'Irredeemable' Batgirl movie's unexpected cancellation prompts divided responses from fans

DC Comics film, Batgirl starring actor Leslie Grace, Michael Keaton, and Brendan Fraser will not be released at all, Warner  Bros has announced. Being directed by Ms. Marvel's Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Batgirl was set to trace the journey of Barbara Gordon to become the iconic Dc heroine.

The film was earlier slated to release at the end of this year, and its estimated production cost was 70 million dollars (£57.6 million). The project had been in post-production since the conclusion of the principal photography on March 31. 

However, Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max have gone ahead and scrapped Batgirl, a decision that has shocked eagerly-awaiting fans. There is no update on whether the project will release in theatres or online ever. 

As per the Hollywood Reporter, one of the major reasons for the decision was the film going over budget, amid shooting during the COVID-19 pandemic, to $90m (£74.1m). Though the budget was less than the average DC superhero film, the makers reportedly came to the conclusion that it did not create the 'spectacle' as expected from a DC film, and a release would not make up for its losses. 

A New York Post report claimed that the costs had even crossed the $100m-mark and that the film received poor response in the early test screenings. A source told the publication, “They think an unspeakable Batgirl is going to be irredeemable". The makers reportedly felt that it did not live up to the scale associated with a DC project.

Surprise cancellation of Batgirl sparks divided response on the internet 

The unexpected cancellation of the HBO Max movie has left the internet divided.

People have come up with strong reactions to the cancellation of the film. Many were disappointed and said Leslie Grace 'deserves better'. Some were in favor of the DC movie being axed if it was not going to live up to the benchmark set by DC. One netizen expressed displeasure about the production and urged DC to hand it over to another studio. Check out some of the reactions about the shelving of Batgirl below: