Discovery Channel execs putting the clamp down -- this film is finished but must suck beyond all comprehension. Sounds like they don't want it at all -- does that mean it'll never be shown, ever, or do they have designs on selling to a 3rd party (Netflix or Amazon). Their reasoning that it doesn't "fall in line with their strategy" must be a joke, the movie must be flat out horrific.
Even though Batgirl is in the final stages of post-production, Deadline has confirmed that Warner Bros. and DC Films will not be releasing the movie on any platform, including theatrically.
This falls in line with the mandate put down by the new WB regime to cut back on the feature films premiering on the streamer and deciding which films will be released theatrically and which will be shelved, and sources close to the project say word came down this week that Batgirl did not make the cut.
Warner Bros. had no comment.
The film stars Leslie Grace in the titular role, Brendan Frasier and Michael Keaton reprising his Bruce Wayne part and was expected to bow sometime in 2023. As for the exact reason behind the shelving, sources say the film did not fall in line with the new strategy being implemented by DC Films as well as HBO Max. The studio is looking to make theatrical tentpoles with budgets at $90 million-plus, and from early footage seen this did not fall into place with that model. (Batgirl was greenlighted at $70 million budget.)
The decision follows seven recent changes across company including major changes to HBO Max with more expected with the upcoming earnings call later this week. The New York Post first reported the news.
Warner Bros. Discovery will not release “Batgirl,” either theatrically or on HBO MAX, TheWrap has learned. The $90 million project is effectively dead.
Made under a previous regime, “Batgirl” was initially designed to be an HBO Max release, and then was being considered for theatrical distribution. Due to COVID issues and shutdowns, the budget ballooned to $90 million.
The movie stars “In the Heights” breakout star Leslie Grace in the title role of Barbara Gordon.
The leaders of the studio determined ultimately, in spite of reshoots and increased budget, that the movie simply did not work, according to insiders. The new owners and management, led by CEO David Zaslav, are committed to making DC titles big theatrical event films, and “Batgirl” isn’t that.
I was trying to figure out Michael Keaton's comment the other day that he's never made it through or wanted to make it through a superhero movie since Burton's films. Has no interest in them. Timing felt odd but maybe he knew what was coming with this thing.
The death of “Batgirl” on Tuesday sent immediate shockwaves through Hollywood. The film — with a $75 million budget that grew to $90 million due to COVID-related overages — had finished shooting months ago and was in test screenings as directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (“Bad Boys for Life,” “Ms. Marvel”) worked through the post-production process. Star Leslie Grace (“In the Heights”) had given multiple interviews expressing her enthusiasm for landing the title role and working with co-stars Michael Keaton (as Batman), J.K. Simmons (as her character’s father, Commissioner Gordon) and Brendan Fraser (as the villain, Firefly).
In other words, the movie was nearly finished, and already building awareness among fans. Why would Warner Bros. Discovery throw all that away?
According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the most likely reason: taxes.
Several sources note that “Batgirl” was made under a different regime at Warner Bros., headed by Jason Kilar and Ann Sarnoff, that was singularly focused on building its streaming service, HBO Max. That effort included Kilar’s infamous decision to release the studio’s entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on the streamer, which helped build the subscriber base but also jeopardized the studio’s reputation with top-tier talent (though many agents and stars privately came to appreciate the move when the company paid generous bonuses as a make-nice).
Even before David Zaslav took the reins of the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery as CEO this spring, the exec went on a well-publicized listening tour designed to repair the company’s relationship with the creative community. As part of that effort, Zaslav has made no secret of reversing Kilar’s strategy and committing to releasing first-run feature films in theaters before putting them on HBO Max.
“Batgirl” found itself on the bad end of that decision, apparently neither big enough to feel worthy of a major theatrical release nor small enough to make economic sense in an increasingly cutthroat streaming landscape. Spending the money to expand the scope of “Batgirl” for theaters — plus the $30 million to $50 million needed to market it domestically and the tens of millions more needed for a global rollout — could have nearly doubled spending on the film, and insiders say that was a non-starter at a company newly focused on belt-tightening and the bottom line. (Spokespeople for Warner Bros. and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment for this story.)
Releasing the movie on HBO Max would seem to be the most obvious solution. Instead, the company has shelved “Batgirl” — along with the “Scoob!” sequel — and several sources say it will almost certainly take a tax write-down on both films, seen internally as the most financially sound way to recoup the costs (at least, on an accountant’s ledger). It could justify that by chalking it up to a post-merger change of strategy.
Doing so, however, would mean that Warner Bros. cannot monetize either movie — no HBO Max debut, no sale to another studio. What the decision will cost the studio in creative capital, meanwhile, remains to be seen.
Fun rumor mongering -- reports abound that Discovery is done playing woke now that they own WB (they've already managed to get CNN off its left-wing advocacy and back towards "news"). A few of these "woke super hero" movies may still happen because they're too far into the pipeline but everyone seems to confirm the "new WB" is not going to be run like the Disney Corporation.
Also -- rumor below has it that the plan WAS for the upcoming DC movies to:
-Kill Superman off-screen and have him replaced with Supergirl
-Kill Michael Keaton's Batman and have him replaced with, well, Batgirl
The Discovery honchos allegedly balked at this, saying that their new plan or whatever is why this movie will never come out. Their concept instead is to go big with classic DC characters -- Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. -- over the next 10 years and take advantage of the fact that Marvel, after BLACK PANTHER 2 comes out, is going to be playing to diminishing returns for the forseeable future. Outside of the 3rd version of the X-MEN they've got minor league heroes and reboots of classic characters (i.e. Black Captain America) on the horizon.
DC has the opportunity to gain major traction going forward and dumping a shitty movie like BATGIRL and its intended franchise launches (for DC movies now NOT happening I'd imagine) seems to be a wise move. Hopefully this breaks down.
