It’s been reported that Batgirl movie featuring Leslie Grace in the title role of Barbara Gordon, has been shelved even after the movie was almost completed. The DC film was initially designed to be an exclusive for HBO Max with a smaller budget, and later was being considered for theatrical distribution. Due to pandemic issues and lockdowns, the budget went up to $90 million.
According to The Wrap, the film has been “shelved” by Warner Bros and it might never release in theaters or on HBO Max. Even though the news was shocking for the DC fans, the fan reaction towards it was divisive. Most of the fans believe that this is the sign of Snyderverse being restored. The news of Ben Affleck returning as Batman in the Aquaman sequel replacing Micheal Keaton really adds up with this fan theory.
Why Batgirl is shelved?
If the report from The Wrap is to be believed, the main reasons behind the cancellation of Batgirl came in the wake of test screenings for the film. Batgirl was received poorly by the audience. The new team of Warner Bros. thought the movie “did not work” despite “reshoots and increased budget”.
As per the report by the New York Post, the initial test screenings of the film received overwhelmingly poor responses from audiences. As a result the studio ultimately decided to shelve the movie. The new management, led by CEO David Zaslav is heavily focused on big screen films that are seen as “big theatrical event films,” and the studio doesn’t think of Batgirl as that kind of event.
IS THE SNYDERVERSE GETTING RESTORED?
Ben Affleck was originally set to appear as the Dark Knight in the upcoming Flash movie. It was assumed that The Flash would be Affleck’s final outing as the caped crusader, but now he is poised to return earlier with Lost Kingdom arriving on March 17, 2023. It’s been reported that Ben Affleck’s character is not a new cameo addition, but a replacement for Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne/Batman scenes in the movie. This definitely gives some positive hope that we may get the Snyderverse soon.
The return of former Walt Disney CCO Alan Horn to Warner Bros. Discovery is another ray of hope for the fans. Horn became President and COO of Warner Bros. in 1999, where he ran the studio in partnership with Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer for 12 years. He was one of the important executive at Warner Bros. during the Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Era. Several Snyder films like 300, Watchmen and Man of Steel were green lit by his team. Since he trusted Zack Snyder before, we can expect him to revive Snyderverse when he gets back in charge.
Alan Horn has joined Warner Bros Discovery as a senior advisor.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 28, 2022
(Source: https://t.co/fIsUcbekLP) pic.twitter.com/ZYcEkFI39h
ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE
Synopsis
Determined to ensure Superman’s ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
What is Snyder Cut?
Justice League, released by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2017, had a difficult production. Its script underwent major changes before and during production between 2016 and 2017. In May 2017, Snyder stepped down during post-production following the death of his daughter, and Joss Whedon was hired to finish the film, completing it as an uncredited director. Whedon oversaw reshoots and other changes that incorporated a brighter tone and more humor and reduced the runtime significantly in accordance with a mandate from Warner Bros. The theatrical version polarized critics and was a box office disappointment, leading Warner Bros. to focus on developing films around individual characters with less regard for consistency and continuity within the wider shared universe.
Many fans expressed interest in Snyder’s version of the film, which they and members of the cast and crew referred to as the “Snyder Cut”. Although industry insiders considered the release unlikely, Warner Bros. decided to move ahead in February 2020; in May, Snyder announced that it would be released as Zack Snyder’s Justice League via streaming service HBO Max. $70 million was spent to complete the visual effects, score, and editing, with new material being shot in October 2020. The release was originally planned as both a six-episode miniseries and a four-hour film, with the former being canceled in January 2021 in favor of releasing it as the latter. The film is dedicated to the memory of Snyder’s daughter, Autumn.
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