#ReleaseBatgirl Trends In Response To DC Film’s Surprising Cancellation
Things are certainly getting batty over at Warner Bros. From multiple project cancellations to various controversies surrounding their actors, the company seems to be struggling with its line of movies and series based on characters from DC Comics. The latest debacle comes in the form of Batgirl, the upcoming film from Moroccan directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, being suddenly shelved despite reaching post-production. In addition, the film’s release date was pulled alongside that of Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, the sequel to the middlingly-received Scoob!, with both cancellations being described by Warner Bros. as part of the company’s overall restructuring of their upcoming slate of content.
Further reports claim that David Zaslav, chief executive of the now combined Warner Bros. Discovery, canceled Batgirl due to lukewarm test screenings and the company getting more money out of the film as a tax write-off rather than as a theatrical or streaming release. But whatever the reason, this decision has not gone over well with the public or fandom at large.
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Yesterday, #ReleaseBatgirl began trending on Twitter and continues to gain traction on the platform. Many fans have criticized Warner Bros. and Zaslav for pulling the plug on a multi-million dollar film that was nearly done. However, Batgirl also had quite the cast and crew and appeared to be a labor of love from those working on the project. Starring Leslie Grace as Batgirl, aka Barbara Gordon, J.K. Simmons as James Gordon, Brendan Fraser as Garfield Lynns, aka Firefly, and Michael Keaton, reprising his role as the Caped Crusader for the first time since 1992. Directors Arbi and Fallah had also been hired off their success with Bad Boys For Life, and Natalie Holt, the composer for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Loki, would have composed the film’s score. With so much talent, money, and ambition behind Batgirl, it’s astonishing that Warner Bros. wouldn’t even bother releasing the movie on HBO Max.
Many fans on social media have pointed out that Warner Bros. has still not pulled the plug on their upcoming Flash movie, despite the film’s lead Ezra Miller embroiled in multiple allegations and legal issues. More noteworthy aspects of Batgirl are that the project would’ve been the first DC movie since Catwoman to star a woman of color and the first to include a transgender woman, played by Ivory Aquino. With the company continuing to reaffirm its commitment to diverse stories and characters, the shelving of a film with such valuable representation isn’t a very good look. Even if the film were poorly received, there is little doubt there would be a considerable profit following the success of The Batman.
As of now, the future of Batgirl remains up in the air. But if we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that the fans have a powerful voice in the world of entertainment. So who’s to say that we won’t see the film at a point later down the line? At the end of the day, Batgirl’s release depends on Warner Bros.’s confidence in the movie’s appeal and longevity. So if the fans send a clear message that they will see Batgirl upon the movie’s release, we may finally get the Batgirl movie we both need and deserve.
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Source(s): hollywoodreporter.com