Wait. Stop. If you’re still looking for the Harley Quinn Season 5 trailer because you think the show is "stuck in development hell," you’ve missed the memo. The trailer actually dropped back on December 11, 2024. And it wasn't just some teaser with recycled clips. It was a full-blown, foul-mouthed, neon-soaked invitation to the biggest status quo shift this show has ever seen.
Honestly, people are still asking when the new season starts. It’s out. It premiered January 16, 2025.
If you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe just trapped in one of Lex Luthor’s moon craters), you might have missed that Harley and Ivy officially ditched the "dumpster fire" of Gotham. They packed their bags and headed for the gleaming, suspiciously clean streets of Metropolis. But if you think this is going to be a "civilized" version of the show, you haven't been paying attention to how Dean Lorey runs things.
The Metropolis Shakeup (It’s Not Just a Vacation)
The Harley Quinn Season 5 trailer basically slapped us in the face with a new reality: Metropolis is weird. Like, weirder than Gotham. In Gotham, you know where the stabbing is coming from. In Metropolis, the threats wear suits and smile while they try to steal your soul—or in Ivy’s case, her botanical genius.
When the footage first leaked at SDCC, we saw Harls and Ivy trying to navigate "The Big Apricot." The actual trailer expanded on that. We see Ivy getting wooed by Lena Luthor (voiced by the brilliant Aisha Tyler). Lena wants Ivy to head up a "Metropolis Green" initiative. Sounds great, right? Wrong. This is the DC universe. If a Luthor offers you a job, you're probably part of a doomsday clock you don't even know is ticking.
👉 See also: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
Meanwhile, Harley is trying to find her feet. She’s not exactly "Bat-Family" anymore, but she’s not a full-time villain either. She’s basically a chaos agent with a heart of gold and a very heavy baseball bat. The trailer shows her interacting with the Daily Planet crew, and yes, James Wolk’s Superman is just as adorably dorky as you’d hope. But there’s a tension there. Metropolis has rules. Harley... well, Harley has "suggestions."
Why the Trailer Hinted at a Massive Brainiac Threat
The biggest reveal in the footage wasn't just the change in scenery. It was the introduction of Brainiac.
Voiced by Stephen Fry, this version of Brainiac isn't just a cold, calculating machine. He’s got that signature Harley Quinn show bite. The trailer shows him plotting an invasion of Metropolis, which puts our favorite power couple right in the crosshairs. But here’s the kicker: the show is leaning into the meta-narrative. Brainiac has a "poignant and timely" backstory, according to some of the early reviews. It’s not just about a robot wanting to shrink a city; it’s about what it means to belong somewhere.
The Cast: Who’s Back and Who’s New?
You can’t have a trailer without a roll call. The Harley Quinn Season 5 trailer confirmed that the core squad is still intact, even if they’re scattered.
✨ Don't miss: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
- Kaley Cuoco is obviously back as Harley. She’s also an executive producer, so she’s deeply baked into the DNA of the season.
- Lake Bell as Poison Ivy. This season really tests their relationship. Can they survive a move to a new city without murdering each other—or everyone else?
- Alan Tudyk is still pulling double (triple?) duty as Clayface and The Joker. Clayface, by the way, is trying to make it as a serious actor in Metropolis. He even lands a "job" at the Daily Planet. It’s as ridiculous as it sounds.
- Ron Funches as King Shark. He’s a dad now. The trailer shows his "baby sharks" (yes, like the song, but with more biting) causing absolute mayhem in a kindergarten setting.
- Diedrich Bader as Bruce Wayne. He’s out of prison and... dating Lena Luthor? It’s a mess. A beautiful, hilarious mess.
One thing the trailer didn't show much of? Kite Man. And there's a reason for that. Dean Lorey confirmed that while the spinoff Kite Man: Hell Yeah! connects to Season 5, Chuck himself isn't a main player this time around. He’s "above it," apparently.
Let’s Talk About the "Sirens" Rumors
A lot of fans watched the Season 4 finale and assumed Season 5 would be all about the Gotham City Sirens (Harley, Ivy, Catwoman, and Batgirl). The Harley Quinn Season 5 trailer sort of threw a wrench in that.
While the Sirens are definitely a thing, the show chose to focus on the "couple in a new city" dynamic first. It’s a smart move. If they stayed in Gotham, the show risked becoming repetitive. By moving to Metropolis, they get to poke fun at the "prefect" heroes. Watching Harley interact with Lois Lane (Natalie Morales) is a highlight. Lois is basically the only person in Metropolis who can match Harley’s energy without needing a superpower.
The Animation and Tone
Visually, the trailer showed off a brighter palette. Gotham was all purples, grays, and dark greens. Metropolis is gold, blue, and blindingly white. It matches the "fresh start" vibe the writers were going for. But don't let the sunshine fool you. The trailer is still R-rated. There are zombies, evil robots, and plenty of "F-bombs" to go around.
🔗 Read more: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
The humor feels a bit sharper this season. Maybe it’s because former showrunner Dean Lorey is back in the driver’s seat. Season 4 felt a little disconnected for some fans—it was good, but maybe a bit cluttered. Season 5 feels like a "course correction," refocusing on the central romance while using the DC sandbox to its full, irreverent potential.
What You Should Actually Do Now
If you haven't started Season 5 yet, you're behind. Here’s how to catch up properly without getting spoiled by the 2026 internet:
- Watch the Kite Man Spinoff First: Seriously. Kite Man: Hell Yeah! might seem like a side quest, but it sets up some of the political shifts in the villain world that matter in Metropolis.
- Re-watch the Season 4 Finale: You need to remember the "Potato-Based Cloning Incident" and why Nightwing is currently... different. The Lazarus Pit side effects are a major plot point that the trailer only hints at.
- Check Max for the Special: Don't forget the "A Very Problematic Valentine's Day Special." It’s technically canon and explains some of the emotional growth between Harls and Ivy that makes their Metropolis move possible.
- Stop Looking for a "New" Trailer: The Harley Quinn Season 5 trailer is the one from December '24. Anything else you see on YouTube right now is likely a fan-made "concept" trailer or clickbait.
The show is currently streaming on Max. New episodes typically drop on Thursdays if you’re catching up on the tail end of the season. Metropolis might be "shining and gleaming," but as Harley says in the trailer, "It’s nothing a little C4 can’t fix."
Go watch it. Now.
Actionable Insights:
- Check your Max subscription status; the series has moved exclusively to the platform's "Animation" hub.
- Download the first three episodes of Season 5 for offline viewing—the pacing is fast, and you'll want to re-watch the background gags.
- Follow the official @dcharleyquinn X (formerly Twitter) account for the "no context" teasers that actually provide clues for the upcoming Season 6.