The makers of “Batgirl” said Wednesday they were “stunned” by their studio’s decision not to release the near-complete, $90 million superhero film.
Warner Bros. Discovery has chosen to shelve the feature film, already shot, which will not be released in theaters or on the HBO Max streaming platform, where it was to be available in the United States.
Adaptation of the adventures of the DC Comics character, the film starred Leslie Grace in the leading role, alongside Michael Keaton, who once again donned the mythical Batman costume.
“We are saddened and stunned by the news. We still can’t believe it,” Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah said on Instagram.
“As directors, it is essential that our work be shown to the public, and even if the film was far from finished, we would have liked for admirers around the world to be able to see and understand it,” added the authors. two Belgians.
Much of the post-production work – where, for example, special effects are added – was already done.
In their message, the directors, who notably signed “Bad Boys for Life”, paid tribute to the “fantastic actors” on the poster of the film.
“Anyway, as big fans of Batman since our childhood, it was a privilege and an honor to be a part of (the DC Cinematic Universe), even for a short time. Batgirl forever,” they concluded.
The studio’s decision stunned Hollywood, where film industry insiders assured that such a cancellation was unprecedented for a work almost finished – and having cost so much money.
“Batgirl” seems to have been the collateral victim of a change in strategy after the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery.
Warner Bros had planned to produce films intended to be released directly on the HBO Max platform.
But this choice, justified in part by the need to bypass cinemas in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, was not unanimous, and the studios seem to have backtracked after their merger with Discovery.
“Batgirl” would have been considered too expensive for a streaming sector which is tightening its belt, but not spectacular enough for the big screen, condemning it to be stored, according to specialists in the field quoted by Variety magazine.