The Batgirl movie could move from releasing on a streaming platform to in theaters due to Warner Bros. changes, according to reports. Set for a 2022 release, Batgirl is a project that has been in the works for some time, and originally began life in 2017, with Joss Whedon attached as writer/director. After Whedon departed, Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films hired the duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to direct Batgirl. The script was also completely rewritten, with British screenwriter Christina Hodson, who wrote Birds of Prey and upcoming DCEU movie The Flash, brought in to pen a brand new screenplay in 2018. Since then the movie has gained traction, and, following a few delays as a result of the pandemic, Batgirl has a release date penciled in for later this year.
Batgirl will follow the crime-fighting adventures of Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Commissioner James Gordon, as she dons a suit and becomes the vigilante known as Batgirl. The movie will star Leslie Grace in the lead role, with supporting turns from Brendan Fraser, J.K. Simmons, Ivory Aquino, and Michael Keaton, who will reprise his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne for the first time since 1992's Batman Returns. The original plan was that the movie would be released on HBO streaming platform HBO Max later this year, but things may now change on this front.
Due to personnel changes following the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, it seems that the movie could get a theatrical release instead. According to reports from Puck, former CEO Jason Kilar had plans to release the movie on the streaming platform, but new CEO David Zaslav is considering a theatrical release for the film. Under new leadership, this strategic change appears to have come in the wake of Netflix's significant stock losses and drop in subscribers last quarter.
Streaming platforms have enjoyed a huge spike since the global pandemic, and many studios are combining theatrical releases with streaming platform releases, as was the case, controversially, with Black Widow. The success of Netflix has led to the emergence of numerous other streaming platforms, such as Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, and more, with varying degrees of success. However, the losses Netflix has suffered will be concerning, and the competition has led to a spike in the need for original content, which has varied in quality. This is perhaps one of the key reasons studios are once again seeking refuge in the theatrical business. From a Warner Bros. perspective there is method to this thinking, as The Batman recently grossed more than $700 million in theaters worldwide, before enjoying success on HBO Max too.
Batgirl marks another offering of DC-branded content, as the DCEU looks to compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe behemoth, and establish lesser-known characters for a more mainstream audience. Clearly, there is a belief that theatrical release is the best way of being able to achieve this, and there are a lot of factors that would support this idea. It seems likely that Warner Bros. will push for a Batgirl theatrical run, before making the movie available to stream on HBO Max, thus giving themselves the best chance of a successful run, and allowing fans two different platforms with which to experience the movie.
Source: Puck