John Oliver Fires at Warner Bros for Cancelling 'Batgirl', Network 'Burning Down' for Money
Following Warner Bros' controversial decision to shelve "Batgirl", John Oliver called out their parent company for "burning down" HBO amidst numerous project cancellations.
On an episode of "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver", the television host likened the global pandemic situation to the DC film's cancellation. He commented that unused vaccines are being shelved in our reserves like "an expired Chobani," or in Warner Bros' case, like "a $90 million movie on HBO Max."
"Batgirl" directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah announced last week that the superhero movie will not get the chance to debut on HBO Max any time soon, despite already wrapped up and deep into post-production. The budget for the project reportedly ballooned up to 90 million dollars due to COVID-19 setbacks.
"Hi there, new business daddy. Seems like you're doing a really great job." John Oliver called to HBO's parent company, WarnerMedia. "I do get the vague sense that you're burning down my network for the insurance money, but I'm sure that that will all pass."
According to a Warner Bros. Spokesperson, the recent corporate merge of WarnerMedia with Discovery heavily influenced the cancellation of "Batgirl", since they had decided to prioritize blockbuster films over TV streaming.
"The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max," the Warner Bros. Spokesperson clarified.
Did Warner Bros Do It for the Money?
However, some reports like Variety claim that "Batgirl" was cancelled for the "insurance money", similar to John Oliver's accusation. The decision is seen as "the most financially sound way to recoup the costs" from an internal point of view.
Discovery CEO David Zaslav did not deny these claims, as the network already commented that they are in the process of shifting corporate strategies to prioritize theatrical releases, to which they believe that "Batgirl" was not yet ready for.
"We're not going to launch a movie to make a quarter, and we're not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it." Zaslav told investors.
"Batgirl" star Leslie Grace also expressed her thoughts on the cancellation of the movie. Other HBO Originals that were axed by the new Warner Bros include sci-fi drama "Demimonde", sci-fi rom-com "Moonshot," and the animated "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt" movie.
