Warner Bros. Discovery still wants to keepLeslie Graceas Batgirl in the DCEU afterpulling the plug on her solo movierecently. The studio axed the nearly finished, $90 million-pricedBatgirlas part of its “cost-cutting” measures, and the poor test scores didn’t help either. Although, some reports suggest that the test audience score ofBatgirlwas the same as that ofBlack AdamandShazam! Fury of the Gods,but WBD just didn’t want to spend any more money on the film to tweak it and canceled it altogether.
The unprecedented move has shocked not only the fans but also the film industry, with everyone wondering how a studio could scrap a movie as big asBatgirland still keep its financials intact. WBD will apparently receive a tax write-off forBatgirl. But as the studio continues to clean house,its controversial decisionshave taken a hit on its reputation, and WBD seems to be in damage control mode now.
As reported byVariety,new Warner Bros. Pictures Group chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy are “seeking to mend fences withBatgirlstar Leslie Grace.” They want her to continue playing Batgirl/Barbara Gordon in future DC projects or at least star in another Warner Bros. production. Grace previously worked with the studio on her film debut,In the Heights.
Related:Following Batgirl’s Cancellation, Will DCEU Fans Support The Flash?
Will Leslie Grace Return as Batgirl Or Work With Warner Bros. Again?
WhileBatgirlhas been called “irredeemable” and compared to a “bad TV show,” neither Warner Bros. Discovery nor the test audiences found any fault with Leslie Grace’s performance. Her casting as Batgirl was divisive at first, but Grace was finally starting to win over the fans with her enthusiasm for the role. And with Brendan Fraser and Michael Keaton also appearing in the movie, fans were actually looking forward toBatgirluntil WB canceled it.
Leslie Grace has been releasing some BTS stuff fromBatgirllately, and it makes it clear just how excited she was to play the iconic DC superhero. It’s a shame we’ll never get to seeBatgirl,and Grace probably won’t star in any other movie either or work with the studio again, nor should she, especially after such horrible treatment.
Batgirldirectors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi have worked for Marvel before, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they permanently shift base to the DC rival. Grace doesn’t have any other films in the pipeline, but hercritically acclaimed turn inIn the Heightsproved that she’s a star in the making.
In the unlikely case that Grace decides to play Batgirl again, it would have to be in a supporting role or a cameo since greenlighting another solo movie could take years and frankly isn’t a viable option either. This scenario doesn’t further her career and would only be a desperate attempt by WBD to restore its reputation. And the studio can’t recast Batgirl either without causing an even bigger PR headache for itself. So, it’s safe to say that Batgirl won’t be making her live-action film debut anytime soon.
Read Warner Bros. Discovery’s official statement onBatgirl’scancelation below:
“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.”
