifer Coyle serving as a producer. Production companies involved in the series were slated to consist of Ehsugadee Productions and Warner Bros. Animation. The first season consists of 13 episodes of the initial 26-episode order. Animation work is provided by NE4U, Digital eMation and Maven Image Platform in South Korea.
In June 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere in 2019. In October, it was further mapped as an October 2019 premiere. It was also reported that Kaley Cuoco would also serve as an executive producer for the series through her production company Yes, Norman Productions.
It was revealed that a second season was produced and consisted of another 13 episodes.
On September 18, 2020, three months after the second-season finale, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a third season, and would move to HBO Max. In February 2021, series creator Patrick Schumacker announced that they had begun recording season 3.
In June 2021, it was revealed that a planned oral sex scene between Catwoman and Batman in season 3 was cut by DC. It was replaced by a scene of Batman not being good at giving Catwoman a foot massage.
Schumacker stated the third season was more difficult to produce, but it will be much simpler not having to create two seasons back to back. Halpern has stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that season 3 will explore Harley's reaction to a half healthy relationship with Ivy as well as focusing more on Ivy's backstory as the previous two seasons were mainly focused on Harley. Schumacker said that new writers from the LGBTQ+ community have been hired because of the direction of season 2 and that it is a priority to diversify the staff for season 3. Schumacker also revealed that Dean Lorey would no longer be available to return as showrunner for season 3 and would be replaced by new co-showrunners Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein alongside him and Justin Halpern. Composer Jefferson Friedman revealed there would be a musical episode coming, and also stated that he wanted to refresh the music to give identity for each character. During an interview with Deadline Hollywood, Schumacker stated that his desire was to open season 3 on "an actual Zoom, where the GCPD is just being berated by the city of Gotham for their ineptitude". In February 2021, series creator Patrick Schumacker announced that they had begun recording season 3.
At DC FanDome 2021, Harley, King Shark, and Kite Man previewed some animatic footage from the third season, and announced it would be coming to HBO Max "sometime in 2022".
A comic prequel to season 3 was first released on August 3, 2021, under the title Harley Quinn: The Animated Series – The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour by Tee Franklin (author), Max Sarin (cover art, penciller, inker), and Marissa Louise (colorist), in which Harley takes Ivy on a honeymoon where they face friends they've betrayed, their own feelings about how season 2 ended, and a few villains and heroes along the way. Commissioner Gordon tries to catch them repeatedly, causing Batman and Batgirl to worry about his sanity.
On August 9, 2022, it was announced that a fourth season is in development. On August 31, 2022, HBO Max renewed the series for a fourth season with Sarah Peters promoted to executive producer and showrunner, since Halpern and Schumacker will be busy with Kite Man: Hell Yeah!. On October 7, 2022, it was reported that the series is getting a holiday special called "Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special" which was released in February 2023. On November 16, 2023, Max renewed the series for a fifth season, for which, Lorey became showrunner again.