Audience testing for the abruptly canceled Batgirl reportedly compared the Warner Bros. film to "a bad episode of TV."
According to Rolling Stone, viewers participating in the July 14 test screening "embraced" star Leslie Grace. The Hollywood Reporter adds Batgirl was characterized as "a low-stakes superhero origin story with style and strong performances," in the vein of Birds of Prey, penned by the same screenwriter, Christina Hodson. However, other elements of the film received stinging feedback.
Budgeted at somewhere between $70 million to $90 million (depending upon the source), Batgirl was originally set for release on HBO Max. But then Warner Bros. Discovery executives pulled the plug, in what's been described as an "unprecedented" move.
The official company line, that the decision represents a "strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," appears to be supported by the simultaneous shelving of Scoob! Holiday Haunt, and reported massive cuts at the streaming service, in terms of both content and staff. Rolling Stone adds to that a new mandate by the leadership of Warner Bros. Discovery, the result of the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc., that "DC films should be released theatrically or not at all."
What Batgirl's Fate Means for Supergirl & Blue Beetle
The outlet contends that, to having any hope of making Batgirl worthy of theatrical release -- of the quality of, say, the $125 million Shazam! Fury of the Gods -- the studio might have to spend another $7 million to $9 million in post-production, not counting reshoots. However, worries that no amount of money could boost Batgirl to that level ultimately won the day.
Company insiders say those new marching orders likely mean the planned Supergirl movie, starring Sasha Calle, is dead in the water. The fate of Blue Beetle, which recently wrapped principal photography, is unknown.
What makes Batgirl's sudden cancellation all the more surprising is the involvement of Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne, J.K. Simmons as Commissioner James Gordon, and Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly. Keaton, of course, reprised his role from Batman and Batman Returns, and formed a connection between Batgirl and Warner Bros.' delayed The Flash feature. Simmons previously played Gordon in 2017's Justice League and the HBO Max-released Snyder Cut.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah said they are "saddened and shocked by the news" of Batgirl's cancellation. "As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences," they wrote in an Instagram post, "and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves."
Source: Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter