Batgirl star Brendan Fraser commented on Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to cancel Batgirl and praised the film's star, Leslie Grace.
In an interview with Variety at the Toronto International Film Festival, Fraser opened up about his thoughts on Batgirl's sudden cancellation. Fraser was set to play the film's villain, Firefly, alongside Grace as the titular Batgirl. "The fans really wanted to see this film made," he said. "Leslie Grace is a dynamo. She's like a power Q-tip. She just goes for it!"
This is not the first time Fraser has praised his co-star's performance. Grace was set to play Barbara Gordon, daughter of Batman's ally Commissioner James Gordon (JK Simmons) who decides to become a vigilante herself. Though the film was almost completed, it will not be released anywhere. "Leslie Grace is her namesake. She’s dynamic," Fraser said in August after Batgirl was shelved. "She gave a great performance. She’s a stone-cold professional. You’re going to see more from her. And I’m looking forward to it."
In the same TIFF interview, Fraser also joked about Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels as well as the rumors that Batgirl may have been axed for a tax write-off. "Well stop talking about it!" Fraser said. "Because Gunnar Wiedenfels does not want people thinking about this!" He then went on to discuss the circumstances of Batgirl's cancellation. "The movie itself was shot and conceived for a smaller screen," he said, referencing the fact that the film was meant to be an HBO Max exclusive. "In this age that we've come out of, between streaming services versus theatrical release, it wound up being the canary in the coal mine."
Batgirl was the first among many HBO Max projects that were canceled entirely, including the upcoming sequel Scoob: Holiday Haunt, which was also almost completed. Batgirl's cancelation was announced in August and, at the time, it was estimated the film had cost $70 and $100 million. Warner Bros. Discovery later released a statement explaining its reason behind the cancellation of both Batgirl and the Scoob sequel.
"The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," the statement read. "Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. 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."
Source: Variety