On Wednesday, Hollywood production house Warner Bros. shelved the much-anticipated superhero film Batgirl as a result of its new revamped approach to DC films and streaming content. The $90 million film, which also starred Michael Keaton returning as Batman, was fully shot and in post-production when the axe fell, sending shock-waves across Hollywood. Now, the film’s director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, and lead star Leslie Grave have expressed their disbelief over the news.
Taking to Instagram, the directors shared a heartfelt note that reads, “We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha’Allah.”
“Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life. We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity. In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honour to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl for life,” the statement added.
Leslie Grace, the actor who plays the titular superhero, wrote, “Dear Family! On the heels of the recent news about our movie “Batgirl,” I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland. I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! To every Batgirl fan - THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, ‘my own damn hero!’ #Batgirl for life! (sic)“
The decision to shelve Batgirl comes as a result of Warner Bros’ change in strategy post Warner Media’s merger with Discovery Inc. The previous chief executive Jason Kilar and co. had to implement newer strategies as pandemic response, like simultaneously releasing films on HBO Max and theatres. Under the new regime from Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav, there is a shift in strategy on film releases that also aims to cut down costs.
Variety reported that the studio’s decision to not release the movie was not driven by the quality of the film or the commitment of the filmmakers. Instead, the new management wants the DC superhero features to be a bigger scale, to compete with its competitor Marvel. Batgirl, which was made specifically for streaming on HBO Max was made just under $90 million, and hence wasn’t ‘big enough’. Earlier, Warner Bros. also shelved Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, a sequel to 2020’s Scoob! as a cost-cutting strategy.
In an earlier statement from Warner Bros. read , “The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max. Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.”
