Fans of Harley Quinn are eagerly awaiting the release of Season 5 on Max, but a new update may have pushed back premiere projections.
Harley Quinn concluded its fourth season over a year ago in September 2023, while the wait has been filled by the Kite Man: Hell Yeah! spin-off which finished up its debut run in September 2024.
Did Max Just Delay Harley Quinn Season 5?
Max has published its official release schedule for December and omitted Season 5 of the DC animated series Harley Quinn, potentially pushing it from a once-planned 2024 premiere window.
It should be noted that Harley Quinn's omission from this schedule does not completely rule out a December premiere, as Max noted "this list may not be comprehensive and is subject to change."
Series co-creator Dean Lorey told The Direct in July that Harley Quinn's next season is expected to premiere "in the last few months" of 2024.
During San Diego Comic-Con, the official Harley Quinn account on X (formerly Twitter) that the DC comedy will be "back in November."
But as November is closing out and December is nearing with no premiere date for Harley Quinn Season 5 announced, it appears the Max series has been delayed.
The delay may have been spurred by several factors, including the negative reactions toward Joker: Folie à Deux in October.
As the widely-criticized sequel introduced its own version of Harley Quinn played by Lady Gaga, Warner Bros. may have been concerned about its short-term impact on the character's image.
DC Studios already has Creature Commandos set to premiere on December 5 from James Gunn which will kickstart the new DCU reboot. Max is unlikely to air two DC animated series weekly concurrently, and due to Gunn's involvement and its place in the new DCU, Creature Commandos ought to take precedence.
When Will Harley Quinn Season 5 Release?
As Creature Commandos will premiere on December 5 with its first two episodes before debuting new chapters weekly, the series should end on January 9.
Once the DCU animated series is out the way, the Max schedule will be open for Harley Quinn to finally take its place and begin Season 5.
During a recent AMA on Reddit, showrunner Dean Lorey stated he "[believes] Season 5 of [Harley Quinn] releases in January [2025]."
Past seasons of Harley Quinn have, just like Creature Commandos, debuted new episodes on Thursdays. As such, fans can likely expect to see Season 5 begin on January 16, 23, or 30 and feature around 10 episodes.
Harley Quinn Season 5 has yet to announce an official release date.
