Alicia Silverstone feels she would be a much better Batgirl now if she was given a second chance. Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, is one of the oldest and most beloved characters in the Batman mythos, and although she appeared in the original Batman TV series and several animated DC Comics movies, it was a long and arduous journey getting her onto the big screen. It wasn't until the late '90s that Batgirl made her live-action, silver screen debut.
Alicia Silverstone portrayed the character (who was renamed Barbara Wilson) in Joel Schumacher's reviled Batman & Robin in 1997. The movie was the fourth installment Warner Bros' original Batman series, which began with Tim Burton's Batman in 1989. After three enormously successful parts, Batman & Robin's unnecessary campyness and its ridiculous plot ended up killing the franchise. The film's hyper-sexualized costumes were just the final nail in the coffin.
Silverstone was only 21-years-old when she played Batgirl in Batman & Robin, and she was heavily criticized for her portrayal of the character. While her performance contributed to critics chastising the film, she wasn't the only reason behind the movie's failure. Now, while doing press for her latest film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, Silverstone told USA Today that she thinks she could do a much better job playing the Batman sidekick today, at age 40:
"I feel like I could do a much better Batgirl now than I did then. It would be fun to tackle it again, because I’m older and my acting is better. I know I would bring so much more to it. I was just a baby. It was a different thing. But I had fun back then, and I think it would be fun to do it again."
Silverstone went from starring in the coming-of-age comedy Clueless to Batman & Robin, so it's understandable for her to believe that her acting chops weren't up-to-par at the time. With an additional two decades of experience, Silverstone could portray an older Batgirl if given a chance, and she may very well do a better job in the role. However, there are no plans to produce a sequel to Batman & Robin. Instead, the character will be joining the DC Extended Universe in the near-future in Joss Whedon's Batgirl film.
Though it's unclear what age range Whedon and Warner Bros. will be looking at for the character, the director has previously said that he wants to cast a relatively no-name actress in the role -- and Silverstone is anything but a no-name, especially when it comes to Batman & Robin's infamy. Still, when asked about potentially filming a cameo for the movie, the actress says that's something she would be open to doing:
"I'm open to anything, whatever people bring to me and whatever the best choice is for that time."
The next chapter in the DC Extended Universe continues with Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman in just a few weeks, which is not only expected to do well at the box office but also receive a sequel sometime in the future. But before Diana Prince takes the lead in another female-led superhero movie, the studio is considering releasing Whedon's Batgirl first, whenever that might be.
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Source: USA Today
