Warner Bros. taps Cathy Yan to direct Harley Quinn spinoff movie, breaking new ground in the DC universe

Filmmaker Cathy Yan has been tapped by Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment to direct Margot Robbie in an untitled Harley Quinn movie — a hire that makes the Chinese-born Yan the first Asian woman to direct a big-budget superhero installment in the DC universe.

Yan landed the gig just three months after making her feature debut at Sundance with “Dead Pigs” following a search at Warner Bros. to find a female director.

According to Deadline Hollywood, which first broke the news, that priority is largely credited to star Robbie, who will also produce through her LuckyChap Entertainment banner with Sue Kroll of Kroll & Co. Entertainment and Bryan Unkeless for Clubhouse Pictures. Last year, Robbie produced and starred in the multiple Academy Award-nominated “I, Tonya,” skating her way to a lead actress Oscar nod.