'Suicide Squad' release date news update: Warner Bros. working on a Harley Quinn-centered spinoff?

"Suicide Squad" has yet to be screened but Warner Bros. is already pondering on a spinoff for fan favorite Harley Quinn portrayed by Margot Robbie, who is set to reprise the role.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned the spinoff project will not only feature villainess Harley Quinn but will also direct the limelight toward other DC Comics female heroes and villains such as Batgirl and Birds of Prey. A female writer is said to be responsible for the screenplay.

With a good track record with Warner Bros. after having acted in Warner films, "Focus" and "The Legend of Tarzan," Robbie is reportedly the drive behind the idea of creating a female-centric "Suicide Squad" sequel. Sources say that after having been cast as Quinn in "Suicide Squad," Robbie instantly "dove deep" into the comics to acquire as much encompassing knowledge of the character she was going to play. She then found herself falling in love with DC's female characters and later on introduced the writer to work on the spinoff project. Afterwards, she brought the idea to Warner Bros. which took it on.

Apart from the little that has surfaced, many details of the "Suicide Squad" follow-up movie are largely being kept under wraps and Warner Bros. has yet to make an official statement about it.

Quinn, who used to go by the name Harleen Frances Quinzel in the DC animated universe, was a psychiatrist. She fell for Joker and became his sidekick. Her character has a notable touch of wackiness and fun to it.

"Suicide Squad" is an antihero film whose story centers on supervillains recruited by a secret government organization for black ops missions. In its official trailer, Amanda Walker (Viola Davis) is shown saying, "I want to build a team of some very bad people who I think can do some good."

"Suicide Squad" is scheduled for release on Aug. 5.