Despite almost $90 million budget, Batgirl appears to be cancelled.
The next installment in the DC Extended Universe is now unlikely to release, according to a new report.
Batgirl was supposed to be the next installment in the DCEU, and was notable for marking the return of Michael Keaton as Batman for the first time since 1992.
Also set to star Leslie Grace after her breakout role in In the Heights as the titular Batgirl, the movie didn’t have the same level of excitement as other major DC releases.
Batgirl was always set to release on HBO MAX, though there were talks that the movie could get a theatrical release as well.
However, according to a new report by The Wrap, it seems that Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t plan to release the movie in spite of the fact that, per the report, the movie is almost near completion.
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Warner Bros. Discovery will not release "Batgirl," neither theatrically or on HBO MAX https://t.co/Zv4paZ1JJg
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) August 2, 2022
The Wrap attributes several factors to the decision, including the fact that the movie was greenlit under the previous regime as an HBO MAX exclusive. Apparently, the new owners and management “are committed to making DC titles big theatrical event films, and ‘Batgirl’ isn’t that.”
However, there is hope that Leslie Grace and the others could still appear in the DCEU as the studio is “actively planning to work with them soon.”
It is not clear why, exactly, Warner Bros. Discovery wouldn’t at least release a nearly-completed film on its streaming service, particularly given the amount that has been sunk into it already.
It’s also puzzling why the studio wouldn’t try to improve the movie to make it acceptable for theatrical release via rewrites and reshoots.
Ultimately, though, it seems that Batgirl fans will not be getting to see their heroine join the DCEU just yet.