Batgirl is thought to be one of the most expensive movies to have never been released
A series of supposedly dire reviews in test screenings and an apparent change in direction from
Warner Bros. and
DC has seen the movie adaptation of
Batgirl cancelled entirely, despite the film having already been made.
News of the
DCEU movie being axed before it was even released was
first reported by the New York Post, who are said to have been informed by a top Hollywood source who claims the movie performed very poorly in early test screenings.
Slated for a late 2022 release on the
HBO Max streaming platform, first impressions of the flick directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (
Ms. Marvel, Bad Boys for Life,) are said to have included phrases like "unspeakable" and "irredeemable".
https://twitter.com/krolljvar/status/1554580720076566529?s=20&t=bVHP198C7130FOx2o5zRwg
With the insider claiming the movie's reported $70 million budget was closer to $100m following covid delays (£82m), they went on to claim that this will go down as one of the most expensive movies to have been produced without ever actually releasing.
Confirmation of
Batgirl not just being shelved but canned entirely was
confirmed by Variety, who understand that it will never air in theatres or any streaming platforms while
Batman's cinematic license remains with Warner Bros.
Studio sources claim the decision is nothing to do with test screenings and is simply a reflection of their desire to make DC features on a blockbuster scale.
A Warner Bros spokesperson told
the Hollywood Reporter: “The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max,” they said.
“Leslie Grace [Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl] is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance."
Citing other projects such as
Scoob! Holiday Haunt, which has also been axed as part of the corporate shift, the spokesperson expressed their gratitude to the production teams and respective casts, adding that they "hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.”
Alongside Grace in the lead real - best known for appearances in
Step Up 2 and
In The Heights - the project was also said to see
Michael Keaton reprising his role as the 'Caped Crusader',
J. K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon and even
Brendan Fraser as the main antagonist, Firefly.
Regardless of the early reviews, many fans still want to see it.
https://twitter.com/michaelp93/status/1554569366028656648?s=20&t=bVHP198C7130FOx2o5zRwg
https://twitter.com/McBDirect/status/1554570174384279556?s=20&t=bVHP198C7130FOx2o5zRwg
https://twitter.com/RICHARDLNEWBY/status/1554603600332181507?s=20&t=bVHP198C7130FOx2o5zRwg
It would seem DC and WB are pretty much cursed when it comes to kicking their DCEU into gear after the likes of the original
Suicide Squad,
Justice League and their Batfleck universe all struggled to make roots.
This is notwithstanding ongoing issues with the likes of
The Flash movie following actor
Ezra Miller's numerous controversies and
Amber Heard's much-debated role in Aquaman 2 following her high-profile defamation suit loss to ex-husband, Johnny Depp.
By the looks of things, not even Batman can save them and
Batgirl won't even get the chance.
Related links
