Warner Bros. Discovery Just Pulled the Plug on the 'Batgirl' Movie

Any fan of DC Comics knows that the Batgirl movie was highly anticipated. How could it not be? After all, one of the most popular comic characters, red-haired librarian Barbara Gordon, was finally getting her own flick. And the lovely Leslie Grace (In the Heights) had been tapped to play her! What could go wrong?

Well, apparently a lot. You know the saying, "Things don't always go as planned?" Keep that in mind as we share the latest news regarding the Batgirl, which was slated to be released in theaters in addition to HBO Max in 2022.

On Aug. 2, 2022, Variety broke the tragic news. The plug had been pulled on the in-the-works DC Comics movie. Batgirl will not be released in theaters or on any streaming platform.

Insiders told the outlet that Batgirl wasn't cut because of quality or the filmmakers' commitment, but rather "by the desire for the studio’s slate of DC features to be at a blockbuster scale."

Initially, the film was given a $75 million production budget, but due to COVID-related delays, it became a $90 million project. Sadly, they found this out way too late in the process as the film had already finished its principal photography and was currently in post-production.

The movie was set to be directed by legends Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah of Bad Boys for Life fame. Furthermore, Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey, The Flash) contributed the script.

Not to mention, that the star-studded cast included Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl), Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne (aka Batman), J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, and Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly.

In a previous interview with Entertainment Tonight, Leslie gushed about how excited she was to step into Batgirl's yellow heels. "I'm just excited to prove some new things to myself, try new things, and shatter any limitations that I might have in my own brain," she said. "I feel so blessed to be able to do the things that I do every day — that are really my passions — and also be able to do it with people that are just excellent."

Back in January 2022, she shared the first official photo of herself in the Batgirl suit on Instagram — and fans were here for it. The design of her costume was based on the Batgirl of Burnside comic book arc.

In a statement to The Wrap, a Warner Bros. Pictures spokesperson said, "The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max. Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance."

Furthermore, along with Batgirl, Warner Bros. Discovery also decided to nix the sequel to the 2020 film, Scoob!, Scoob!: Holiday Haunt due to its costs. Writer and producer of the title Tony Cervone shared the news on Instagram, "Yes I am afraid this is true. The movie is practically finished and turned out beautifully. I am beyond heartbroken."