Poison Ivy Show in Early Development with Penguin Showrunner in Talks to Produce

Deadline has confirmed that DC Comics’ Poison Ivy is in the early stages of getting her own live-action TV show, and one of the minds that brought us the critically acclaimed Penguin series is in discussions to produce it.

However, the outlet’s sources state that this show won’t be part of Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, so don’t get your hopes up for the chance of seeing Colin Farrell’s Penguin or Battinson sharing the screen with Dr. Isley.

Lauren LeFranc, showrunner and executive producer on HBO’s The Penguin series, is currently in talks to produce the Poison Ivy show. If it gets picked up, it’ll also go to HBO for streaming, but it’s still very early days for the project.

Right now, there are no writers attached to the series, and no cast has been revealed, either. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will get the leading role (Uma Thurman is a hard act to follow), but there’s plenty of freedom to be had, given that Poison Ivy is a character that hasn’t yet been represented in newer DC projects.

Thus far, she hasn’t shown up in James Gunn’s DC cinematic universe, and there’s been no word on the character’s involvement in the next Batman film. It’s worth noting that Scarlett Johansson is confirmed as part of the movie’s cast, sparking no end of fan theories as to who she’ll be portraying. While rumors suggest she's playing Harvey Dent's wife, Gilda Dent, many fan theories are hoping against hope that she'll be Poison Ivy. We have to admit that she would be a perfect fit for the DC anti-hero/villainess, and it would be a smashing debut for the actress in the DCU, following Black Widow’s exit from the MCU in Avengers: Endgame.

Poison Ivy’s most prominent appearance as of late has been in DC Studios’ animated Harley Quinn show, where her romance with her fellow villain takes center stage. It’d be exciting to see if this relationship is also included in the live-action series, and who will be cast as Harley Quinn if so. (Margot Robbie is most likely off the table with the new DCU reboot. Gunn himself has been rather coy about the whole thing, saying in August 2025 that Robbie's potential future in the DCU "will be revealed down the line.")

While they wait, fans can look forward to Clayface, which hits theaters on October 23. IGN’s Jim Vejvoda scored the film a 7 out of 10, saying it’s “a fun body horror romp that realizes its nasty potential in its final act after a slow-burn set-up.”

Image Credits: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for BFI