Rumor: Warner Bros. Developing HBO Max Series Based on Batman Villain Punchline

JB Augustine |

Dec 22, 2020

Despite having been around for just a little over eight months, The Joker’s new girlfriend, Punchline, may be next in line to receive her own streaming series.

According to a new scoop from Geekosity’s Mikey Sutton, a Punchline series is currently in the discussion phase for HBO Max.

“I’m told there have been discussions for a Punchline TV series on HBO Max,” Sutton writes in his scoop. “No development has begun yet. They’re talking, tossing out ideas.”

Sutton further explains that WB sees heavy marketing potential in Mr. J’s new gal pal, as “Punchline may be no Joker but she’s no joke, either”

“Execs see her as a cross between the Joker and Harley Quinn, and that equals subscribers,” he adds. “We’re not talking Mandalorian numbers here, but an R-rated, violent, dark female Joker is the stuff of streaming fantasies.”

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Warner Bros. is still in search of their own ‘water cooler’ show, which would become the talk of office or Zoom meetings around the world and undoubtedly bump subscriber numbers to HBO Max.

And since they’re likely saving Joker and Harley Quinn for future Joaquin Phoenix and Margot Robbie-led films, respectively, what better way for Warner Bros. to capitalize on the popularity of the pair than by putting the focus on someone who is, in essence, a combination of the two?

Joker Joaquin Phoenix

Created by James Tynion IV, Guillem March, and Carlo Pagulayan, Punchline’s debuted earlier this year in The Joker 80th Page Anniversary Spectacular, joining the Batman mythos during a period when comic sales are at their lowest and titles are being slashed left-and-right.

However, whether her role as the Clown Prince of Crime’s new right hand or her position as Harley Quinn’s replacement is enough to keep her sticking around remains to be seen.