Jurnee Smollett’s Black Canary to sing again in new HBO Max movie; Misha Green writing script

The canary is singing at HBO Max — The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed a report from Cinelinx that a Black Canary feature is in early development at the streaming platform.

Jurnee Smollett will be reprising her role as the singing superhero, which she brought to the big screen in DC’s Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green is also on board to pen the script.

Smollett first played Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary) in 2020’s Birds of Prey, which starred Margo Robbie as Harley Quinn. HBO Max moving forward with a Black Canary movie emphasizes how the streaming platform is looking to develop more DC Comics content. In addition to this project, the streaming platform is developing a Batgirl movie starring Leslie Grace and a Blue Beetle movie starring Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña.

Black Canary won’t be the first time Smollett and Green have worked together. The two were both part of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, with Green as the showrunner and Smollett as one of the main characters, Leti Lewis. HBO declined to pick up Lovecraft Country for a second season despite the show’s numerous awards and Green pitching a second season.

Green’s involvement in the Black Canary movie, however, suggests that she still has good ties with WarnerMedia. We don’t know yet whether Green will direct in addition to writing the script. We also don’t know when the movie will make it to the streaming platform. Given Green has yet to write the script, however, chances are good that it’s still a ways off.

In the meantime, you can watch Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and/or Lovecraft Country on HBO Max.