Batgirl is staying in the shadows—for good.
Warner Bros. announced Aug. 2 that the Batgirl film starring Leslie Grace in the titular role has been scrapped. Filming was complete and the filmmakers had moved on to post-production ahead of the film's HBO Max release, but according to Variety, several sources indicated that the studio wasn't willing to increase the movie's already ballooning budget.
The film's shelving came as news to directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who reacted in a joint statement Aug. 3. "We are saddened and shocked by the news," they wrote. "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."
The pair continued, "It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, JK 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."
The directors noted that they have been "huge fans" of the comic book character, adding, "It was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment."
Warner Bros indicated that the shelving wasn't motivated by their thoughts on the film. "The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," a Warner Bros. spokesperson told E! News on Aug. 3. "Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance."
Leslie also weighed in later in the day. "Querida familia! On the heels of the recent news about our movie ‘Batgirl,' I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland," the star said on Instagram. "I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! To every Batgirl fan – THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, ‘my own damn hero!' Batgirl for life!"
Leslie also posted a video of someone singing to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off." She captioned it, "Vibes."
This new movie would've seen Keaton, who played Batman in the late '80s and early '90s, don the cape again, with Simmons reprising his DCEU role as Commissioner Jim Gordon, Batgirl's dad. Fraser was set as Batgirl's nemesis Firefly.
Fans are still holding out hope that they will see Keaton as Batman in The Flash, starring Ezra Miller. This new adaptation is scheduled for a summer 2023 release, despite Miller's April arrest for second-degree assault.
In other comic news, Todd Phillips' sequel Joker: Folie a Deux is reportedly scheduled for a fall 2024 release. So, it's not all bad.
This post was updated on Aug. 3, 2022, at 7:40 p.m. PT with Leslie Grace's comments.