UPDATE 8/21/21: Soon after Cinelinx posted this yesterday, Collider, The Hollywood Reporter Jurnee Smollett and Misha Green all confirmed this news as true. The project will be an HBOmax movie produced by Sue Kroll. Congratulations to Jordan Maison of Cinelinx on the scoop!
Cinema took a major hit in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic, one that many theater chains and studios are attempting to dig themselves out of. However, before the shuttering of the doors to theaters around the world, 2020 brought a few gems to the cinematic landscape that deserve more recognition and future projects starring fan-favorite characters. None more so than Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. Which was quickly shortened to Birds of Prey by theaters and fans alike.
While the movie underperformed in the worldwide markets, Birds of Prey received positive reviews from critics and fans alike, with a current rating of 79%. While the movie had some issues, as all movies do, it was known for its incredible performances by its stars. One of the most well-received was Jurnee Smollett as Dinah Lance/Black Canary. Portrayed as rough around the edges but with a heart of gold, Smollett stole almost every scene she was in. Fan’s outcry for a solo project for Black Canary came pretty quickly, though it almost felt like a pipe dream with less than stellar box office.
However, today, Jordan Maison over at Cinelinx reported that Smollett is set to return in a Black Canary solo project that he believes will be written by the incomparable Misha Green. Maison goes on to write that the project. He also expects the project and Green’s involvement to be announced by Warner Brothers at the DC FanDome event in October. If this news does indeed turn out to be true, this is a huge win for WB, DC, and fans alike. Smollett and Green have a history of working together, specifically on the critically acclaimed Lovecraft Country developed for by Green and starring Smollett as lead with Jonathan Majors. The show was praised, on every account, though was unceremoniously canceled by HBO after just one season. Both individuals expressed interest in working on a Black Canary project together while doing press for Lovecraft Country.
Not much is known about the project, as it seems still firmly in the development stages. Cinelinx does seem to believe that it is a feature film and not a television show as rumored in the past. Though they did not know if it was for theaters, or destined for HBOmax, like Blue Beetle and Batgirl. However, if Green is the writer it seems like a good guess that the project will be amazing. With writing credits for critically acclaimed shows like Sons of Anarchy and Underground, the latter that also started Smollett in a leading role, it feels like a good choice and almost a no-brainer to have someone of Green’s caliber steering this ship. With her writing and Smollett’s acting chops, I don’t predict any canary crying over missteps or missed opportunities with this project.
Source: Cinelinx
8/21/21 update credits: Collider, Hollywood Reporter, Jurnee Smollett & Misha Green on Twitter
https://twitter.com/MishaGreen/status/1428885048791420934?s=20
Guess the Canary is out of the cage! 🤪 So excited to finally embark on this adventure with my creative soul sis @MishaGreen. 🖤💛 #blackcanary #dinahlance #lettttssssssgoooooo ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! https://t.co/GocuNdEn6E
— jurnee smollett (@jurneesmollett) August 20, 2021
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