The world of superhero movies is full of surprises, and sometimes those surprises aren't so great! DC made a decision a while back, and it continues to cause ripples.
Batgirl Canceled
Back in August 2022, DC shocked everyone by canceling Batgirl. The movie was nearly finished, directed by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah and starred Leslie Grace. It seemed like something completely crazy as these types of cancelations rarely happen after production! What was worse? It was a tax write-off and Warner Bros hoped to save most of its budget. This was super surprising!
The Decision's Impact
While many felt that Batgirl was flawed and wouldn't have performed well at the box office, Peter Safran (one of DC Studios' co-chairs) mentioned via Variety that its release would harm DC, the series in particular, but also everyone involved. Now, after looking back on things that has transpired since then, the situation has gotten much more confusing!
- DC had multiple box office bombs after cancelling Batgirl, making people think the initial reason behind this cancelation wasn't so solid.
- Joker: Folie à deux is one of those movies where DC was sure about its potential but this one bombed pretty badly as well.
Batgirl's Potential
It is hard to imagine why Batgirl wasn't released because there was a team of incredibly talented and highly successful performers behind this film! Grace (a fast-rising star) seemed perfect for the role and the directors Arbi & Fallah have produced major hits like Bad Boys for Life, giving them the skills needed to make this film incredible. The addition of J.K. Simmons (as Jim Gordon), Brendan Fraser (as Firefly), and Michael Keaton (as Batman) created so much buzz about the movie. How did this get canceled?!
These directors really did know how to bring those superhero aspects to the screen! They did so in the first few episodes of Ms. Marvel and brought that same expertise to Bad Boys: Ride or Die! Their style should have been amazing but was never allowed to flourish, and this is what makes many still so incredibly upset and questioning this big-budget misstep.
Joker 2 vs. Batgirl
The decision is now looking even more bizarre. Why cancel a project nearly finished, but green light a hugely expensive and risky movie like Joker: Folie à deux? According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. had their executives searching for big hits after a flop called "Project Popcorn." Warner Bros. executives tried to save face by releasing all its 2021 lineup on Max on the very same day as their initial theater release date.
With no projects really on deck, they risked another huge production and what stands out? This sequel was incredibly risky: an R-rated musical with an estimated budget of $200 million. They didn't even test the movie before releasing it at Venice! And it bombed! If the initial reason for cancelling Batgirl was about avoiding a loss at the box office. This really doesn't align at all.
DCEU's End
The whole DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was ending and it looked incredibly messy! It seemed Batgirl's cancellation in 2022 came only a few months before it became obvious that DCEU was totally done! It didn't make Warner Bros look very good. Black Adam, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle and The Flash, were box office failures, which led to lots of scrutiny. Even Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, was poorly reviewed, really letting down a lot of fans. All of these failures didn't seem like a reason to get rid of a good, quality product!
The DC Universe will continue, it just won't have any relation to the original and much more disastrous iteration.
- A reboot is already being discussed as something amazing that is in development
- James Gunn is now helping and getting the new films off the ground. Fans seem optimistic. But a really well known and liked performer. Michael Keaton as Batman! The character Batgirl was going to share the spotlight with was the real kicker that upset a whole lot of people.
Even if Batgirl wasn't some cinematic masterpiece, what's even stranger, was canceling it.
What may still sting some fans, was losing a really interesting look and what could have been, which really shows some serious faults from Warner Bros. as they took wild risks in so many other areas.
It seems Batgirl had some great aspects to it and could have offered a far better sendoff than Aquaman 2.
