Despite a budget of $ 90 million, the feature will not be visible on the HBO Max platform as initially planned, or indoors. He seems to be a victim of a change of strategy after the merger between Warner Bros and Discovery.
Le Monde with AP and AFP
never seen. Warner Bros Discovery decided to throw the Batgirl superhero film in the trash which was to be available in the United States on the HBO Max streaming platform. The feature film already shot, and which cost the trifle of $ 90 million (more than 88 million euros), will not be released in cinemas either.
Adaptation of the adventures of the character of DC Comics, the film featured the actress Leslie Grace in the first role alongside Michael Keaton, who again put on the legendary Batman costume.
Batgirl directors expressed their dismay on Wednesday, August 3. “We are saddened and amazed by the news. We still can’t believe it,” said Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah on Instagram.
“As directors, it is essential that our work was shown to the public, and even if the film was far from being completed, we would have wanted fans around the world to see it and understand it”, added the two Belgians. A large part of the post -production work – stage where, for example, the special effects are added – was already completed.
amazement in Hollywood
In their message, the directors, who notably signed Bad Boys for Life, paid a tribute supported to the “fantastic actors” playing the film. “Anyway, as big fans of Batman since our childhood, it was a privilege and an honor to be part of [the cinematographic universe DC], even for a short time.” Batgirl “forever “, they concluded.
The studio decision dumbfounded Hollywood, where end -of -cinema industry purposes have assured that such a cancellation was unprecedented for an almost finished – and costing work so much money.
Batgirl seems to have been the collateral victim of the merger between Warner Bros and Discovery. Warner Bros had planned to produce films intended to be released directly on the HBO Max platform. But this choice, partly justified by the need to bypass the cinemas in full pandemic of COVID-19, was not unanimous, and the studios seem to have backtrack after their fusion with Discovery.
“The decision not to go out Batgirl reflects our strategic change with regard to the DC and HBO Max universe,” said a Warner spokesperson in a statement, adding that Leslie Grace is “an incredibly talented actress , and [that] this decision is not linked to its performance “.
The continuation of” scooby “also excluded
Although less expensive than many superhero films that generally cost between 150 and 200 million dollars, Batgirl would have been tried too expensive for a streaming sector that tightens the belt, and not spectacular enough for the Large screen, condemning it to be delivered, according to environmental specialists cited by the magazine variety.
Warner Bros also put aside the continuation of the film Scooby. The producer and screenwriter Tony Cervone confirmed in an Instagram post that “the film is practically finished and took place wonderfully. I am beyond the broken heart.”
The new managing director of Warner Bros Discovery, David Zaslav, explained that big budget films are better served by a indoor deployment. But marketing a film like Batgirl for this kind of release would require tens of millions of dollars more. The group which is to publish its results of the second quarter on Thursday was obviously not ready to go until then