Batgirl movie cancelled

[thunderbolt]

They are doing away with scripted tv shows on HBO Max too.

[LonnieFisher]

It seems that they would rather scrap the movie instead of have the brand damage that releasing it would cause. It didn't screen very well.

[Earth 2 Chris]

That's the thing, no one with actual news cred is reporting it's bad. Test audiences weren't wowed, but it was an unfinished rough cut. It's apparently a tax write off from a new regime who disagreed with the way the old regime was running the company. THAT makes sensse to me now, because it's corporate, bean-counting blindness. No one stopped and thought what a PR nightmare this would be and how it could potentially damage the DC brand, which is already shaky at best.

[Nostalgiabuff]

seems strange to me too. i really find it hard to believe that the movie can really be that bad. I mean could it even be as bad as Cat Woman or Electra? i am sure more info will come out about this over the next few weeks

[Earth 2 Chris]

I don't know, now that we know more, I have seen enough management turnovers to know new regime do extremely stupid things just to thumb their nose at their predecessors. Often to the detriment of the department or the entire company. I can see diametrically opposed execs considering this and the Scoob Film products of a regime they want no part of, and totally distancing themselves of it, especailly if the can just write it off for a short period of time.

[Goblin19]

That’s crazy. Since the movie is already shot, though not finished, I don’t see how a tax write down will cost them less money than finishing it and dropping it onto HBO Max. I know marketing will cost a decent amount, but there’s not a ton of cost other than that at this point. Execs have to have seen enough of it to think it’s a lost cause. Very strange decision.

[libby 1957dog]

seems plausible but sad for the cast and crew that needed the exposure rather than the payday they actually got

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/batgirl-movie-why-not-releasing-warner-bros-1235332062/

Variety
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Aug 2, 2022 5:17pm PT
Why Warner Bros. Killed ‘Batgirl’: Inside the Decision Not to Release the DC Movie
By Adam B. Vary, Brent Lang
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 19: Members
Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
The death of “Batgirl” on Tuesday sent immediate shockwaves through Hollywood. The film — with a $75 million budget that grew to $90 million due to COVID-related overages — had finished shooting months ago and was in test screenings as directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (“Bad Boys for Life,” “Ms. Marvel”) worked through the post-production process. Star Leslie Grace (“In the Heights”) had given multiple interviews expressing her enthusiasm for landing the title role and working with co-stars Michael Keaton (as Batman), J.K. Simmons (as her character’s father, Commissioner Gordon) and Brendan Fraser (as the villain, Firefly).

In other words, the movie was nearly finished, and already building awareness among fans. Why would Warner Bros. Discovery throw all that away?

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the most likely reason: taxes.

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Several sources note that “Batgirl” was made under a different regime at Warner Bros., headed by Jason Kilar and Ann Sarnoff, that was singularly focused on building its streaming service, HBO Max. That effort included Kilar’s infamous decision to release the studio’s entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on the streamer, which helped build the subscriber base but also jeopardized the studio’s reputation with top-tier talent (though many agents and stars privately came to appreciate the move when the company paid generous bonuses as a make-nice).

Even before David Zaslav took the reins of the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery as CEO this spring, the exec went on a well-publicized listening tour designed to repair the company’s relationship with the creative community. As part of that effort, Zaslav has made no secret of reversing Kilar’s strategy and committing to releasing first-run feature films in theaters before putting them on HBO Max.

“Batgirl” found itself on the bad end of that decision, apparently neither big enough to feel worthy of a major theatrical release nor small enough to make economic sense in an increasingly cutthroat streaming landscape. Spending the money to expand the scope of “Batgirl” for theaters — plus the $30 million to $50 million needed to market it domestically and the tens of millions more needed for a global rollout — could have nearly doubled spending on the film, and insiders say that was a non-starter at a company newly focused on belt-tightening and the bottom line. (Spokespeople for Warner Bros. and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment for this story.)

Releasing the movie on HBO Max would seem to be the most obvious solution. Instead, the company has shelved “Batgirl” — along with the “Scoob!” sequel — and several sources say it will almost certainly take a tax write-down on both films, seen internally as the most financially sound way to recoup the costs (at least, on an accountant’s ledger). It could justify that by chalking it up to a post-merger change of strategy.

Doing so, however, would mean that Warner Bros. cannot monetize either movie — no HBO Max debut, no sale to another studio.

What the decision will cost the studio in creative capital, meanwhile, remains to be seen.

[monitor_ep]

I am waiting to till the phone bill is ready to get paid and if WB doesn't give a better reason than i am cutting HBO Max form my list.

[powersthatbe]

They also canceled Scoob! Holiday Haunt. What the heck are they doing? If they don't release these but are ok with releasing the flash after the Ezra Miller stuff, there is going to be backlash I predict. And why cancel movies already made or almost done? With Keaton in it, it will make money for just the nostalgia value.

[Werewolf]

I was afraid this was going to happen with the new merger.

Yeah, I think this has way more to do with the merger and change of execs.

[monitor_ep]

Batgirl-Set-Photos-Leslie-Grace-Batman-Michael-Keaton.jpg

I was afraid this was going to happen with the new merger. This was supposed to be a bridge or in-between movie that was to show up on HBO Max till the next blockbuster DC movie, but the new owners do not understand this aspect. The movie will get released sometime down the road either as a bootleg version of on HBO Max.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Something doesn't sound right about this. I wonder if WB actually has a plan to salvage the Flash film, but it means that the Batgirl movie no longer works, since it was connected to it.

The Variety article says nothing about test audiences, but that it was created for direct-to-streaming, and they want to go big budget with DC movies, so it's shelved. I think the whole thing sounds like bunk. There has to be another reason. With Keaton and J.K. Simmons in it, it's worth watching for free to HBO Max subscribers, at the very least.

I really wanted Keaton back as old Bruce in a Batman Beyond movie. I was a little mixed on him being back in costume, although I was excited for it. It's a shame all of this is screwing over the guy DC built a lot of their media success on the back of.

[Werewolf]

a shame not to see Keaton as Batman again(

That is a bummer. Was hoping to get some new Batman 89 toys out of this.

[palitoy]

How bad was it that the studio behind Catwoman wants to bury it?

[powersthatbe]

I bet Flash will be canceled too, a shame not to see Keaton as Batman again(