By Josh Bate
In a shocking move that is sure to produce plenty of speculation, Warner Bros. Discovery have today opted to cancel the release of DC’s Batgirl, a film that was said to be set up by the upcoming The Flash and stars Leslie Grace and Michael Keaton, back once again as Batman.
Warner Bros. is said to be making this move as to prioritize theatrical releases once again. Batgirl was announced as an HBO Max exclusive under then CEO Jason Kilar, who focused extensively on the streaming market. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Batgirl cost $90 million to produce (before marketing), a budget that isn’t as high as some other DC titles like Aquaman or The Flash, but this sum was considered till too expensive for the studio, especially as they would need to fun an advertising campaign prior to release.
At one point, Batgirl was said to be part of a new wave of DC films that begins with The Flash. As stated, the latter will bring back Michael Keaton as Batman, and the actor was confirmed to be returning to the role in a full time capacity. Now, with just his second appearance canceled in an unprecedented move, The Flash in limbo given the situation regarding Ezra Miller, and Ben Affleck returning as Batman in the sequel to Aquaman, Keaton’s status in the DC universe remains unclear.
Alongside Leslie Grace and Michael Keaton are J.K. Simmons, who plays Jim Gordon, the title character’s father, and Brendan Fraser as Firefly.