Warner Bros. will no longer be releasing Batgirl, despite the fact the DC film has already completed shooting and was expected to arrive on HBO Max later this year. The bizarre move comes after a change in leadership at the studio, with newly-installed Discovery CEO David Zaslav prioritising cost-cutting measures, and theatrical films over streaming projects. Among the casualties was also the animated feature Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, a sequel to the 2020 film Scoob!.

Despite being well into postproduction, Zaslav opted to shelve the project in order to take a tax write-down on the (reportedly) $90 million film. Batgirl looked like a promising and intriguing film, particularly after the directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah received praise for their Ms. Marvel episodes. It would also have marked the first Latina actress, Leslie Grace, to front a DCEU film.

Batgirl filmmakers El Arbi and Fallah reportedly learned of the cancellation shortly before the news broke online. “We are saddened and shocked by the news,” the filmmakers wrote in a statement. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha’Allah.

“Our amazing cast and crrew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life. We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, JK Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.”