Leslie Grace as Batgirl.Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures/Instagram
The in-the-worksBatgirlfilm will no longer be released.
The film initially received a $75 million production budget but became a $90 million project, partially due to COVID-related delays,Varietyreported. According to the outlet, the film had finished principal photography earlier this year and was already in post-production.
Leslie Grace, who starred inIn The Heights, played the title role of Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) withBad Boys for LifedirectorsAdil El Arbi and Bilall Fallahbehind the camera. Michael Keaton was also set to appear inthe film as Bruce Wayne(aka Batman) alongside J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon and Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly.
For more on Warner Bros., listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
Batgirlis not the only nearly complete film the studio canceled. A sequel to the 2020 filmScoob!,Scoob!: Holiday Haunthas also been axed despite costing the studio a reported $40 million. Writer/producer Tony Cervonesaid on Instagram, “Yes I am afraid this is true. The movie is practically finished and turned out beautifully. I am beyond heartbroken.”
ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
In a statement toThe Wrap, a Warner Bros. Pictures spokesperson said, “The decision to not releaseBatgirlreflects 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.”
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
VarietysaidBatgirlwas intended to be a part of a company-wide incentive at Warner Bros. to create feature films for HBO Max. Though, new leadership at Warner Bros. Discovery presumably led to a shift in priorities.
source: people.com
