The Batgirl movie has been shelved with a string of sources citing poor audience reactions to test screenings for a production that featured DC’s first trans character.
Leslie Grace starred as the superhero alongside Michael Keaton reprising his role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in the Warner Bros. project.
The film marked DC’s first attempt at a transgender character with actor Ivory Aquino playing Batgirl’s best friend, Alysia Yeoh, as Breitbart News reported.
Aquino is best known for the activist LGBTQ series When We Rise, and portraying trans rights activist Cecilia Chung, according to Deadline.
The New York Post was the first to report the news late Tuesday night.
Reportedly budgeted at more than $70m, the movie was due to be shown in cinemas and on the streaming service HBO Max later this year.
It’s been claimed the film was considered “irredemable” in the eyes of studio bosses, the Independent reports.
The news comes as a surprise to fans considering Batgirl had completed production and a series of reshoots, UPI reports, however it could not escape the simple fact that test audiences thought it was awful.
The film was based on the DC Comics character Barbara Gordon – or Batgirl – played by Leslie Grace.
Batgirl is the alter ego of Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon. Alicia Silverstone played her in 1997’s Batman & Robin.
Warner Bros also confirmed that Scoob! Holiday Haunt would be scrapped.
A spokesperson for the firm told the BBC: “The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max.
“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.”
The rushed series of cancelations follows a change in leadership after Warner Bros merged with Discovery in May 2021, with David Zaslav its new CEO.