Batgirl Star Leslie Grace Reacts To The Film's Release Being Canceled
It was the shot heard around the film world, so you've probably heard the news. Warner Bros. has completely shelved its upcoming — and nearly finished, mind you — DC movie "Batgirl," starring "In The Heights" breakout Leslie Grace. That means it will forever live on the cutting room floor, and will not receive a theatrical nor a streaming release. To say this is simply a bummer understates the massive rug being pulled out from under the industry as a whole with this decision.
Grace reacted to the devastating news about the film via Instagram on August 3:
"Querida familia! 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!"
In addition to "Batgirl," the almost-completed sequel to the animated movie "Scoob!" has also been shelved by the Warner Bros. and six of the studio's original streaming titles, including the reboot of "The Witches," have been quietly removed from the HBO Max platform.
Pulling out the rug
Making the situation ten times worse, "Batgirl" co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were in Morocco for El Arbi's wedding when the announcement was made. The directing duo made a statement via Instagram following the announcement:
"We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can't believe it. 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 [God willing]. In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl For Life."
The sad news about "Batgirl" comes as a result of Warner Bros.' merger with Discovery earlier this year. CEO David Zaslav is now in charge and though he wants a focus on the DC Extended Universe, he wants those films to be seen theatrically. He wants the company to move away from the streaming model, and according to multiple reports, including one from The Wrap,
"Batgirl" allegedly doesn't fit Zaslav's vision for the DC universe at Warner Bros. However, El Arbi and Fallah recently made names for themselves with their well-regarded "Miss Marvel" series and with the action sequel "Bad Boys for Life," which was a major box office hit despite contending with the early days of the pandemic. This might be a use-them-or-lose-them moment for Zaslav — and it would be a significant blow for Warner Bros. to lose El Arbi and Fallah from the studio's talent pool.