Two upcoming movies have been scrapped by Warner Bros. Discovery, despite being deep into production.
The live-action DC Comics movie Batgirl and animated sequel Scoob! Holiday Haunt has both been canceled by the film studio.
Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah released a statement on Instagram saying, “We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha’Allah.”
“Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life,” the directors added. “We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.”
“In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl For Life,” they added.
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The Wrap reports that the $90 million project was scrapped due to “leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max.”
Made under a previous regime, #Batgirl was initially designed to be an HBO Max release, and then was being considered for theatrical distribution. Due to COVID issues and shutdowns, the budget ballooned to $90 million. https://t.co/lFjn4cUvlE pic.twitter.com/CRo6mIomHi
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) August 3, 2022