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More details on Batgirl’s test screening have been revealed thanks to a new report – and it potentially shoots down any lingering idea that Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to scrap the DC movie was down to quality control.
"A very early version" of Batgirl, with temporary effects and score, was screened to audiences according to The Hollywood Reporter. The solitary screening received an audience score in the low 60s. By comparison, both It and Shazam both gained scores in the 60s during test screenings, which did little to harm their box office success. According to sources close to the industry trade, Batgirl "would recoup more of its budget as a tax write-down than as a theatrical or HBO Max release" – which may have contributed to its cancelation.
Warner Bros. Discovery released its own statement, pointing towards a “strategic shift” being behind the move to can Batgirl.
"The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," reads the statement, per Deadline. "Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future."
The fallout from the Batgirl cancelation has continued in recent days. DC fans have reacted to the "ridiculous" decision to scrap the nearly finished movie, while directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were "saddened and shocked" by the news.
With the DC landscape changing rapidly, keep up to speed with the upcoming schedule in our guide to new superhero movies.
