'Batgirl' Resurrection Unlikely: Directors Reveal Warner Bros Blocked Their Access to Film Footage
Duo directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah reveal that resurrection or director's cut to "Batgirl" prove unlikely as the studio has blocked their access to film footage.
In a recent interview with SKRIPT, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were asked about the possibility of its release someday, in which they revealed they don't have access to any footage so the chances are unlikely. The sudden news had apparently come as a shock to them.
El Arbi stated that Batgirl cannot be released in its current state, as they were still lacking visual effects and had a few more scenes to shoot. Unfortunately, they needed Warner Bros' permission to have the means to finish "Batgirl".
According to Warner Bros, the decision was not due to any issues with talents or the quality of the movie, but due to a shift in corporate strategy. Recently, Warner Bros had merged with Discovery, resulting in numerous shows and films canceled to save money. "Batgirl" was already in the editing process when executives told the team that the film would be shelved.
With "Batgirl" getting shelved, tt was also revealed that Warner Bros studio had blocked the directors' access to the production servers. The duo recalled the moment the realization hit them, saying that they were shocked and could not process the news, until they actually got blocked.
"No, we have nothing! Adil called me and said, 'go ahead shoot some things on your cellphone.' I went on the server and everything was blocked," said Fallah, to which El Arbi replied, "We were like 'fucking shit!'," said El Arbi. "All the scenes with Batman in them! Shit!"
Hopeful to #SaveBatgirl
Fallah added that they did not expect the public's outraged reaction to the cancellation, and was touched by the #SaveBatgirl hashtag on social media sites. Despite the unfortunate turnout, the "Ms. Marvel" directors said that they still hold hope for the release of "Batgirl" someday.
I canceled my subscription after #Batgirl sorry a GoT prequel isn't enough, no matter the quality. #SaveBatgirl #ReleaseBatgirl #Batgirl4Life https://t.co/b6l4bepuPB
— ChaosCookies 🍪🌴 (@Spacewalker33) August 23, 2022
"Seeing all the support on Twitter, and even from big directors Edgar Wright and James Gunn, who sent us supportive messages, it was comforting." Fallah expressed.
Other DC titles that have been delayed or shelved by Warner Bros include "The Batman 2" and the DC anthology series "Strange Adventures".
