[RE-UPDATE: It's now being reported that Whedon is indeed still attached to Batgirl.]

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A new rumor claims Joss Whedon is no longer set to direct Batgirl. When Zack Snyder announced he was stepping away from Justice League due to the death of his daughter, it was revealed that Whedon was set to step into directorial duties for reshoots. The decision came after Whedon was already working on rewriting scenes for reshoots (reportedly at Snyder's request). Some involvement with Justice League was not the only DC project Whedon signed up for however, with him previously pitching Warner Bros. on a Batgirl solo movie.

Whedon has been set to write and direct Batgirl since the early months of 2017, but his involvement with Justice League appeared to delay the developmental process. Now, given what Whedon's ex-wife said about his personal life in an open letter published this summer and Justice League failing to be the hit WB needed, he may not be involved.

A new rumor from SuperBroMovies claims a source from WB has revealed Joss Whedon is no longer set to direct Batgirl. This report should be taken with a grain of salt, with the rumor stating this decision was made months ago, but still including a caveat that there's a chance WB changed their minds. However, considering everything that has happened since the initial announcement, this won't be too surprising if proven accurate.

All Star Batgirl

First off, Batgirl was never a movie WB was intending to make, and only moved forward with it once Whedon pitched it to them. This shows that Barbara Gordon was not part of the studio's longterm plans before, and while that may have changed, it isn't a property they were relying on. WB could even have agreed to develop Batgirl as an extra incentive for Whedon to get involved with Justice League.

Not only that, but the involvement of Whedon specifically is less likely thanks to his personal life. A few months back, his ex-wife published an essay on how Whedon repeatedly cheated on her and the man who constantly highlights female empowerment was a hypocrite. Even if his personal life wasn't creating bad buzz, the reception to Justice League may be a factor as well. Depending on which reports you believe, Whedon was brought in to finish Snyder's version or save Justice League altogether. The general consensus and box office results show that didn't totally happen, so WB may be weary to bring Whedon back for another film.

That all said, this is very much a rumor at this point and should be treated as such. DC Films head Geoff Johns previously stated Whedon would begin working on Batgirl in 2018, while Whedon has also been touted as a big part of the DC movie world. If Whedon is indeed off of Batgirl, this is far from confirmation, so stay tuned for further updates.

NEXT: What DC Movies Are Actually Coming Out?

Batgirl is in development but does not have a release date.

Source: SuperBroMovies

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