WIRE Buzz: Harley Quinn creators talk S3; horror-comedy Slayers scares up cast; Savvy series

Just a week after Harley Quinn's renewal for a third season at HBO Max and fans of the R-rated, totally hilarious, and utterly bizarre animated series are getting to learn a bit more about the future of the DC Universe original.

Speaking to Deadline, co-creators Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker spoke in a bit more detail about their plans for the series' Season 3 after teasing out that Harley and Poison Ivy's relationship would be a key component at the DC FanDome. They also updated fans on the production status of the third season ... which is to say, it hasn't begun even a little.

"So, I think in the third season, the general idea we’ve been talking about … And the room hasn’t even started yet. These are just conversations between Dean Lorey, and myself and Patrick. [But] the idea [is], when you’ve mostly been in toxic and bad relationships your whole life, how do you then be in a good one?" asks Halpern. "How does the baggage that you bring from all these other relationships affect the relationship you’re in that you really want to work?"

That means not only will the focus be on the central relationship, but on how it impacts Ivy. "We spent two years digging into Harley, and Ivy was her own character, but her stories were told mostly in relation to Harley," Halpern explained. "So, I think in this third season, it’d be interesting to flip that, and dig deeper into Ivy and her life, and tell some stories through her point of view."

It also means more searing critiques of Gotham PD and its incompetent Commissioner Gordon. "It’s like having Gordon deal with the reality of, policing in Gotham has completely failed, and him realizing, 'What is this new system that we need to put in, in order to effectively police Gotham?' And is he even capable of it? Because the system is so f***ed up," Halpern said. "Gotham’s a terrible place to live. I mean, if you think of all of the cities in comic book lore, can you think of a worse major city to live in than Gotham? Like, it’s just constantly under attack. And why does Metropolis look like this utopia, when Gotham is this total cesspool? So, being able to also dig into that, and have Gordon go on a journey within the third season, would be very fun."

Harley Quinn does not yet have a date set for S3, but Schumaker considers the end of 2021 an "optimistic guess."

Next, the film previously known as With Teeth has filled out its cast and announced a new title: Slayers.

Deadline reports that the vampire horror/comedy, which already counted Malin Akerman as a member of its cast, fleshed things out with its lead — Abigail Breslin (Zombieland: Double Tap), no stranger to supernatural creatures — and genre staple Thomas Jane. Breslin will also produce the film from writer/director K. Asher Levin.

The film is about some social media celebs who are wooed to the mansion of a billionaire vampire (Akerman) and must survive the aftermath with the help of a classic vampire hunter (Jane). Breslin plays a fitness influencer alongside the likes of Kara Hayward, Lydia Hearst, and Jack Donnelly.

“I’m so excited to get back on set and can’t think of a better group to share the screen with during this unique time!" Akerman said. "When this script came to me, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it and now I get to play this fun, vampire villain — a first for me!”

Slayers does not yet have a release date.

Finally, Ingrid Law’s fantasy novel Savvy is getting the TV treatment thanks to a Black-ish actress.

According to Deadline, Marsai Martin will adapt the 2008 book — about a teen's newly unlocked ability to read minds — for Walden Media. This is the first move on Law's hit since a planned feature back in 2011. 

“Although this story is laced with supernatural characteristics, at its core it’s the story of a young girl trying to unlock her potential, something that we can all relate to, with or without superpowers,” said Martin.

No word on a production timeline for Savvy.