Batgirl

Sorry, DC universe fans: the movie, which starred 'In The Heights' actress Leslie Grace in the title role, will not be released theatrically or on HBO Max.

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"Batgirl" was slated for release on HBO Max and would have starred “In the Heights” actress Leslie Grace, plus Michael Keaton as Batman.

And even the star power of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the upcoming “Black Adam” isn’t enough to offset the flood of continual bad news. But the biggest holy cow moment of all from “Batgirl” was going to be the return of Keaton as Batman. There are few bigger deals in comic book culture than his answering a Bat-signal’s call in the 21st century. “Batgirl” making it this far only to never be seen is a new black eye for WB/DC, which continues to stumble over its own good intentions by not having a true Kevin Feige figure to come up with a master plan for its superheroes. Simmons is best known for giving one of the all-time great superhero movie performances in Sam Raimi’s original “Spider-Man” trilogy as Daily Bugle editor in chief J. Jonah Jameson. If Simmons is in your superhero movie, it’s a big deal. If Zachary Levi’s Shazam was standing heroically over Henry Cavill’s Superman with lightning striking behind him in an ode to “ Kingdom Come,” you think people wouldn’t pay money to see that? Now that the Warner Bros./Discovery merger is complete, it seems the expectations for live-action adaptations featuring DC characters has changed drastically.

InIn 1989, Alan Moore wanted to write a comic about what a man does when driven to the point of insanity. In the comic book, The Killing Joke, the Joker ...

But the fan campaign to make that film happen also turned out to mainly be made up of bots and fake accounts. But the rest of us are going to suffer. More likely, Batgirl is just a victim, again, of a corporation out to make a buck. When you’re a giant unwieldy mess of a merger, you have to be ruthless. According to Variety, the film was tucked away, never to be seen, not because it was a bad movie but because the massive entity now known as Warner Bros. Discovery wanted a tax write-off. When Disney acquired Fox in 2019, it promptly killed a live-action Lumberjanes show, threatened to get rid of Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit for fear of offending brand loyalists with a happy-go-lucky Adolf Hitler, and shoved the perfectly lovely The New Mutants in the vault. In the comic book, The Killing Joke, the Joker kidnaps and tortures Jim Gordon to see if he can drive him to the point of insanity that both the Joker and Batman have already reached in their own respective ways. Despite the fact that most of us have seen Batman Forever, Catwoman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman 1984, Joker, Suicide Squad, Superman Returns, Jonah Hex, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and know just how tolerant Warner Bros. typically is of dog-shit superhero movies. Maybe this is all an elaborate plan by Warner Bros. Discovery to drum up support for the film and foster a big movement by fans who will demand the company release it. I can only hope Warner Bros. Discovery wasn’t as cruel when it canceled the already completed Batgirl film this week. At the time, much was said about how awful The New Mutants was. In 1989, Alan Moore wanted to write a comic about what a man does when driven to the point of insanity.

The studio's decision never to release an in-production Batgirl film is a sign of changing priorities for DC superhero movies, but also a change in ...

Indeed, many within Hollywood are concluding that a theatrical release confers status on a streaming service when it arrives there; The Batman is said to have performed extremely well on HBO Max after making Warner Bros. $770 million in theaters. Batgirl’s cancellation may be a matter of accounting expediency, but it’s also a symbolic move that is surely not lost on investors and industry-watchers. In sensational terms, the movie was called “unspeakable,” “irredeemable,” and a “DC disaster” that would severely damage the brand. Zaslav has openly disowned his predecessor Jason Kilar’s decision to release all Warner Bros. films, including Dune and The Matrix Resurrections, day-and-date on HBO Max during the pandemic. The extremity of this move might be explained by two further factors: a quirk of accounting, and a philosophical shift within Hollywood. In the past, it’s been more common for troubled projects to be quietly released on streaming or home video formats than for them never to see the light of day.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have released a statement to express shock and sadness over the decision for their already shot film to be killed.

“We’ll talk about how we’re going to do it, and when, soon,” he said. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. The $90m-budget film, which was intended to premiere on US streaming service HBO Max, had finished shooting and was being test screened. It’s reported that Discovery took on about $43bn of debt during the merger. 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. “Batgirl For Life.”

Following a regime change in Warner Bros, plans to release the forthcoming DC movie Batgirl have been axed, causing the completed film — which starred In ...

First announced in 2017, the film initially had Avengers director Joss Whedon attached to direct before exiting in 2018. This, the reports indicate, is where the film was doomed, testing poorly during a time where new Warner Bros. leadership is looking to rebuild DC’s theatrical brand. However, new Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has major plans to overhaul the entire company’s film output, and regime changes often mean many once-sure bets get discarded in sometimes surprising ways.

Just as the film was in post-production, management at Warner Bros Discovery decided to pull the plug on the DC Comics film BatGirl, despite it having a ...

It would not be surprising to see the company shut down several cable networks whose outlook is bleak. One area which is likely to be hit is cable networks. At the same time, they also gave thumbs down to airing the animated film “Scoobi! Holiday Haunt” which was estimated to have a $40 million budget.

Warner Bros. Discovery allegedly will no longer be releasing its live-action 'Batgirl' movie, starring Leslie Grace, on HBO Max … or anywhere else.

News of Batgirl’s costly shelving comes days after a Bloomberg report about how Warner Bros. Discovery’s new president and CEO David Zaslav has mostly been appointing white men to top positions at the congloma-studio. The movie was meant to star In the Heights breakout Leslie Grace, and DC even released first-look images of her in the Batsuit back in October 2021, complete with a throwback utility belt and Barbara Gordon’s signature red hair. Ankler reports the decisions stem from the new strategy under David Zaslav, who took over from Jason Kilar and Ann Sarnoff in the spring, while Variety suggests the company could be looking to take advantage of a tax write-down. “We are saddened and shocked by the news,” said the directors. Although the movie was announced with a $70 million budget, reports say that COVID shutdowns caused the budget to inflate to over $90 million, which we guess counts as a “smaller” story in this era of superhero entertainment. The DC Comics adaptation was originally originally conceived and produced as an HBO Max release, was later being considered for a theatrical rollout, and will now have neither.

" I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film," Grace wrote on social media.

It’s all very positive, and very light on the “fuck you, Warner Bros. Discovery president David Zaslav.” Grace’s post comes not long after the film’s directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Falla, made their own social media statements about the cancellation, describing themselves as “saddened and shocked by the news.” 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!”

NEW YORK Aug 4 — The directors of Batgirl said Wednesday they were “shocked” that the US$90 million (RM401 million) dollar superhero film had been axed by ...

— AFP The decision, which was driven partially by a need to bypass Covid-hit theaters in 2021, was not popular among creatives and appears to have been rolled back after the tie-up with Discovery. Star Grace (“In the Heights”) had told interviewers how excited she was to have landed the roll, and how thrilled she was to be working with Keaton and other luminaries.

NEW YORK: In a highly unusual move that rattled Hollywood, Warner Bros. axed the “Batgirl” film planned for HBO Max, opting to shelve the US$90 million film ...

"The Flash," scheduled for release next June, stars Ezra Miller who has been arrested twice this year in Hawaii, in a disorderly conduct case and on suspicion of assault. But marketing a movie like "Batgirl" for that kind of release would require tens of millions more. We still can't believe it," El Arbi and Fallah said in a statement Wednesday. "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. Under new Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav, Warner Bros. is shifting its strategy on film releases and trimming costs. Zack Snyder's "Justice League" was recut and reshot by Joss Whedon before a fan campaign led to the eventual HBO Max release of an edit by Snyder. The badly received 2016 "Suicide Squad" was followed by James Gunn's similarly titled 2021 relaunch "The Suicide Squad." Warner Bros. instead is choosing to entirely write off the film starring "In the Heights" star Leslie Grace as Batgirl and co-starring Michael Keaton (returning as Batman), J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser. It was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Production wrapped in April.

Warner Bros axed the Batgirl film planned for HBO Max, opting to shelve the $US90 million ($A130 million)...

Maybe one day they will insha'Allah (if God wills)." Batgirl, approved before WarnerMedia's merger with Discovery Inc, will instead simply not see the light of day. Movie that don't meet studio expectations are typically sold off or dumped with little fanfare.

The decision by Warner Bros Discovery prevents the movie from being screened in theatres or on streaming platforms.

Actor speaks after the film, shot entirely in Glasgow on a $90m budget, was dropped from all platforms.

Any decision on the release of the production is very much a matter for Warner Bros. The £150,000 grant support has not been paid, and discussions continue with the producers.” Wider economic benefits to local supply chain and other businesses such as hospitality aren’t fully quantified yet, but they were very significant.” Speculation that the film’s quality was the determining factor behind the call not to let anyone see it has been questioned by some. “I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! It is not yet clear whether Warner Bros will now send those invoices. “There’s crazy stunts, crazy drops,” Grace added.

In a shocking move for DC fans, Warner Bros. has decided not to release the highly anticipated superhero movie Batgirl. The movie had completed filming and ...

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!”#Batgirlfor life! I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! “I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. “Querida familia! 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!” read a second tweet, which also has a video where Grace is seen singing.

Batgirls' Barbra Gordon, Leslie Grace, reacts to the news that Warner Bros. Discovery has canned the film after it wrapped.

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!” A painting of Grace in her Batgirl costume striking a pose and a video of the actress singing while putting on her costume accompanied the heartfelt posts. Throughout filming, she posted many touching videos of her meeting fans in costume and seeing their faces while meeting Batgirl was simply priceless. In two different Twitter posts, Grace talked about how proud she was of the work her cast and crew put into the now canceled film. Even though it's been more than 24 hours, both Hollywood and DC fans around the world are still recovering from the shocking news that Warner Brothers was axing their highly anticipated superhero film Batgirl from their schedule.

"Batgirl" star Leslie Grace has responded to the news of the movie's cancellation with an Instagram post.

"I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! Grace isn't the only Batgirl star to have posted following the news, either. Ivory Aquino, who was set to play Alysia Yeoh in the movie, shared some behind-the-scenes clips of her and Grace doing karaoke with the caption "my #batgirl and karaoke fam for life."

Hollywood is still reeling from the unprecedented situation of WB opting to take a giant tax writedown on a $90 million Batgirl movie rather than release it ...

Again, it seems possible that Batgirl may be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the scrapping of future DC projects as WB does a hard reset. "I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!" 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.”

“We're not going to launch a movie until it's ready.” That was pretty much Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's answer when asked about the recent ...

“Expensive films going to streaming … can’t find an economic value for it.” “There’s no comparison when you launch a film in motion picture theaters,” he said. “Our ambition to is bring Warners back and produce great, high-quality films,” the CEO said.

HBO Max's drastic decision to not release a completed movie is a reminder of the murky—and merciless—economics of streaming.

And just as the economics of streaming have started to look wobblier, the theatrical box office has gotten more robust, with hits such as Top Gun: Maverick displaying a real surge in enthusiasm from ticket buyers of all generations after a long pandemic lull. This one features a big brand-name heroine played by an actress of color (In the Heights’ Leslie Grace); the return of Michael Keaton as the Batman he played in Tim Burton’s hit movies; and a villain played by Brendan Fraser, a beloved actor in the middle of a feel-good comeback moment. That meant epics such as Dune and The Matrix Resurrections debuted partly on the small screen; the move angered filmmakers such as Denis Villeneuve and broke Warner Bros.’ long collaboration with Christopher Nolan, who is now making his next movie for rival Universal. According to Deadline, Zaslav has no interest in Kilar’s notion of making several films a year as HBO Max exclusives. After all, they can cost tens of millions of dollars to produce, and (pardon me for getting overly technical here) selling tickets for the general public to view them can help recoup that cost. In the world of moviemaking, it’s generally considered good business to release the movies you make.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the decision to cancel the release of 'Batgirl,' during the company's Q2 earnings call.

“We have a different view on the wisdom of releasing direct streaming films, and we have taken some aggressive steps to course correct the previous strategy.” The decision to shelve two nearly completed feature films — including a superhero property with a $90 million budget — stunned the wider industry. “The objective is to grow the DC brand, to grow the DC characters,” he said. (Zaslav’s mention of “The Flash,” currently scheduled to debut June 2023, is particularly meaningful, as star Ezra Miller is facing multiple allegations of abuse and misconduct that neither the actor nor the studio have addressed publicly.) “And as part of that, we’re going to focus on quality. “We’re not going to launch a movie until it’s ready,” Zaslav said during the Q&A portion of the call, when asked directly about “Batgirl” getting the ax.