Birds of Prey Fan Art Imagines What Huntress Could Look Like

A new work of fan art depicts what a real-life version of The Huntress might look like in the upcoming DC Comics film Birds of Prey. While the movie has not yet been given the green light from Warner Bros., it does have director Cathy Yan and screenwriter Christina Hodson attached to the project. This, coupled with a number of rapid-fire rumors regarding casting on the movie, has led many to speculate that it may be the next superhero movie to enter production at DC Films.

Based on the classic comic series about an all-women team of vigilantes based in Gotham City, Birds Of Prey is one of the most highly anticipated projects in development at Warner Bros. The proposed film will see Margot Robbie (who is also a producer on the movie) return in the role of Harley Quinn, sometime after the events of Suicide Squad. While the exact details of Hodson's screenplay have yet to emerge, one synopsis for the movie says Harley will team-up with the Birds of Prey to protect a young girl named Cassandra Cain from an evil gang leader. The precise line-up of the Birds is also unconfirmed, beyond mainstays Black Canary and Huntress being on the team.

Crafted by Brazilian artist Danilo Rodrigues, the illustration imagines actress Francesa Ruscio as she might appear in the role of The Huntress. The digital image, which can be viewed below, seems to capture Huntress in a reflective mood, as she perches on a Gotham City rooftop.

Francesca Ruscio as Helena Bertinelli Huntress Birds of Prey Fan Art by Danilo Rodrigues

The character of The Huntress is one of the mainstays among the various incarnations of the Birds Of Prey (along with Black Canary and Batgirl/Oracle) in the comics. Helena Bertinelli is the sole surviving member of one of Gotham City's largest Mafia families, who saw her parents and brother gunned down as a young girl. Swearing revenge, Helena now works as a public school teacher by day but becomes The Huntress at night to wage war on criminals in general and the Gotham mob in particular. Despite having a similar background to Bruce Wayne, Huntress does not play well with Batman, often delivering a much more fatal form of justice than The Dark Knight.

While Francesa Ruscio is a somewhat obscure choice to serve as the model for Huntress, the up-and-coming actress has been mentioned among the top picks for the role, along with Lady Gaga and Sofia Boutella. With a background in martial arts, Ruscio seems capable of handling the physicality of the role and her Italian heritage would fit with Margot Robbie's stated goal of casting a diverse line-up of actors for the movie. If nothing else, Ruscio certainly looks the part, even without Rodrigues' artistic flourish.

It's worth reiterating that the final cast list for Birds of Prey has not yet been revealed, much less any details as to who has been cast. It's still unclear, for instance, if Barbara Gordon will be a part of the team and if she will appear as Batgirl or Oracle, if she is in the film. Different rumors have suggested both big name actors being approached about the starring roles and that Robbie might be seeking out new talents in a bid to keep the budget low. The only thing that can be said for certain at this point is that the creative team as well as WB want to see the movie made.