‘Batgirl’: Warner cancels the premiere of the film

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Update: ‘Batgirl’ will not be released in theaters or platforms despite the fact that it is already finished

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Always in the shadow of Catwoman as Batman’s female counterpart, Batgirl hasn’t had much luck in her screen adaptations. She’s amazing but so far the character has only been played twice in the flesh. The first one in 1961, in the early Batman series with Adam West, where Yvonne Craig donned the character’s mask as Betty Kane. Her next and last appearance, in the unfortunate batman and robin (1997), with Alice Silverstone this time as Barbara Wilson. And so until now. To find a single film version of the character in the 21st century, you would have to go to ‘Batman: The LEGO Movie’. The good news is that the character is finally getting justice in the DC Extended Universe.

Betty Kane, Barbara Wilson, Helena Bertinell, Barbara Gordon… Unlike Catwoman, there are many women from Gotham who have adopted the identity of Batgirl in the comics or in their adaptations to other media. The character was first introduced in comics as Betty Kane in 1961, Batwoman’s niece who was to complete the Batman-family by bonding with Robin. Nevertheless, the most iconic version of the character is Sheriff Gordon’s niece, Barbara, Babs, who debuted in 1967. With very good reason, this is the Batgirl we’ll see in the movie.

This is everything we know about BatgirlBarbara Gordon’s first appearance in the DC Universe.

‘Batgirl’: Release date

Even more important than the release date of ‘Batgirl’, is the way in which Warner Bros. has decided to launch the first Batgirl movie in the DC Universe: direct to streaming on HBO Max, at least in the United States. A decision that has irritated more than a few fans because of the contempt for the character or, worse, because of the outstanding minor importance they give to one of the few female superheroines in the universe.

Other than this, there is no confirmed release date for the film. He is currently in the middle of filming in London and it is expected to arrive on HBO Max throughout 2022.

‘Batgirl’: Synopsis

Although the script for the film is finished at this time, we know very little about the plot of ‘Batgirl’ other than that it will center on the character version of Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham Police Commissioner James Gordon. At DC FanDome 2021 it was hinted that It will be about the origin story of the character, about how Barbara Gordon decides to become Batgirl to make a difference in the world, his first brushes with villains, and his first encounter with Batman.

The character of Barbara took the identity of Batgirl from the writer Gardner Fox and the cartoonist Carmine Infantino in ‘Detective Comics #359: Batgirl’s Million Dollar Debut!’ in 1967. Babs works as a librarian by day and support for Commissioner Gordon, but dresses as the female version of Batman at night. In one of his first stories, he confronts the supervillain Killer Moth when he was trying to kidnap Bruce Wayne, thus drawing the attention of Batman. Years later, however, they would end their adventures as Batgirl after a sudden encounter with the Joker, changing her identity to Oracle before joining the Birds of Prey, but it is likely that we will not see -at most- more than some wink

We also know from the casting that Batgirl will primarily be facing the villain Firefly, a pyrotechnics expert turned arsonist who has never before appeared in a live-action film.

‘Batgirl’: Cast

For the first film as the lead of Batgirl, Warner Bros has signed the rising star of ‘In a neighborhood of New York’, Leslie Grace. Afro-Latina actress who got the part thanks to an impressive audition.

As Batgirl, Leslie Grace will have to face none other than brendan fraser, who after having played some of the most iconic films of the 90s such as ‘George of the jungle’ and ‘The mummy’ and having disappeared from the map, is in a second golden moment redefining his image and his career in titles such as ‘No movements abrupt’ or the next films by Martin Scorsese and Darren Aranofsky. This time he will play Garfield Lynns / Firefly, the role’s villainous arsonist.

Among the good news we have also had confirmation that Michael Keaton, the emblematic Batman in Tim Burton’s films, will also return to his character after 30 years. His return is set for the movie ‘The Flash’, which will introduce the DC Universe into the dynamics of parallel universes, but Michael Keaton will land later in ‘Batgirl’. In the first teaser for ‘The Flash: Flashpoint’ we hear Keaton’s voice telling Barry: “Tell me something. You can go anywhere, right? Any timeline. Any universe. Why do you want to stay and fight to save East?”. The bat has been released.

The actor has also been confirmed Jacob Scipio, who after making the leap to blockbuster with ‘Bad Boys for Life’ is going to work again with Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi in ‘Batgirl’. His character, however, is undetermined.

To this list it only remains to add J K Simmons, the iconic J. Jonah Jameson from the Spider-Man movies, who this time returns as Commissioner James Gordon after playing the role in ‘Justice League’. Given his relationship with Barbara, he will have a more prominent role than ever.

‘Batgirl’: Directors and screenwriter

Although the original instigator of ‘Batgirl’ was Joss Whedonthe director of ‘The Avengers’ has been immersed in a controversy for his behavior on the set of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and has ended up leaving the project: “the story just fell apart in my hands because there were elements I hadn’t mastered,” the writer-director confessed.

The relay in writing has taken Christina Hodson, the young screenwriter who after being able to give heart to a Transformers movie in ‘Bumblebee’ is making a niche as one of the main writers of the DC Universe. She already showed her ability in ‘Birds of Prey’ and soon we will see her new work in ‘The Flash’. Two films marked by her charismatic characters and her sarcastic tone. With ‘Batgirl’ Hodson is already a veteran in this universe.

On the other side of the camera, we’ll have the duo responsible for ‘Bad Boys for Life’ directing the film. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah They are entering the superhero cinema through the front door: nothing less than a movie for Marvel and another for DC. The first is ‘Ms. Marvel’, the second ‘Batgirl’, both with the superheroines as protagonists.

Finally, the presence of the composer of ‘Loki’ seems confirmed, Natalie Holtto give its sound design and soundtrack to the new version of Gotham City.

‘Batgirl’: Pictures

At the moment, there is no official image of the movie, but at DC FanDome 2021 we got our first look at Batgirl’s updated costume in this concept art. As you can see, the mask is over: Batgirl will wear a hood from which the iconic red hair comes out of Babs.

‘Batgirl’: Poster, trailer

It’s still a while before we see anything like it. The film is currently being shot and it is to be hoped that soon we will begin to see images and shortly after the poster. As soon as there is something new you will find it in this updated article.