Batman Spinoff Shelved, DC Fans "Infuriated"

Warner Bros. Discovery won't be lighting the Bat-Signal for Batgirl. On Tuesday, The New York Post reported that the Batman spinoff, starring Leslie Grace in the title role of Barbara Gordon, was "shelved" and won't release in theaters or stream on HBO Max despite a reported $70 million price tag. TheWrap and other outlets corroborated the news, which comes months after DC Comics parent company WarnerMedia merged with Discovery to create Warner Bros. Discovery under cost-cutter CEO David Zaslav. Batgirl wrapped filming in late March under Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from a script by DC's Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey and The Flash screenwriter Christina Hodson.

According to The Post, a studio source claimed Batgirl tested poorly and was considered "irredeemable" by WBD brass. With a reported budget of $70 million, sources said the budget ballooned to $90 million due to COVID costs and shutdowns. 

A live-action standalone Batgirl movie has been in development since 2017. Toby Emmerich, the then president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, was overseeing the spinoff with then DC Films chairmen Jon Berg and Geoff Johns. Under directing duo Adil & Bilall, the reworked project was to take place in the DC Extended Universe changed by the multiversal events of The Flash film. 

With that regime out of the picture, Warner Bros. Discovery is "committed to making DC titles big theatrical event films, and Batgirl isn't that," TheWrap reported of the straight-to-streaming film that Emmerich considered sending to theaters. The outlet added the studio is "actively planning" on working with Adil & Bilall and Grace, who had her breakthrough role in Warner Bros. musical In the Heights. 

Along with Grace in the starring role of costumed crime-fighter Barbara Gordon, Batgirl was set to star Justice League's J.K. Simmons as her father, Gotham City's Commissioner Gordon. Michael Keaton, who will appear opposite Ezra Miller in The Flash, reprised his role as the "Burton-Verse" Dark Knight from the 1989 and 1992 Batman films directed by Tim Burton. The cast included Jacob Scipio, Ivory Aquino, Rebecca Front, Ethan Kai, Corey Johnson, and Brendan Fraser as the pyromaniac villain Firefly. 

"My heart goes out to all the people that put so much hard work into Batgirl," one fan tweeted in response to the news. "It infuriates me what Warner has done with your hard work." 

Wrote another: "Scrapping the Batgirl movie might be one of the worst decisions I have ever seen." One fan weighed in, "I was really excited to see Batgirl. I hope fan voices can change this outcome. #ReleaseBatgirl." 

See more reactions below: 

From @BIackCanaryFilm

Warner Bros is a joke. The Batgirl team does not deserve this. #SAVEBATGIRL.

A line that should never be crossed has been crossed, this is extremely offensive towards the fans & the cast, everyone who worked on this film. My heart literally hurts for them.

— Black Canary Updates (@BIackCanaryFilm) August 2, 2022

From @hzjoe03

I’m sorry but scrapping the Batgirl movie might be one of the worst decisions I have ever seen. Not only are they just throwing away money but also every single person who worked on that film got nothing out of it other than a paycheque?

— Joe (@hzjoe03) August 2, 2022

From @CQuill97

If the Batgirl movie being cancelled is true, I feel so bad for Leslie Grace, Brendan Fraser and the entire cast and crew. The movie was going to be something special and WB just ruined it. WB is the reason DC isnt as popular as Marvel in terms of movies.

— ClarkQuill97 (@CQuill97) August 2, 2022

From @NitroSpidey

My heart goes out to all the people that put so much hard work into Batgirl. It infuriates me what Warner has done with your hard work.

— Nitro-Spidey vs Evil Dead (@NitroSpidey) August 2, 2022

From @FlashMovieLeaks

I feel so bad for Leslie Grace and the entire 'Batgirl' team🥺❤️

— The Flash Movie Updates ⚡ (@FlashMovieLeaks) August 2, 2022

From @ScottWamplerBMD

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah made BAD BOYS 3, which owned and which was one of the few hits of 2020, then made a BATGIRL movie with Leslie Grace in the lead and Michael Keaton returning as Batman, and then WB shelved it but also THE FLASH is still coming out. Okay!

— Scott Wampler™ (@ScottWamplerBMD) August 2, 2022

From @MrNiceGuy513

So, WB/Discovery cancels Batgirl, a movie with a POC lead.

Ezra Miller assaults 3 women & kidnaps another and is still in hiding, but WB/DC won’t cancel The Flash

Not a good look, at all.

Another WB/DC L

— Jimmy Folino #WhoDey 🐅- BLM, StopAsianHate 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrNiceGuy513) August 2, 2022

From @TheBlock_A

This is such a shitty move. Throwing away the hardwork of every cast and crew member. To say it isn’t canon is one thing but to never release the movie is scummy. I was really excited to see Batgirl. I hope fan voices can change this outcome. #ReleaseBatgirl

— Block A 🃏 is on another vacation! 🌴 (@TheBlock_A) August 2, 2022

From @RICHARDLNEWBY

Thinking about all the cast and crew whose time was wasted, $90 dollars tossed away on a film I heard was good. It’s disgraceful. Hope Adil and Bilall land a superhero feature at Marvel or Sony and that Leslie Grace gets another big role. #Batgirl

— Richard Newby (@RICHARDLNEWBY) August 2, 2022

From @Phil_Lewis_

Batgirl is basically done, and cost $90 million to make. I don't understand scrapping it at this stage

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 2, 2022

From @lassoofchroo

i was actually so excited for batgirl, wb have to be one of the dumbest fucking companies on earth for entirely axing one of their only upcoming female led projects

and it was already completed too like what is the logic behind this

— DΙΜΙ ALIEN SUPERSTAR (@lassoofchroo) August 2, 2022

From @nightwaynes

I was SO excited for Batgirl I’m so pissed and heartbroken…

— sabrina 🦇 (@nightwaynes) August 2, 2022

From @pavol_matula

I am shocked, stunned, baffled... hell, even heartbroken. I was very excited for Batgirl and to axe a film that was already shot and is in post-production is just awful. And, also, stupid. How is this the more economical solution? It isn't. Terrible. #Batgirl #WarnerBrosDiscovery

— Pavol Matula (@pavol_matula) August 2, 2022

From @michaelp93

If the rumors about Batgirl’s cancelled release are true, there is absolutely no excuse for that.

Leslie Grace deserves better. Brendan Fraser deserves better. Michael Keaton deserves better. The fans deserve better.

Batgirl deserves better!

— Michael Patterson (@michaelp93) August 2, 2022