The future of the DC Extended Universe is more uncertain than ever after the surprising cancellation of “Batgirl”, motivated by economic reasons and a change of policy at Warner, whose new board has decided to prioritize theatrical releases at the expense of HBO Max. The film, which was already well underway, will not be released in theaters or in streaming, thus kicking off a (another) total restructuring of the DC Universe refocused on major movie previews.
The news of the cancellation of ‘Batgirl’ took everyone by surprise, including its lead character, Leslie Grace, and its directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Grace, known for playing Nina in the musical “In a New York district”, posted a statement on its social networks in reaction to the cancellation and thanking his peers for their work on the film over the past few months and the fans for their support. The publication is also accompanied by unpublished photos and videos of the shooting.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Leslie Grace (@lesliegrace)
“Dear family! Following the recent news about our ‘Batgirl’ movie, I am so proud of the love, hard work and willpower that our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film for 7 months in Scotland. I feel blessed to have worked with some great absolutes and forming lasting relationships along the way To all Batgirl fans: THANK YOU for the love and faith, for letting me put on my cape and become, as Babs said, ” My fucking superhero. #Batgirl forever! “.
The directors, “sad and in shock”
For their part, ‘Batgirl’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who recently worked on ‘Ms. Marvel ‘, they also reacted to the news by publishing a joint statement expressing surprise and sadness at Warner Bros. Discovery’s sudden decision. According to the deadlines, the tandem was celebrating Adil’s wedding in Morocco when they received the newsand they plan to continue with post-production upon their return to the United States.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Adil El Arbi (@adilelarbi)
“We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it. As directors, it is imperative that our work is shown to the public and, although the film is still far from completion, we hope that fans around the world have a chance. to see and embrace the final result. Maybe someday, insha ‘Allah [si Dios quiere].
Our amazing cast and crew did an amazing job and worked hard to bring Batgirl to life. We don’t feel eternally grateful to have been a part of that team. It was a dream to work with fantastic actors such as Michael Keaton, JK Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and above all the great Leslie Grace, who embodied Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.
In any case, as big Batman fans since we were children, it has been a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DC Universe, even for a brief moment. Batgirl forever. “
According to an official release from Warner, the cancellation of ‘Batgirl’ is not related to the quality of the film or the work of its team, but is due to strategic and financial decisions within the company, which after the merger with Discovery last spring is in full swing renovation under the direction of David Zaslav, who decided to prioritize theatrical releases, leaving HBO Max in trouble.
Source: E Cartelera
