Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Batgirl

  • Shelving ‘Batgirl’ but Not ‘The Flash’ Isn’t Protecting the Brand

    Shelving ‘Batgirl’ but Not ‘The Flash’ Isn’t Protecting the Brand

    David Zaslav, the new President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, blamed the shelving of Batgirl on wanting to protect the DC brand. And yet, The Flash movie is still on the studio’s slate as they seek to determine what to do with the film following the countless allegations and arrests surrounding its star Ezra Miller. For a studio intent on protecting its brand, the decision to react slowly to Miller’s actions is a poor one.

    None of us know if Batgirl was good and now with the film being shelved in favor of a tax write-down, it’s likely we’ll never know, which is bizarre. After all, this is the same studio that released Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman 1984, films that while still successful was far from critical darlings. Batgirl was developed as an HBO Max film, with rumors later circulating that, like with Blue Beetle, the Leslie Grace film would actually get a chance to grace the big screen in a theatrical release. It had two promising directors at the helm – a duo that directed some of the best episodes of Ms. Marvel for Marvel Studios – and a rising young star in the titular role.

    Let’s not forget, that it also managed to secure the incredibly talented Michael Keaton, who was set to return as Batman, and Brendan Fraser as the film’s villain. Even if it wasn’t an “event film” as the studio had hoped, there was plenty to be excited about with Batgirl. Instead of releasing it, the studio decided not to put any more money into it and try to recoup its cost with a write-down. So, why then has The Flash continued to move along with no problem?

    Ezra Miller, who was once a promising actor in Hollywood, has quickly seen his star dim in recent years due to their actions. It all began with a video surfacing of Miller allegedly choking a fan in a video in April 2020. Somehow, despite the video circulating all over social media, nothing seemed to become of it, and it was quickly swept under the rug. Flash forward – pun intended – to March 2022 and Miller was arrested in Hawaii for disorderly conduct and harassment at a karaoke bar. A couple of weeks later, Miller was then arrested again for assault after he was said to have thrown a chair, resulting in the injury of a 26-year-old woman.

    As if that wasn’t bad enough, in June the actor was accused of grooming a child and a protective order was put in place against him. The problem? Miller was said to be on the run with the teen. Later reports would suggest a mother and her three children had moved into the actor’s Vermont farm in a “roommate situation” that was concerning because there were said to be unattended guns and drugs on the property. Then the actor was charged with “offense of felony burglary into an unoccupied dwelling” in Stamford, Vermont earlier this week. And that’s just a simple summary of everything.

    To say your studio wants to protect its brand all while bringing an actor with so many allegations back for reshoots? I mean, that seems quite ludicrous. The fact that the future of The Flash still remains in question is just downright absurd. If it’s okay to pull the plug on Batgirl, a $90 million film, ya know, one where the leading lady wasn’t at the center of a troublesome media storm? Then surely the same can be done with The Flash.

    Canceling Batgirl was cruel to those who worked on the project. There was a sense of pride and passion in Batgirl that was evident by all involved. There’s no reason Batgirl couldn’t have at least been put on HBO Max and given a chance to be seen. Grace and directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi deserved to have their work seen. And while The Flash director Andy Muschietti is talented, and his cast impressive, they ultimately have to carry the weight of Miller’s troubles into the promotion of the film and that’s not fair to them. Purely removing Miller from marketing the project isn’t enough because the cast and crew will still be asked to answer for their actions.

    Sure, The Flash has a hefty budget and could play a huge part in the DC cinematic universe moving forward, but at what point is the line drawn? You can’t claim you want to protect the brand and then release a film starring someone with such a worrisome list of allegations against them. Actions speak louder than words.

  • Kevin Feige, Edgar Wright, and James Gunn Reached Out to ‘Batgirl’ Directors Over Sudden Cancelation

    Kevin Feige, Edgar Wright, and James Gunn Reached Out to ‘Batgirl’ Directors Over Sudden Cancelation

    It’s been a tough week for Batgirl‘s creative team. Warner Bros. Discovery has pulled a bizarre move by writing the entire film off for taxes, which costs $90M to produce and was nearly finished. Given their work on Bad Boys For Life and Ms. Marvel, it seemed bizarre for many that a film directed by Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah wouldn’t be able to live up to any standards. Still, Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav saw the “right” decision to protect the DC brands.

    What wasn’t the right decision was that the team wasn’t even informed until the news first broke through the New York Post. Even Walter Hamada, the CEO of DC Films, only found out as the decision was already made during a screening of Black Adam without even being consulted. Now, director Adil El Arbi shared an e-mail they received from Marvel Studios director Kevin Feige on the matter painting a very big contrast between the way it’s being handled by executives of different corporations.

    Feige sending out this e-mail is definitely a showcase of a closer relationship with talent over at Marvel Studios, but also simply a showcase of kindness that anyone would need if their passion project is just pulled to save money. The film business has always found a balance between the two sides, but Warner Bros. Discovery current moves are certainly more business than artistic, adding pressure to future talent potentially joining any future project.

    He wasn’t the only one to reach out, as it seems that the Batgirl director’s were also given support by James Gunn and Edgar Wright, who famously lost their own passion projects. While for different reasons, there are always going to be moments where things just don’t come together creatively as intended. But, this case is less a creative difference but a bizarre move by a company to save as little money as possible.

    Source: Twitter, Variety

  • OPINION: The Decision to Cancel ‘Batgirl’ Was a Bad One

    OPINION: The Decision to Cancel ‘Batgirl’ Was a Bad One

    To quote Zack Snyder, “You’re Living in a F**king Dreamworld” if you think there’s a single ounce of a plan for the DC Extended Universe anymore. At this point, it would be much better for your mental health to just look at every live-action DC project as its own standalone project and just let go of any attachment to a shared universe with the situations going on right now. What sparked this you ask? Well, if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 48 hours, Batgirl is no more, the film is dead and shelved indefinitely as Warner Brothers Discovery proves that even though it is a new company, the studio has retained the cluelessness of past leadership.

    Batgirl was a film that went through development hell. It was originally set to be written and directed by the now disgraced fandom figure Joss Whedon. After Whedon was accused of butchering Justice League, Whedon ultimately stepped away from Batgirl. The film would go on to gain steam once again with writer Chirstina Hodson being brought on board in 2018, and directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi boarding the project in May 2021. Leading lady Leslie Grace would later sign on to the project in July 2021, with filming slated to begin later that year. After shifting release dates for other DC films, which would’ve helped to establish the new timeline, Batgirl never received a proper release date outside of 2023.

    And now we know that the film is being shelved permanently. Initial reports claimed it was because the film didn’t fit what David Zaslav and the rest of Warner Bros. Discovery sought for the DC Extended Universe, while other reports claimed the decision was because the film wasn’t an “event film.” As we now know, it appears to have been a mix of it all, with the studio seeking to get a tax write-off for Batgirl.

    The thing is, Batgirl was nearly done. Deadline confirmed the directors were well into post-production on the film and reports indicated the test screenings of the films were getting mixed-positive reviews. This did not stop Warner Bros. Discovery from canning it despite the film costing a reported $90 million because the studio didn’t think it fit its new image of what DC films should be. This is a ridiculous decision that reportedly had one rival studio executive “floored,” calling the situation one of the most “unprecedented” of their three-decade-long career. 

    Not to feed into any rumors or conspiracies but it makes one think the new regime could be completely abandoning the previous one’s attempt at a soft reboot and possibly looking to ditch the concept of a new timeline spawning from the events of The Flash, with Ben Affleck most recently replacing Michael Keaton in Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. The change the studio is after, however, is mostly attributed to the film’s new release date, now set to release before The Flash and including some important details for the future. 

    The move to shelve the film, though, is just completely and utterly baffling, especially as Warner Bros. Discovery has deemed itself as a new regime that wants to save money and trim. By shelving Batgirl, the studio has willingly shelved a $90 million film for a meager $15-$25 million tax write-off. It’s a project that could’ve easily been released on HBO Max as originally intended. After all, Batgirl was a project that was reportedly near completion and at the tail end of post-production. The fact that the studio felt the film wasn’t built for theaters makes absolutely zero sense as plenty of films made for streaming have received theatrical runs. The most frustrating bit of it all is that with Batgirl being a tax write-down, it means the film can never be released through any monetizable method, or even sold to another studio, so unless the film miraculously makes its way onto the internet via a leak, it will never see the light of day.

    Another downside to this decision? DC had its chance, once again, to capitalize on the potential success of a live-action Batfamily, this could’ve been the jumping-off point, the gateway to so many beloved characters from the comics. Fans have been dying to see the many children of Bruce Wayne come together on the big screen like Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Duke Thomas, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Kate Kane, and Luke Fox, but of course, instead we receive crushed dreams and wasted potential.

    On top of the absent Batfamily, Batgirl would’ve offered another chance for the Birds of Prey and allowed them to become whole as they welcome Barbara Gordon into their ranks. The Batgirl film was even reportedly going to set up the Black Canary solo project, one that could meet a similar fate to Wonder Twins and now Batgirl, as it may not meet the arbitrary standards Zaslav wants DC films to hold. The fact that a tax break factored into all of this makes it feel as if Warner Brothers has lost all of its artistic integrity, leaving the studio merely an IP-fueled cash cow that’ll push out slop for the masses. 

    The decision to cancel Batgirl just makes no sense in the end.

  • Leslie Grace on ‘Batgirl’ Being Shelved: “I feel blessed.”

    Leslie Grace on ‘Batgirl’ Being Shelved: “I feel blessed.”

    Following the news that Warner Bros. Discovery has opted not to release Batgirl, the film’s leading lady, Leslie Grace, has finally spoken out. Grace took to her Instagram page late Wednesday evening to talk about the abrupt move.

    “Querida familia! On the heels of the recent news about our movie “Batgirl,” I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland,” she wrote. “I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! To every Batgirl fan – THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, “my own damn hero!””

    Grace also included behind-the-scenes images from the film that fans will now never get to see come to life. In some of the images, Grace can be seen sporting Batgirl’s purple and yellow costume with plenty of dirt on her face, while in other clips the cast can be seen goofing around while waiting to film.

    Grace’s comments come after directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi released their own statement earlier in the day, revealing they were “saddened and shocked” by the news. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was not finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves.”

    While earlier reports suggested DC was keen to work with Grace and Fallah and Arbi again outside of Batgirl, it remains to be seen whether or not that does happen down the line. For now, it’s evident that all involved in the project are clearly passionate about Batgirl and are sad to see fans won’t get to see their hard work.

  • ‘Scoob!’ Christmas Special Secretly Scrapped Alongside ‘Batgirl’ to Cut Costs

    ‘Scoob!’ Christmas Special Secretly Scrapped Alongside ‘Batgirl’ to Cut Costs

    The rather shocking news dropped recently that Batgirl was shelved. While reasonings were uncertain, a new report by The Hollywood Reporter hints that the reasoning is part of the new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, and his strategy on cost-cutting measures. He wants to focus more on creating theatrical films rather than streaming but it seems that it’s coming at a rather heavy toll.

    Not only did they scrap the $90M budgeted and finished Batgirl, but they also decided to shelve their animation project, Scoob! Holiday Haunt. The animated holiday special was already in some form of production and seemingly had invested $40M. Supposedly, the reasoning is due to their strategy of avoiding big-budget projects for HBO Max and focusing on a theatrical release.

    What doesn’t make sense is the concept of filming an entire project only to scrap it. It also raises questions if other productions that are already in some form of development could be on the chopping block next. The idea to never bank on $130M worth of productions and not even just using a minimal marketing strategy to wrap up productions at a decent cost efficiency to draw out any benefit is quite surprising.

    Zaslav never was going to be the one to save the production company, and its uncertainty if the recent announcement of adding Alan Horn, former Disney creative officer, will make any changes if they are swiftly taking down projects. Our best case scenario would be if they pivot their productions and create a stronger focus, but it could also potentially go down a much darker route with uncertainty hanging over future productions.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Batgirl’ Has Been Shelved and is Not Being Released

    ‘Batgirl’ Has Been Shelved and is Not Being Released

    Earlier today, a report surfaced from the New York Post stating that DC and Warner Bros. Discovery had opted not to release its previously announced Batgirl film. Now, The Wrap has come out to confirm that the movie is not being released. The reasoning behind the decision is that, despite reshoots and an increased budgets, Batgirl just wasn’t able to come together well enough to please the studio. Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly said to want to make big theatrical event films, and Batgirl just didn’t feel like an event film.

    Batgirl was one of the few films put into development prior to the merger and was to be an HBO Max original. Production on the title kicked off last November and wrapped back in March, when director duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah shared the first look at leading lady Leslie Gace in costume as Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl. While the nearly completed $90 million film will be shelved, the studio is said to be keen to work with film’s directors and star and wants to work with them again soon.

    The decision to not release Batgirl comes after the studio canceled the Wonder Twins film shortly after casting its lead roles. Warner Bros. Discovery is trying to tighten its grip on its DC properties, taking time to re-evaluate the projects that were in development before David Zaslav took over. Unlike the Wonder Twins, however, Batgirl was nearly complete and had been announced as receiving a theatrical release earlier this year. The decision to shelve a $90 million film as the studio takes a closer look at its budgets is sure to ignite a conversation among fans online. One can only hope Grace gets another chance to don the cowl sooner rather than later.

    Source: The Wrap.

  • ‘Batgirl’ Headed to Theaters in 2023

    ‘Batgirl’ Headed to Theaters in 2023

    A few years back, the previous studio heads over at Warner Brothers were interested in developing original films set within the DC Extended Universe for release exclusively on HBO Max, with the first of these being Batgirl and Blue Beetle. Since then, Blue Beetle has forgone its streaming release for a theatrical one. Earlier this year, Warner Brothers Discovery was debating giving Batgirl a theatrical release as well, citing David Zaslav’s distaste for releasing such big films on streaming.

    There has been radio silence on a potential release for the film, still currently set to release on HBO Max. However, it seems there may be a change incoming for the film. In an updated release schedule from Warner Bros UK, Batgirl is now listed under “2023 Theatrical Release.”

    Now this isn’t doesn’t mean the same for the United States and elsewhere as of right now for one specific reason. HBO Max currently is not available to the United Kingdom, meaning a theatrical release would be one of the only ways fans would be able to see it there.

    The studio has the perfect opportunity to cash in on a theatrical release if they were to hold on the film until late next year. Batgirl could thrive in late 2023 release, sometime around November and December, considering the film is set during Christmas and that Warner Brothers currently has no DC films set for release following Blue Beetle’s release next August.

    SOURCE: Twitter

  • DC’s HBO Max Future Uncertain, ‘Batgirl’ Likely Heading to Theatrical Release

    DC’s HBO Max Future Uncertain, ‘Batgirl’ Likely Heading to Theatrical Release

    The Wonder Twins have met an early demise as the new leadership at Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to shake things up and set the DC Extended Universe on a clearer path. It seems the twins may have just been the first of many causalities going by a recent statement.

    The new leadership, led by David Zaslav, is reportedly placing a mandate that states all DC films should be set as theatrical releases as their first goal. This decision stems from the budgets many of these films have with Zaslav using Wonder Twins‘ $75 million as an example. They don’t see that kind of investment viable with a good return with a release on HBO Max. This would mean that a film like Batgirl, which is still set to release on HBO Max could instead see a shift from the streamer to a wide theatrical release.

    The Hollywood Reporter also states that sources have told them that a lot of things that are being developed by Warner Bros. are likely going to be scrapped and never see the light of day. It seems the Green Lantern series may be in danger as it’s hit multiple delays in production and could exceed the budget granted to projects on the streamer. The bright side could see the film finally get some steam behind it and the long-awaited return of a character like Hal Jordan could become a possibility.

    It may be a while before we know exactly what is happening with the DC Extended Universe and many of the other projects in development. While things may seem uncertain it could lead to a much smoother March forward for the franchise.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Considering a Theatrical Release for ‘Batgirl’ After All

    Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Considering a Theatrical Release for ‘Batgirl’ After All

    The DC Extended Universe is in a bit of a workshop period, as the shared universe is reportedly getting an overhaul in the near future. It’s certainly a fitting timing given that The Flash will reportedly set the DCEU on a new path and see a new timeline with Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne now replacing Ben Affleck‘s version in this new universe. Along with Keaton comes a new Batgirl, one that many fans are excited to see. New reports may hint that we could possibly catch the film on the big screen after all.

    Puck is reporting that Warner Brothers Discovery is debating whether or not Batgirl should go theatrical. The film is currently set to be an HBO Max exclusive film as the company looks to strengthen its streaming content. The recent success of The Batman looks to be influencing this decision as it dominates on HBO Max after pulling in over $750 million in total at the box office.

    This would not be a decision that’s out of the ordinary as Warner Brothers made a similar move last summer with another DC film. Originally announced as an HBO Max exclusive film, Angel Manuel Soto‘s Blue Beetle is set to hit theaters in August of 2023. It was an exciting announcement as it also moves away from relegating smaller projects to streaming-only releases.

    This would definitely be a decision that would delight a lot of fans similar to what happened to Blue Beetle. The film has the star power to carry a theatrical release and draw the crowds with Leslie Grace, Keaton, and the possible big-screen return of Brendan Fraser. The film could make for the perfect Holiday 2023 release as it is set during Christmas and Warner Brothers Discovery currently has no DC films dated following the release of Blue Beetle in august.

    Source: Puck News

  • Leslie Grace Shares Her Excitement Working With Brendan Fraser on ‘Batgirl’ Set

    Leslie Grace Shares Her Excitement Working With Brendan Fraser on ‘Batgirl’ Set

    Brendan Fraser has found himself a home within the DC Universe. The beloved actor made his big return a few years back as Cliff Steele, better known as Robotman, in Doom Patrol, lending his voice to the character and sometimes appearing as the race car driver. Fraser is set to appear in yet another corner of the DC Multiverse, playing Firefly in the DC Extended Universe and we couldn’t be more than thrilled.

    In an interview with Variety, Batgirl star Leslie Grace talked about getting to work with Fraser and just how crazy his role as Firefly is.

    I had to summon up some things in me that I didn’t even know were there. It was an incredible learning experience to be on set with also action veterans like Brendan Fraser, and soak up it all up. It was so hard because he’s our villain and I’m not supposed to like but he’s such a huge teddy bear. He is one of the nicest people that I’ve ever met. In our fight sequences the way he would just hit marks, it came from all of his experience. You can’t improvise that kind of experience. There’s some crazy stuff that happens. There’s lots of fire because as everyone knows by now, he plays Firefly. There’s crazy fire. There’s crazy stunts, crazy drops. She’s a biker chick, so you’re going to see her do a bunch of badassery.

    Leslie Grace

    It’ll be interesting to see if Firefly is alone, as he mostly plays the role of a silent enforcer to Killer Moth in Batgirl: Year One, the story by which the film seems to be heavily inspired. We can’t wait to see what kind of chaos Fraser causes as Firefly in Batgirl, but it’s mostly just exciting to see the actor back doing what he loves.

    Source: Variety