Jake Coyle, The Associated Press Posted Wednesday, August 3, 2022 3:00 PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, August 3, 2022 4:21 PM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) – In a highly unusual move that rocked Hollywood, Warner Bros. scrapped the planned “Batgirl” movie for HBO Max, opting to shelve the $90 million film as the reorganized studio renews its focus on DC Comics movies and streaming.
Ultimately, the studio decided that the nearly completed “Batgirl” deserved neither a streaming debut nor a theatrical release. Warner Bros., on the other hand, has chosen to completely cancel the film starring Leslie Grace as Batgirl and co-starring in the film. Michael Keaton (returning as Batman), JK Simmons and Brendan Fraser, directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, production wrapped in April.
Warner Bros.’ The decision, without any obvious parallel in recent Hollywood history, sent shock waves through the industry. When a movie doesn’t live up to a studio’s expectations, it’s usually quietly sold or dumped with little fanfare. “Batgirl,” greenlit before WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery Inc., simply won’t see the light of day.
“The decision not to release Batgirl reflects the strategic shift in our leadership regarding the DC universe and HBO Max,” a Warner Bros. spokesperson said. in a statement, adding that Grace is “an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of his performance.”
The filmmakers learned of the studio’s decision shortly before the story broke Tuesday afternoon. An early cut of “Batgirl” had recently undergone a screening test. And while its ratings weren’t great, poor test results haven’t been uncommon for Warner Bros. releases.’ DC nor the post-production drama. Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” was cut and reshot by Joss Whedon before a fan campaign led to HBO Max’s eventual release of a Snyder edit. 2016’s poorly received ‘Suicide Squad’ was followed by James Gunn’s 2021 relaunch with a similar title ‘The Suicide Squad’.
“We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it,” El Arbi and Fallah said in a statement on Wednesday. “As directors, it is essential that our work is shown to the public, and although the film was far from finished, we would like fans around the world to have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day insha’Allah (God willing).”
The directors signed their statement, posted on Instagram, “Batgirl For Life.”
Under the new chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, Warner Bros. is changing its strategy on film releases and cutting costs. Under previous CEO Jason Kilar and partly in response to a pandemic, the studio implemented day-and-date releases in 2021, releasing films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Other movies, like “Batgirl,” were produced exclusively for HBO Max.
This year, Warner Bros. has returned to exclusive theaters for at least 45 days before sending movies to HBO Max. While “Batgirl” isn’t as expensive as many superhero movies, which typically cost between $150 million and $200 million, it’s a bigger budget film for an HBO Max title. Zaslav has maintained that bigger budget films do better with a theatrical release. But marketing a movie like “Batgirl” for that kind of release would require tens of millions more. Warner Bros. Discovery will report second-quarter earnings on Thursday.
Warner Bros. also dropped “Scoob!: Holiday Haunt,” a nearly completed sequel to “Scoob!” of 2020. Producer and writer Tony Cervone confirmed in an Instagram post that “the movie is almost done and it turned out great. I’m beyond heartbroken.”
The cancellation of “Batgirl” comes as Warner Bros. is trying to revamp its DC Films operations. While “The Batman” earlier this year performed well with $770.8 million in ticket sales, Warners’ DC releases have been spotty and plagued by controversy. “The Flash”, which will be released next June, stars Ezra Miller, who has been arrested twice this year in Hawaii, in a case of disorderly conduct and on suspicion of assault.
Warner Bros. hopes to reorganize and reset its DC pipeline, going bigger, not smaller with rival Marvel. The more modestly scaled, streaming-only “Batgirl” didn’t fit those plans.