CONFIRMED: Batgirl movie is being shelved despite being filmed and set for 2022 release

Oh, man, what is going on at DC/Warners?

So, we all know that Bad Boys For Life’s Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s Batgirl movie starring Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Michael Keaton as Batman and JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon is pretty much finished and was set for a released int he coming months which was originally set to be a HBO Max exclusive but then word was it would be heading to the big screen.

However, it’s been a choppy few months at Warners.

Batgirl’s events would see Keaton’s Batman taking center stage, playing a role he last did back in 1992 in Batman Returns, leaving Ben Affleck’s Batman behind; this would be as a result of events in The Flash movie which would see Ezra Miller’s titular character altering time forever, removing Affleck’s Batman and instead bringing in Keaton’s.

Fair enough, right?

Well, then we learned that Flash star Ezra Miller has been having an, em, colorful time in the eyes of the law and we heard rumours that WB were getting cold feet on The Flash over said events.

Then we heard that Batgirl’s test screenings were less than glowing and its absence from even begin mentioned at SDCC a couple of weeks ago when it was set for a later 2022 release was noticeable too.

Then, just a few days ago it was revealed that Affleck, who had already finished his supposed final scenes as Batman for The Flash, was back again, this time to film for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

This raised a few eyebrows here at FTN HQ and while there was happy cries of ‘Affleck is back!’ we deduced that, no, he wasn’t back but rather was re-filming a scene that has previously been completed with Keaton as now Aquaman 2 would see the silver screen before The Flash and Keaton’s appearance would be confusing for fans.

Yes, we knew something was seriously afoot.

On top of this, we’re hearing that major restructuring is now going down at Warners and we may hear more as early as this Thursday.

Then tonight, we hear that Batgirl is now ‘shelved’.

Reportedly the movie cost approx $70m (but perhaps as high as $100) and is being called “irredeemable”.

The NY Post is reporting that a source at Warners said: “They think an unspeakable ‘Batgirl’ is going to be irredeemable.” 

The Wrap adds: ‘The new owners and management, led by CEO David Zaslav, are committed to making DC titles big theatrical event films, and “Batgirl” isn’t that.’

UPDATE: Variety have confirmed the movie is scrapped, writing: Studio insiders insist the decision was not driven by the quality of the film or the commitment of the filmmakers, but by the desire for the studio’s slate of DC features to be at a blockbuster scale. 

Personally, I was looking forward to Batgirl as a big Keaton fans and as someone who thinks we haven’t seen enough of Simmons’ Gordon and I had made my peace with Affleck, who rules as Batman/Bruce Wayne, being gone and, as rumours suggested, Pattinson eventually being brought over to be the prime Batman and I have defended DC for years, having mostly liked/loved the majority of their stuff but even my diehard fan might have to admit that things have finally gotten out of hand and it’s time for someone to be brought in to oversee the DC output and finally put the ship back on track.

I’m not saying I want it to copy Marvel, I certainly don’t, but it needs direction.

UPDATE: Hollywood scooper Grace Randolph has reported that she’s hearing that, yes, the Batgirl movie is gone:

IT’S TRUE#BATGIRL IS CANCELLED

JUST GOT THE CONFIRMATION FROM MY OWN SOURCES

VIDEO LATER TONIGHT AFTER I GO LIVE#DC #DCEU

— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) August 2, 2022

Source: NY Post