The third season of HBO Max's Harley Quinn wrapped up in September of this year. Not only did season three feature some of the show's best episodes, but it also brought even more changes to the show's status quo. Harley is now a temporary member of the Bat Family, a decision she made after finding her own independence. Poison Ivy is now leading the Legion of Doom. King Shark took up the actual role of monarch in his homeland. Clayface took on the persona of Billy Bob Thornton. After everything that went down, maybe it's time for a one-off special -- and no, it's not a Christmas special.
Instead, we can look forward to Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special. The announcement comes to us courtesy of Harley Quinn's Twitter account and a report by Entertainment Tonight. Seeing as how the show has largely focused around the blossoming relationship between Harley and Ivy, with a growing focus on the development of side characters, we're in for a special treat.
This is everything we know about the Harley Quinn Valentine's Day Special.
Harley Quinn: Valentine's Day: The Plot
The official synopsis for the special is as follows:
“The special will feature Harley and Ivy celebrating their very first Valentine’s Day together, while also revealing how the rest of the ragtag crew spends the gushiest, mushiest, most romantic day of the year.”
The special is specifically separated from season three and season four, likely taking place between the two or in a non-canonical timeline altogether. The DCU makes heavy use of alternative continuities, so the special having little to no bearing on the over-arching story would make sense. The show is, after all, a comedy underneath the flashy costumes and dazzling action.
Then again, we may just see a deeper exploration of Harley and Ivy's relationship following the conclusion of season three. A professional split between the duo will likely put more strain on the personal aspects of their relationship. As the two continue to grow as individuals, we'll have to see what impact it'll have on their diverging personalities. The comics have toyed with this idea in a variety of ways already.
As for the other characters in the special, we can make some assumptions based on what we've seen in the series so far. Seeing as how a Kite Man spinoff is currently in development, and how his relationship with Ivy was a major fixture of season two, we're more than likely to get an update from him. Superman and Lois Lane made an appearance in the series all the way back in season one, and they're way past due for a quick update -- a themed special may just be the place for that. Wonder Woman was completely absent from season three, minus her signature invisible plane being stolen by Harley and Ivy, so having her back for a quick joke about the situation would be welcomed.
Harley Quinn: Valentine's Day: The Cast
The cast for the Harley Quinn Valentine's Day special is absolutely stacked. Kaley Cuoco and Lake Bell will be returning to reprise their roles as Harley and Ivy, respectively. Joining them are Alan Tudyk, Jim Rash, and James Adomian, who you'll likely recognize as the voices for Clayface, The Riddler, and Bane from previous episodes. Matt Oberg will also make an appearance as Kite Man, whom Ivy was originally supposed to marry before the arrangement -- literally -- went up in flames.
On top of that, we also have confirmation that Chris Diamantopoulos, Natalie Morales, James Wolk, Rachel Dratch, Vanessa Marshall, and Michael Ironside. Between them, they've played Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Lois Lane, and Darkseid, who have been infrequently featured in the show in previous seasons.
There are a lot of people to cram into a single special. Whether the special will follow a similar structure to previous episodes in the series or jump between various characters throughout the sugar-coated holiday remains to be seen. Either way, we can expect more villainous antics from a majority of the cast.
Release Date
The Harley Quinn Valentine's Day special will air on an unspecified date in February 2023. With Valentine's Day itself being celebrated on the 14th, we can expect the special to air sometime around that date.
Harley Quinn: Valentine's Day: Everything Else
The Harley Quinn Valentine's Special is just one of the multiple DCU animated projects coming in 2023. The series remains a hit among fans and critics alike, with praise being given to the show's development of Harley and Ivy's relationship alongside its dark humor and liberties taken with the source material.
According to a recent statement by James Gunn, it's also possible that Harley Quinn may be a part of something much bigger. Along with future DCU content coming to HBO Max, Gunn has promised that they will be connected across both films and television -- including animated shows. It's too early to say if the Doom Patrol or Peacemaker will show up in Harley Quinn, but it's certainly something to keep in mind as we wait for season four.