It seems James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Studios is having a broader impact than just handicapping the remaining DCEU entries on WB's 2023 film slate. Producers for Max's Harley Quinn have recently shared that they don't know if the show will continue beyond season 4.
Harley Quinn supervising producer Cecilia Aranovich Hamilton told Inverse:
"Well, we don't really know at this point. Nothing has been communicated directly to us. As far as we know, he likes the show. You know, he was in it. [laughs] So we assume he's a fan of the show. We don't know exactly where we're going to go from here... We hope that Season 4 is successful and the fans really like it and James Gunn likes it and we can continue exploring this universe, but this is all we know so far. We hope there's a Season 5 where we can take them to new places and we can explore new areas in their relationship."
Co-producer Ian Hamilton seemed a little more hopeful, teasing the many different directions the show could go in another season.
"This season really does a lot to flesh out the entire universe. By the end of the season, you don't know where they're going to go just because we fleshed out the Harley Quinn-specific DC universe so much over the course of this season. You really could go anywhere."
In October 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran were named co-chairs and CEOs of DC Studios, replacing Walter Hamada. They announced an expansive Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters film and television slate in January 2023. Gunn and Safran have a writer's room consisting of Drew Goddard (Daredevil), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), Christina Hobson (The Flash), Christal Henry (Watchmen), and comics writer Tom King to help flesh out ideas.
Harley Quinn season 4, which premiered on July 27, 2023, appears to be caught up in all the upheaval. The 10-episode fourth season will conclude on September 14, 2023, and it's possible that Gunn and co. are waiting to look at season-long viewership data before making a decision on the show's future.
However, Harley Quinn is one of DC's most popular characters, and there are already two live-action versions portrayed by Margot Robbie and Lady Gaga. One of Gunn's goals is to create a more cohesive DC universe across film, television, animation, and video games.
Between Robbie and Gaga, Kaley Cuoco's Harley Quinn may be eliminated if decision-making is based on a popularity contest.