So, the Batgirl movie isn’t happening anymore, and that means the world has been robbed of seeing Brendan Fraser playing the bad guy in a superhero movie. We all know that sucks, and now Fraser himself has spoken of his disappointment over the decision to can the DCEU project.
Batgirl was supposed to drop on the streaming service HBO Max, but after the merger of Warner Bros and Discovery, new CEO David Zaslav decided it was time to pull the plug on the DC movie. Apparently, cancelling the project means Warner Bros will be eligible for a tax relief, which is said to have influenced the big decision.
Obviously, a lot of people are unhappy about the way things played out. Fans are gutted to lose out on seeing the action movie, and the cast and crew are distraught at all their hard work going to waste. Speaking to Variety, Fraser commented on the “disappointing” situation.
“The fans really wanted to see this film made. Leslie Grace is a dynamo. The movie was shot and conceived for a smaller screen. In this age that we’ve come out of now between streaming service versus theatrical release, it wound up being the canary in the coal mine. What did we learn from this? Work with trusted filmmakers, like Darren [Aranofsky],” Fraser said.
Fraser is currently doing the rounds promoting his latest role, in the drama movie The Whale. As the Brenaissance picks up speed, many are tipping the actor to win big at the Oscars next year.
It’s a heartwarming silver lining to everything, that the ‘90s movie star is back on the big screen and receiving unanimous praise. Nevertheless, we will always wonder what could have been for Batgirl and Brendan Fraser’s villainous role.
For more on Brendan Fraser, check out our feature on the problematic nature of The Whale and its use of a fatsuit.