It's been established that Batgirl had a single test screening before Warner Bros. decided to cancel the movie, with the movie supposedly scoring in the same region as Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The quality of the film definitely appears to have come into play here, as CEO David Zaslav feels it wasn't cinematic enough for a theatrical release and was too expensive for streaming.
Hollywood insider Matthew Belloni has now shared what he's heard about that test screening on his podcast, The Town, and it sounds like those audience members are at least partially to blame for Zaslav's perception of the movie!
Apparently, this screening took place when Warner Bros. was still trying to figure out what to do with Batgirl. He would add, "the executives, Walter Hamada of DC, and some of the others there ask the audience, 'Did this feel big?' and clearly they were trying to figure out whether it felt like it deserved a theatrical release and the consensus was absolutely not."
"[My source] said it played like a TV pilot, the stakes were very small," Belloni continues. "He said it felt a little like Dark Phoenix."
That's not exactly high praise.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah delivered a well-received hit with Bad Boys For Life, while their Ms. Marvel premiere and finale have been unanimously praised. It's hard to believe they somehow went off the rails with Batgirl, though it's possible budgetary restrictions may have meant there was only so much they could do with Barbara Gordon.
As things stand, Batgirl will never see the light of day and a "ReleaseTheSnyderCut"-style campaign is unlikely to change that. As a result, we may never know the full story, though it would be a surprise if those involved with the movie don't eventually decide to speak out regarding their experiences.
How are you feeling about Batgirl's cancellation?