Batgirl was one of the most anticipated movies on HBO Max’s slate, but it will never see the light of day. Despite being close to completion, Warner Bros. announced their decision to shelve the superhero film, with no plans to release it theatrically or on HBO Max.
According to the studio’s official statement, “The decision to not release Batgirl reflects [their] leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max.” It’s been suggested that the studio decided to ax the project in order to cut costs after negative test screening reactions.
The film’s cancelation was a shocker for everyone, including directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and the leading lady Leslie Grace, who weren’t informed that the project would be shelved beforehand.
“We are saddened and shocked by the news… 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,” said El Arbi and Fallah in a joint statement.
In addition to Grace, Batgirl was also set to star J. K. Simmons, Jacob Scipio, Brendan Fraser, and Michael Keaton. The filming took place in Glasgow, Scotland from November 2021 to March 2022, and Warner Bros. invested $90 million in this project before deciding to call it quits.
