Everyone’s favorite misfit family is back in a trailer for the return of HBO Max’s Harley Quinn. Now heading into its third season, the animated adult comedy is here to bring even more gut punches - of both the painful and laugh-filled kind. Finally delivering on what we’ve all been waiting for, the trailer puts Harley (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy’s (Lake Bell) relationship at the forefront after dangling it in front of our faces over the past two seasons. We’ll see the cute couple return to Gotham and head back home to reunite with Clayface (Alan Tudyk), King Shark (Ron Funches), Frank the Plant (J.B. Smoove), and Bane (James Adomian). The trailer lays out several of the new season’s plots, including Ivy’s plans of terraforming Gotham, which would see the end of humans and the rise of plants, and Joker’s (Tudyk) bid to run for the city’s Mayor. But, as plans begin to go awry, it looks like Harley may be having a change of heart.
The third season of the hit series will also see a guest star lineup consisting of Diedrich Bader as Batman, Chris Meloni as Commissioner Gordon, Sanaa Lathan as Catwoman, Briana Cuoco as Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl, and Harvey Guillén as Nightwing. Art will imitate life this season, when director James Gunn makes his way into the animated world of DC. We can also expect to see an appearance, or several, from Amanda Waller and The Court of Owls. At the heart of it all, we know we’re in for more well-written dialogue and jaw-dropping moments that only an animated project like Harley Quinn could deliver.
The show has also (so far) delivered on its queer story arcs, beginning with Harley and Ivy as just friends while Harley tries time and time again to get out of her toxic relationship with the Joker. Over the last two seasons, we’ve watched the two women grow closer in their friendship, always having each other’s backs while romantic feelings begin to bud. Instead of holding it in front of us or going in a completely opposite direction, it’s refreshing that the production moved forward with the romantic story between the two. Whether that holds up in the third season stands to be seen, but as of right now, Harley and Ivy are a great queer love story in the making.
If you’re heading to San Diego Comic-Con, you’ll have a chance to catch the first two episodes of Season 3 at a special screening. The rest of us will just need to wait until Season 3 of Harley Quinn drops on HBO Max July 28. Check out the trailer below.