Actor Leslie Grace has shared a new video featuring a compilation of various behind-the-scenes moments from the now canceled Batgirl movie on Tiktok. The actor can be seen throwing punches, hanging from a harness, sitting in a makeup chair, and generally having fun on the set. Though the video surely makes you wonder about all the action sequences that we’ll never get to see fully realized.
In August, Warner Bros Discovery canceled the straight to HBO Max feature for tax purposes. Made by Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi on a budget of $90 million the movie was near completion in the post-production stage. The controversial decision not only took the talents involved in the movie by surprise but also met with fans’ disapproval who rallied for the movie to be released. The decision comes after Warner Bros merged with Discovery earlier this year as new CEO David Zaslav decided to make some sweeping changes in the production of scripted content. His reasoning stood that the studio was not going to put a movie out unless “we believe in it.” Furthermore, the streaming service HBO Max is to be merged with Discovery+, a reality TV-focused platform, in near future.
Reportedly, the president of DC Films, Walter Hamada was pushed to seek counsel and was on the brink of leaving however, he has decided to stay back till the release of Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming Black Adam. Ever since the new regime came into effect many fan-favorite features were axed however, DC fans and cast members alike did not take too well to the decision. Cast members like Brendan Fraser and Michael Keaton have come forward in recent times to show their disappointment towards the cancelation. Along with featuring Grace as the first Afro-Latina Batgirl (a.k.a Barbara Gordon), the movie would have seen Fraser as villain Firefly and would have marked Keaton’s return to Batman’s cape and cowl. With a female lead, not only would Batgirl have been a huge step in an inclusive direction for superhero films, but it also promised to put marginalized voices on display with its diverse casting.
WBD’s unprecedented decision not only took fans, cast and crew by surprise but also garnered various responses from the industry itself, many of them now rethinking the movie-making business as well as talent relations. Meanwhile, the studio is now upholding features like Johnson’s Black Adam, Ezra Miller‘sThe Flash, Zachary Levi’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods and the James Wan-directed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom starring Jason Momoa.
You can take a look at the behind-the-scenes video below: