Brendan Fraser has been trending on social media since the untimely demise of HBO Max’s Batgirl.
Fans flocked to Twitter to show their support for Fraser by demanding that Warner Bros. reverse its decision to shelve the film. The actor was slated to appear as a new take on Firefly, serving as Batgirl's core antagonist. After avoiding the spotlight for nearly a decade, Fraser began experiencing a career resurgence in late 2021, resulting in him being cast in more high-profile productions. Many fans are concerned that the abrupt cancellation of Batgirl will stall Fraser's return.
Fraser was set to bring a new incarnation of Firefly to Batgirl. The character, named Ted Carson, was described by the actor as "a veteran who lost his benefits, so he wants to burn Gotham down." In July 2021, a Batgirl casting report billed the character as "a disgruntled former firefighter." Fraser was cast in the role in October 2021, a few months before a set video leaked online showing the actor in costume. The character made his debut in Detective Comics #184 in June 1952 as Garfield Lynns, a thief who used lighting effects to commit a series of robberies. A later version of the character imagined Lynns as a pyromaniac obsessed with starting fires.
The actor rose to prominence in the late '90s and early 2000s thanks to The Mummy franchise and films like George of the Jungle and Looney Tunes: Back In Action. Beyond Batgirl, Fraser will appear in Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon and Darren Aronofsky's The Whale alongside Stranger Things' Sadie Sink, which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September. The actor also plays Cliff Steele/Robotman in Doom Patrol, which was renewed for a fourth season in October 2021. His performance in the series has largely been praised by both fans and critics alike.
Some fans want to overturn Batgirl's cancellation in part due to Fraser's involvement in the project. Initial reports claimed the film was scrapped in response to poor test screenings while others suggested the studio made the move as a tax write-off. Warner Bros.' official statement says the decision was made as part of a "strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max."
Fraser has yet to comment on the news of Batgirl's termination.
Source: Twitter