Wednesday 3 August 2022 09:04 PM Batgirl directors slam Warner Bros. decision to axe 'awful' $100m Batgirl movie trends now
The directors of scrapped movie Batgirl have slammed Warner Bros' decision to axe the 'awful' $100million film as they said they hoped fans will one day get to see it.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the shelved movie's directors, said they 'still can't believe' the shocking news that their creation was binned - and that they wished Batgirl could have been showed to fans across the world.
But God willing 'inshAllah' it will be one day, they said.
The decision to axe the film — which was slated to be released on HBO Max later this year — came after a series of test screenings were panned by audiences, and studio execs thought it would hurt the future of the brand as they seek to streamline the DC Extended Universe.
El Arbi and Fallah, who also directed Bad Boys For Life and Disney+'s Ms Marvel, wrote in a statement on Instagram: 'We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can't believe it.
'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.
'Maybe one day they will insha'Allah.'
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the two directors of axed Batgirl, have spoken out after Warner Bros dropped the movie. Writing on Instagram, they wrote: 'We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can't believe it'
The Batgirl film has been canned by Warner Bros. after spending more than $100m on the movie because studio executives want to move away from made-for-streaming projects
The two directors wrote the statement to fans on social media, ending with the slogan 'Batgirl For Life'
Those who have seen the film say she simply donned a Batman outfit for Halloween and proceeded to fight terrorists
Actress Leslie Grace, who was set to star in the film, has not yet commented on the move.
The directors continued: 'Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life. We are forever grateful to have been part of that team.
'It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, JK Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front, and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedications and humanity.
'In any case as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl For Life.'
Batgirl was first given the greenlight in 2021 as part of a company-wide effort to create feature films specifically for HBO Max.
It would have featured Latina actress Leslie Grace in the titular role as she battled Brendan Fraser's Firefly who turned to a life of crime after he is fired from his job, loses his health insurance and could no longer care for his sick wife.
Warner Bros spokesperson said on Tuesday: 'The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max.
'Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.'
According to those who have seen the now-scrapped film, Michael Keaton's Batman was only featured in a few scenes — and did not serve as a mentor to Grace's Barbara Gordon, and the costumes were subpar.
'I'll say I'm not that surprised Batgirl got canceled as it features a woke Latino Batgirl and Barbara Gordon in a story that sounds downright awful,' Matt McGloin wrote for Cosmic Book News.
The Batgirl film would have featured Latina actress Leslie Grace in the titular role as she battled Brendan Fraser's Firefly
