Batgirl directors 'saddened and shocked' over decision to scrap movie

(Image credit: Leslie Grace/Warner Bros.)

Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have released a statement following the shocking news that the Leslie Grace-led film has been pulled indefinitely from the HBO Max release schedule and will not be debuting anywhere.

"We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it," the filmmaking duo (whose credits include Bad Boys for Life and Ms. Marvel) responded in a joint Instagram statement. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha’Allah.”

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"Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life," they continued. "We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front, and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication, and humanity."

The two ended their statement by expressing their gratitude for the opportunity: “In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl For Life.”

Deadline reported that the movie conflicted with Warner Bros. Discovery's new strategy for DC movies, stating that the lower budget ($90 million) made-for-HBO-Max film wasn't up to par with some of their bigger blockbusters. The company also shelved Scooby Doo's Holiday Haunt and took several of their Max Originals off the streaming platform. For more, check out our list of upcoming superhero movies to stay up to date with every new Marvel and DC release.

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.