BATGIRL Directors Put A Positive Spin On Movie's Cancellation; Would "Love To" Work On Another DC Project

BATGIRL Directors Put A Positive Spin On Movie's Cancellation; Would "Love To" Work On Another DC Project

Months after Warner Bros. Discovery made the controversial decision to scrap Batgirl, co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have looked back on the cancellation in a more positive light...

By MarkCassidy - Dec 05, 2022 08:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Batgirl

Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav's decision to shelve the HBO Max Batgirl movie when it was already so deep into post-production came as a massive surprise to everyone, including co-directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi.

Though the filmmakers were understandably very upset with this development after already putting so much work into the project, Arbi appears to have moved on and is now putting a more positive spin on the movie's cancellation.

"This is something that never happened before," he said during an interview with THR. "So we've kind of become part of movie history without even trying!"

The studio did hold a "secret screening" of Batgirl for cast and crew, but the directors were unable to attend. Apparently, the version that was shown wasn't actually their latest edit, but a cut "somewhere in the middle."

“We still needed additional photography, there were a lot of scenes missing and the VFX was not there,” Arbi revealed. “I don’t know if [Warner Bros.] are really gonna go for that, but we’ll see, sometimes we think it’s f*cked, but sometime it’s like.. maybe!”

Is there a chance WBD will eventually relent and allow the directors to complete the movie? It sounds like Arbi hasn't completely given up hope, and with the newly-formed DC Studios now under new management, who knows what could happen down the line?

As for Fallah, he admits that they went through a "traumatic" experience with Warner Bros., but it wouldn't put them off working with the studio again. “We’d love to work for a DC project in the future but the one request is that the movie comes out. That’s the only request.”

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Matador
Matador - 12/5/2022, 8:26 AM
No, no it's [frick]ed.

Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/5/2022, 8:28 AM
I'm sure Gunn will bring these guys back. They seem like genuine fans and are good directors IMO, but maybe leave Batgirl alone now. Based on their work with Ms Marvel and Bad Boys 3 they'd probably suit a property like Teen Titans or the Outsiders (HBOmax tv show is too hit and miss for me)
bobevanz
bobevanz - 12/5/2022, 8:43 AM
Well nice try lol
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 12/5/2022, 9:01 AM
It’d be awesome if the people in charge could offer an Animation studio like the corridor crew an opportunity to finish the vfx in some kind of exchange for recognition or some kind of offer of pay incentive if the movie makes any money to finish the movie.
At this point it’d just be interesting to see what they’ve done
Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/5/2022, 9:13 AM
@slickrickdesigns - If that production makes even 1 cent, WBD won't be able to have it considered it a tax write off anymore and will then have to pay a cool few million.

A good way to probably get it done is to use it for a non profit project...like you said, maybe some up and coming VFX department needs training etc and it only gets shown to assessors when it’s done, then Ryan Reynolds can try and get a copy to put on the high seas known as the internet.

Only way I see it getting out in good shape, but then there’s the music/score and all that…but same scenario for each dept could work.

bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 12/5/2022, 9:09 AM
I guess WBD could still release the movie for free (in it's unfinished state), since the clause said they weren't allowed to make money off of it if I remember correctly
Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/5/2022, 9:13 AM
@bkmeijer1 -
I'm not sure if they would benefit from doing so, given the concerning remarks were that it could damage the brand. With it also being reliant on the events of 'The Flash' movie it makes more sense to just scrap it and rework Flash to just decrease its influence on future films.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 12/5/2022, 9:24 AM
@Scarilian - I still think that ''it would damage the brand'' is just a made up reason. It had the same score as Black Adam, and that was released as well (difference is, that movie had the Rock).

Also, them just cancelling it in Post and still releasing the Flash or not saying anything about Miller is also quite brand-damaging I'd argue.
Origame
Origame - 12/5/2022, 11:57 AM
@bkmeijer1 - yeah, no one was able to verify that it got the same score as black Adam. It's just the media getting upset over studios not catering to their ideology.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 12/5/2022, 9:10 AM
"This is something that never happened before,"

I guess they never heard of the first Fantastic Four movie, also there has been others like Burton’s Superman, Spider-Man 4, etc.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/5/2022, 9:17 AM
@slickrickdesigns - None of those movies got cancelled in post. They didn't even film.

@Scarilian - Fantastic four was only done so they could maintain the rights. They had no plan on releasing that as far i know!
Conquistador
Conquistador - 12/5/2022, 9:20 AM
@UniqNo -

Read description
Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/5/2022, 9:11 AM
"This is something that never happened before,"

Fairly sure it happened with the original Fantastic Four movie? Either way it's definitely happened before because it was added into contracts for this very reason. At the end of the day, studios get the final decision on if they sell the product you created for them.

I don't think there's any point trying to establish Batgirl without first establishing what universe your characters are going to be in. From leaks, Batgirl was going to be in a reality shaped by the events of The Flash movie which would make no sense to anyone who had not seen The Flash and with the delays and troubles associated with The Flash it made more sense to cancel Batgirl than to rework it. This is without even straying into the remarks on the apparent quality of the film and how it presented Batgirl.
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 12/5/2022, 10:37 AM
@Scarilian - That Fantastic Four was filmed solely, because the studio didn't want to lose the rights and there were never any plans to actually release it. Batgirl was supposed to be a "real" movie with an actual release.
Origame
Origame - 12/5/2022, 9:14 AM
You burnt those bridges then peed on the ashes. They aren't having you back.
oldnoname
oldnoname - 12/5/2022, 10:31 AM
That last joke made me do that laugh and frown thing. That situation must still be surreally sad to deal with.
Goldboink
Goldboink - 12/5/2022, 11:45 AM
"Actually I really like getting kicked in the nuts so yea, happy to come back for some more rochambeau any time."

grif
grif - 12/5/2022, 2:08 PM
lol so they want to play ball now?
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 12/5/2022, 2:15 PM
The bright side is your chances of having to work with Ezra Miller are substantially reduced.
Blastaar
Blastaar - 12/5/2022, 3:17 PM
Why haven't they done a VIXEN tv show or movie yet.....Leave these legacy characters alone for a while.
PoolParty
PoolParty - 12/7/2022, 12:28 PM
They cancelled your shit, they have zero plan to ever use you again Lmao
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