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Warner Bros rejects 'Batgirl' film after spending nearly $100M just months before release

It's reportedly now among the most pricey rejected film projects ever
Leslie Grace
Posted at 7:59 PM, Aug 03, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-04 10:39:28-04

DC Comics fans won't be able to see "Batgirl" after Warner Bros decided to "shelve" the movie just months before a late 2022 release in theaters and on streaming service HBO Max.

The film cost the studio a hefty price tag, which was somewhere between $70 million and $100 million to produce, according to multiple reports, including one from the New York Post, which cited a "top Hollywood source."

According to the Associated Press, who spoke to "a person connected with the film" who was not authorized to speak publicly, the reception from test audiences and the studio was so bad that it was decided the film did not merit a theatrical release, or a streaming debut.

The film featured some Hollywood heavyweights, including one of the original "Batman" film actors, Michael Keaton, who joined Brendan Fraser and J.K. Simmons for the project.

Actor Leslie Grace, centre, on what is believed to be the film set of the new Batgirl movie, in Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Instead of a big release to awaiting fans, the film now joins the ranks of some of the most expensive movie projects never seen by audiences.

The film, which was filmed entirely in Scotland, as theBBC reported, was said to have fallen victim to "leadership's strategic shift" at Warner Bros.

While the movie project wasn't a success, local officials in Glasgow reported that the production brought a spike in economic benefits to the city, according to the local city council.

The film was based on the DC Comics character Barbara Gordon, known as "Batgirl," while Michael Keaton played Batman, and Brendan Fraser was cast as the villain "Firefly." JK Simmons played Commissioner James Gordon.

In a statement released by a spokesperson for Warner Bros, producers said, "Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance."

Warner Bros also announced that it had canceled "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt" citing cost-cutting measures, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future," according to the statement reported on by the BBC.