The cancellation of the ‘Batgirl‘ movie remains one of the most controversial decisions in Hollywood in recent years. Despite being deep into post-production and reportedly being finished by Warner Bros. Discovery opted to shelve the project.
This was a shock to many fans. Additionally, it also ignited a storm of conspiracies with people theorizing that the film was not released due to the studio’s strategic financial decisions.
‘Batgirl’ Crew Member Hopes The Film Gets Leaked In Future
When Warner Bros. Discovery announced the cancellation of ‘Batgirl’ in 2022, the film was essentially complete, including finalized visual effects. This revelation, confirmed by a crew member in response to a TikTok comment, reignited frustration among fans who had anticipated Barbara Gordon’s first solo cinematic outing.
Related: Why Did Warner Bros. Cancel The ‘Batgirl’ Movie?
“It’s insane that they scrapped it. It was literally completely finished VFX and everything,” she stated. “I definitely believe it still exists, though,” the crew member added, expressing hope that the movie might one day surface, even if only through a leak. However, the studio’s tax write-off strategy makes it unlikely that ‘Batgirl’ will ever officially see the light of day.
The film was meant to debut on HBO Max. Its shelving came as part of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s broader effort to cut costs and focus on projects deemed more financially viable. Unsurprisingly, the decision was met with widespread backlash. DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran later addressed the situation.
Moreover, he asserted that the film was “not releasable.” While acknowledging the talent involved in the project, Safran emphasized that releasing ‘Batgirl’ could have done more harm than good to the DC brand. “It would have hurt DC. It would have hurt those people involved,” he said, defending Zaslav’s choice as a necessary one.
WBD CEO David Zaslav Believes Cancelling ‘Batgirl’ And Other DCU Projects Was The Right Move
David Zaslav’s tenure at Warner Bros. Discovery has been marked by a series of cost-cutting measures. This included several other DCU projects which had already begun production. Additionally, these decisions often sparked heated debates about the direction of the entertainment landscape.
In case you missed it: Marvel’s Kevin Feige Reacts To DC’s ‘Batgirl’ Film Getting Shelved
Zaslav has stood firm, framing these cancellations as part of a broader strategy to improve the company’s financial health. “What content is going to help us win?” he asked during an investor call. “The content that wasn’t, we made a strategic decision on. It was difficult and it was painful. But I think it was the right decision for the company.“
For Zaslav, the prospect of spending an additional $30-$40 million to promote Batgirl and other scrapped projects outweighed the potential benefits. He described the move as requiring “real courage,” a sentiment that has not resonated with everyone. Critics argue that the decision undermines the hard work of the filmmakers and casts a shadow over the studio’s treatment of talent.
