Batgirl star Michael Keaton recently broke his silence regarding the HBO Max exclusive's abrupt cancelation.
Keaton, who was set to reprise the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, confirmed he wasn't entirely sure why Warner Bros. chose to axe the film during a backstage interview with Variety at the Emmy Awards. "I think it was a business decision," he said. "I'm going to assume it was a good one. I really don’t know." Keaton previously portrayed the Dark Knight and his billionaire playboy alter-ego in 1989's Batman and its 1992 follow-up Batman Returns, both of which were directed by Tim Burton. The award-winning actor opted not to return for subsequent sequels Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997), with Val Kilmer and George Clooney taking over the role, respectively.
Keaton donning Batman's cape and cowl again was a key selling point of Batgirl prior to Warner Bros.'s decision to scrap the project, and it was set to include several nods to Keaton's previous Bat-outings. Notably, composer Natalie Holt recently revealed the movie's score would've incorporated Danny Elfman's iconic Batman theme tune, a creative decision Elfman himself apparently approved of. Holt added that weaving this musical motif into Batgirl's soundtrack was intended to help tie it to the continuity already established in the Burton films.
How Batgirl's Co-Director Tried to Save the Canceled Film
Exactly how connected Batgirl would've been with Keaton's earlier Batman adventures seems destined to remain a mystery, though, as Warner Bros. apparently has no desire for the DC Extended Universe blockbuster to see the light of day. Co-director Bilall Fallah's recent account of his failed attempt to save the movie appears to back this up, as the studio had pulled all the Batgirl footage from its servers before he could capture it on his phone. "I went on the server... Everything was gone. [Co-director Adil El Arbi and I] were [like]... 'Fucking shit!'... We did not [even] keep [the scenes] with Batman in [them]," Fallah said.
Despite Batgirl's cancelation, Keaton's Batman is still expected to make a comeback in the near future, courtesy of upcoming DCEU installment The Flash. That film's chances of being released were also called into question following star Ezra Miller's recent legal troubles, however, Warner Bros. is apparently pushing ahead with the production now that Miller has promised to seek help. The studio continues to hold test screenings of The Flash, and audience feedback to the movie is reportedly very positive.
The Flash is slated to premiere in theaters on June 23, 2023.
Source: Variety