Michael Keaton has gifted Batgirl directors a special book. After passing through various creative changes, Barabara Gordon, aka Batgirl, was finally on track to join the DCEU with a solo film helmed by Bad Boys for Life directing duo Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah, with a screenplay from Birds of Prey and The Flash writer Christina Hudson. In the Heights' actress Leslie Grace was attached to play the lead, while Keaton and J.K. Simmons were reprising their characters as Batman and Commissioner Jim Gordon, respectively. Filming had wrapped in March, and all was well for the movie until earlier this week when Warner Bros. Discover made an unprecedented decision and revealed that Batgirl had been shelved.
The move sparked an instantaneous uproar, with fans and Hollywood figures protesting the move and demanding the decision be overturned. However, WB later released an official statement over Batgirl's cancelation, stressing that the movie was shelved because the newly formed conglomerate WBD is course-correcting the studio's streaming release strategy. After the WBD press release, El Arbi and Fallah opened up about Batgirl's cancelation, expressing their dismay and stating they deserve to show their work to the world. Many industry bigwigs, including Kevin Feige and James Gunn, have since extended their support to the directors, and the cast members of the movie are also standing by them during this dire time.
Now, El Arbi has shared how Keaton showed encouragement to the director duo in the wake of Batgirl's cancelation. The helmer posted the thoughtful present that Keaton sent to him and Fallah on his Instagram story. The gift in question is a signed copy of the official Batman Returns movie book, which Keaton has personalized by inscribing a message of gratitude and acknowledgment. Take a look at the picture El Arbi shared below.
Coming from a veteran like Keaton, the gesture surely means a lot, serving as a token of appreciation for the directors. Earlier, there were speculations that Batgirl was canceled, in part, because its early screenings tested poorly, but that rumor was later debunked. Now, Keaton's acknowledgment of El Arbi and Fallah's work further proves that Batgirl was not so bad after all, and the actor did enjoy his time playing Batman again in the film. The directors have frequently referred to Keaton as the "OG Batman," showing deep admiration for his roles in Burton's movies. The gift from Keaton manifests mutual respect between the actor and the directors - even though they did not get to show their work, their collaboration was still a success off-screen.
Keaton's role as Batman was much anticipated in Batgirl, but with that movie being shelved, his DCEU future seems uncertain. Keaton is still primed to appear in The Flash, but Ben Affleck has reportedly replaced his Aquaman 2 role, and there are also rumors that DC is not keen on partnering with him moving forward. Yet, the actor has surely struck up a bond with El Arbi and Fallah, which could lead to collaborations between the three down the road. There is a lot that everyone has lost due to the Batgirl disappointment but the friendships made behind the camera are strong and undying, and the entire team of Batgirl will continue to cherish them for days to come.
Source: Adil El Arbi
