Why Warner Bros Canceled ‘Batgirl’ Despite Completing Movie

KEY POINTS

Warner Bros. scrapped “Batgirl” ahead of its HBO Max release
The film reportedly had a working budget of $80 million
The company would like to refocus on creating theatrical projects

In a surprising turn of events, Warner Bros. has decided to cancel the release of “Batgirl,” even though the project already completed filming.

The DC film was supposed to release on HBO Max later this year, but the film production company opted to scrap it despite allotting nearly $90 million for its completion, The Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday.

The DC feature originally had a working budget of $80 million. However, COVID-19 protocols added a significant burden to production costs and pushed the budget to nearly $90 million.

Though it is a hefty sum, the amount is still significantly lower than DC theatrical releases. Hence, it was not expected to have the spectacle of the major releases from the studio. This could also be the reason why it was only releasing on the streaming service and not in cinemas.

A top Hollywood source told New York Post that test screenings for audiences ahead of its release were being done before the cancellation. However, the tests were so poorly received that the studio allegedly decided to cut its losses and run for the sake of DC’s future.

“They think an unspeakable ‘Batgirl’ is going to be irredeemable,” the unnamed source told the news outlet this week.

Filming for “Batgirl” took place in Glasgow, Scotland, from November 2021 to March 2022. It was already in post-production when the studio decided to cancel it. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. did not comment when reached by The Wrap.

The unusual move to cancel the film’s release comes after a change in leadership at the production company. New Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav voiced his plan to prioritize cost-cutting measures and refocus the company on creating theatrical projects instead of outputs for streaming.

Former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar previously prioritized content for the streaming service amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s “Batgirl” was greenlit in 2021 as part of that effort, according to Variety.

“Batgirl” stars “In the Heights” breakout star Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon or Batgirl. Other cast members included Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser.