Margot Robbie stuns Colin Farrell by revealing who was supposed to play the main villain in Birds of Prey

Margot Robbie, known for her role as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey (2020), recently shared a surprising fact with Colin Farrell during a promotional interview with Entertainment Weekly for their upcoming fantasy romance film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. The movie is set to release on September 19, 2025.

Farrell, who portrays Oswald 'Oz' Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin, in The Batman (2022) and the HBO series The Penguin (2024), was surprised to learn that his character was originally intended to appear in Robbie’s Birds of Prey film. As Farrell explained that their characters:

“Exist in so many different universes and multiverses,”

Robbie interjected to share the surprising fact:

“The first draft that Christina [Hodson] wrote of Birds of Prey, the villain was the Penguin, and then [director/writer] 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 [played by Ewan McGregor].”

To which Farrell responded, visibly shocked:

“No way! Really? And how was her Penguin?”

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The original villain in Birds of Prey

A still from the movie (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Farrell asked for more details about the Penguin’s role, and Robbie described it as “amazing.” When he asked if she still had the script, Robbie confirmed:

“Yeah, it’s probably on my computer. You could read it.”

Farrell replied:

“Oh, good, I’d love to [read it]. That’d be so fascinating.”

This exchange highlights the interconnected nature of the DC universe, where storylines and characters often shift between projects. Although the Penguin did not appear in Birds of Prey, the character remains significant in the broader DC narrative through Farrell’s performances in The Batman and The Penguin.

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About Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey is a 2020 DC Extended Universe superhero film directed by Cathy Yan and written by Christina Hodson. It serves as both a spin-off and a sequel to Suicide Squad (2016).

The film takes place four years after Harley Quinn's breakup with the Joker, as she starts to reinvent herself. She gets a new look, adopts a hyena, and is doing roller derby. Her life takes a turn when she encounters Dinah Lance at a Roman Sionis nightclub.

Meanwhile, Cassandra Cain, a teenage pickpocket, steals a diamond holding the Bertinelli family's wealth, attracting perilous attention. Harley saves Cassandra, and the two team up while escaping from Roman's forces. At the same time, Helena Bertinelli, one of the few survivors of her family massacre, becomes the vigilante Huntress, determined to eliminate those responsible.

The story culminates in a battle at a derelict amusement park, where Harley, Helena, Dinah, Renee Montoya, and Cassandra face Roman and his goons. The team succeeds in breaking down Roman's criminal empire.

In the aftermath, Montoya leaves the GCPD, Helena, Dinah, and Montoya establish the Birds of Prey, and Harley and Cassandra set off to start their own venture.

Regarding Robbie’s future as Harley Quinn, James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, in an August interview with Entertainment Weekly, revealed Robbie’s place in the rebooted DC universe.

“Will be revealed down the line.”

Whether Robbie will reprise the role in upcoming DC projects is left to be seen. In the meantime, Robbie and Farrell are set to appear together in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Robbie’s revelation about the original villain in Birds of Prey provides insight into the evolving DC universe.

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