‘Batgirl’ Reaction: “It’s Not Terrible”

The industry was stunned this past year by Warner Bros’ total shelving of “Batgirl.” Was the film that bad that it needed to be put destroyed from existence? Is it a cursed movie that kills you seven days after having seen it, ala “The Ring”?

It turned out that the film’s shelving had to do with tax returns. Variety had reported that Warner Bros. scrapped “Batgirl” not just because they didn’t like it, but because it made sense from a tax write-down standpoint.

Apparently the tax returns will allow Warner to make their budget back if they destroy the movie’s existence. This tax return default could very well be something other studios copy in the future.

Also, don’t buy Warners’ excuse that test screenings were poor. As per THR, “Batgirl‘s test score, which was a director’s cut, is comparable to tests for the first It (2017), which wound up grossing $700.3 million globally, as well as an early test for the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Both of those films tested in the 60s.”

Now we have someone, whom I’ve verified as credible, posting on the HE forums, claiming he’s seen a cut of “Batgirl” and that it didn’t deserve Warners’ axing.

“I didn't think Batgirl was bad enough to just scrap, it’s not terrible, Black Adam is a much worse movie and still got a wide release, but Batgirl felt like a movie made for a streamer. It also felt very much like a pandemic movie. Everything was very contained. even the climatic set piece was really just a short car chase on about a half dozen back lot streets.”

“Brendan Fraser was good enough as Firefly, but also wasn't a very fleshed out role. He felt like a cartoon serial villain that comes in for one 20 minute episode and dies.
Michael Keaton was incredibly underused in a "mentor" role. He probably only works 2-3 days on set and is in about 10 minutes of the film.”

“It's really kind of a mob or a crime movie above anything. The mob have taken over Gotham and are passing the torch onto the next generation who are trying to make it more legit. The older generation are trying to tie up loose ends before they do that and they bring in Firefly who is a retired mob assassin working as a butcher and is kind of at the end of his rope financially. Barbara Gordon takes it upon herself to try and stop him, with guidance from Batman, as he's already killed her mother and set his sights on her father, Commissioner Gordon. That is kind of the gist of it. Again, it is very self contained and a lot of it is a crime procedural about finding out 1) who firefly is (or rather who is committing the arsons) and 2) who is really behind the whole thing (who is paying firefly).”

“It was a surprise screening, so they don't announce the movie until a minute before it actually starts playing, and the crowd was enthusiastic when they announced Batgirl. But in the end when the lights came up, it was like all the air was let out of the room, the most tepid response I have seen at a screening before.”