Michael Keaton said he was not upset when Warner Bros. canceled the release of Batgirl, in which he reprised his iconic role as Batman. The actor revealed his reaction during an interview with GQ magazine.
Keaton starred alongside Grace Leslie in the title role of the DC project. Warner Bros. shelved the $90 million budget film in August 2022 as a cost-cutting move. The decision came as a shock to the film industry, with a tax incentive widely reported as the driving force behind killing the project.
The movie had already been shot and was in post-production when the studio canceled it. When asked if he felt disappointed by the decision, Keaton replied, "No, I didn't care one way or the other. A big, funny, nice check." GQ noted that the actor rubbed his fingers in the universal gesture for moolah while answering.
Support for Batgirl directors
Keaton spoke about Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Billall Fallah, noting that he felt bad because they were upset. "I like those guys. They're good guys," Keaton said. "I'm rooting for them. I want them to succeed, and I think they felt really bad, and that made me feel bad, too. Me? I'm fine."
The actor has had a major comeback as Batman in recent years after donning the cape and cowl again for multiple projects. Keaton previously played the superhero in 1989 and 1992 in Batman and Batman Returns, where he was named one of the best actors to play the role. He returned as Batman for the big DC movie The Flash last year.
Aquaman scenes and unreleased projects
In addition to Batgirl, Keaton shot scenes for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. That film practically collapsed with the sale of Warner Bros. and the change of hands at DC. Keaton was left without a finished product for both projects, which disappointed many fans who hoped to see him return to the screen as Bruce Wayne.
