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10 Birds of Prey Members We Still Want to See in the DC Universe
Barbara Gordon
Let’s start with the most obvious possibility — Barbara Gordon / Batgirl (Leslie Grace), who was set to debut in the now-shelved HBO Max-exclusive Batgirl movie. When that controversial change was first made, reports indicated that Warner Bros. execs still want to work with Grace in future projects, and possibly have her appear as Barbara somewhere else in the DCU.
As Batgirl, Oracle, or some combination of the two, there are countless stories left to be told with Barbara, especially on the big screen. Whether those stories include a Birds of Prey follow-up (as she was one of the group’s founding members alongside Black Canary) or something new entirely, fans definitely would not be opposed to finally seeing her debut onscreen.
Lady Blackhawk
Outside of Dinah, Barbara, and Helena, the first DC heroine immediately associated with the Birds is Zinda Blake / Lady Blackhawk. A time-displaced heroine from the 1940s, Zinda thrives in her role as the pilot of the Birds’ airplane, and becomes a key ally to the team in the process.
While it might take some narrative leaps to justify Lady Blackhawk existing in the modern DCU (although who knows, depending on how weird Gunn and Safran’s plans get), there is one lingering and obvious option for where she could have her live-action debut — Stephen Spielberg’s long-gestating Blackhawks movie.
Power Girl
One fan-favorite member of the team’s initial roster — and of the overall DC mythos — is Karen Starr / Power Girl. Midway through the initial Birds of Prey run, it was revealed that Power Girl had worked alongside Oracle before Black Canary entered the picture, but an ill-fated mission had pulled the duo apart. Over time, Dinah and Karen teamed up on a series of missions together.
While it’s unclear what the future holds for the Superman family, much less Sasha Calle’s Kara Zor-El / Supergirl who will debut onscreen in The Flash next year, there’s definitely hype around the idea of seeing Karen in live-action. There are plenty of places she could be spotlighted in, from a Birds follow up to a JSA story to an adaptation of her zany solo run.
Lady Shiva
There have been no shortage of theories about whether or not Sandra Woosan / Lady Shiva could factor into the Black Canary movie, as she and Dinah have an incredibly-specific bond in the comics. Initially adversaries who trained under the same sensei, the pair briefly gain respect for each other after literally trading lives during the “One Year Later” story arc, which leaves Shiva operating as a member of the Birds as Jade Canary.
While Shiva didn’t spend too long as a member of the Birds, she was definitely a memorable part of the team, and it would be intriguing to see her make her live-action film debut in either a Birds or Bat-related context. Plus, there’s so much that could be explored with her mother-daughter relationship with Cassandra Cain / Batgirl.
Manhunter
Kate Spencer / Manhunter has remained a dark horse in much of the DC Universe, as well as a member of the Birds of Prey. The vigilante and single mom joined the team following Black Canary‘s exit, as just one chapter of her gritty and storied DC history.
While the Manhunter mantle has been utilized in so many weird ways over the years, she’s never fully thrived in live-action, only appearing as a plain-clothes district attorney on Arrow. The new DCU could change that in a number of different ways.
Hawkgirl
Through a bizarre string of circumstances, Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl has yet to appear on the big screen. The character was initially rumored to be appearing in this past fall’s Black Adam movie, but was ultimately cut for “intentional” reasons. Still, there’s been a lot of hope surrounding her potential film debut, especially now that her dyad, Carter Hall / Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) has been introduced.
There are plenty of places that Kendra could appear in in the new DCU — as a member of the Birds, the League, the JSA, or the Hawk family.
Judomaster
One lesser-known member of the Birds — but one who, realistically, could have a good chance of appearing onscreen — is Sonia Sato’s Judomaster. The first woman to hold the Judomaster mantle, Sonia operates as a pacifist, which becomes a unique facet of her career as a superhero.
An unnamed version of Judomaster (played by Nhut Le) already appeared in the first season of Gunn’s Peacemaker television show, so it could be fun to see Sonia weaved in as well.
Starling
Jumping a few years ahead in the Birds’ history, the New 52 era of the team was anchored by Evelyn Crawford / Starling, a master marksman and thief. Initially a friend of Dinah’s from their time undercover at the Iceberg Lounge, Evelyn became a key part of the team — before betraying them.
If a hypothetical Birds sequel, the Black Canary movie, or some other street-level DCU project needed an interesting foil, Starling would definitely be a good fit. Plus, a DCU appearance could finally give the character her due, after she was very loosely adapted in the later seasons of Arrow.
Poison Ivy
Another memorable, morally-ambiguous part of the Birds’ New 52 era was none other than Poison Ivy. The eco-focused antihero joined the team — and then essentially blackmailed and brainwashed them into carrying out her schemes — in the latter part of the New 52 run.
It is absolutely no secret that DC fans want to see Poison Ivy back on the big screen, with even Robbie herself repeatedly endorsing the idea. Whether in a Gotham City Sirens movie, a Harley/Ivy movie, or something else entirely, it needs to happen.
Blue Beetle
Yes, the Birds of Prey are largely known as a female-fronted group — but Ted Kord / Blue Beetle has had a unique partnership with the team. After sparking an online romance with Barbara, Ted became a financial benefactor for much of the group’s resources, and helped them in the field a few times as well.
With a Blue Beetle movie starring Ted’s successor, Jaime Reyes, set to arrive next year, it will be interesting to see if we eventually do get a live-action Ted Kord.
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What Birds of Prey members do you want to see onscreen in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
