‘Batgirl’ Actor Jacob Scipio Says Shelved Project Was “A Phenomenal Film” That “The World Never Got To See”
Batgirl was canceled, never to be seen by the moviegoing public or HBO Max subscribers who would’ve been the target audience. However, years later, the film still managed to develop a following curious enough to want and hope to see it one day. In fact, a few people managed to see an incomplete version of it before it was scuttled.
A “funeral screening” of sorts was held for cast and crew on the Warner Bros. lot, and some of the people who saw it then are speaking up about their reactions. Bad Boys series and Expend4bles actor Jacob Scipio is one of them, and he has a positive review. “I got the chance to watch it, and it was a phenomenal film. Man, I’m really sad the world never got to see it,” he told The Direct.
On the possibility of when or if it could ever be salvaged to see the light of day, Scipio responded, “But you know, you never know. You never know.” He added there might still be hope for a release when Coyote vs. Acme was saved from the same fate.
Moreover, Scipio plans on seeing the Looney Tunes movie when it comes out. “It was great that they saved [‘Coyote V. Acme’]. I’m gonna have a ticket and be buying my ticket and seeing that movie myself. So there’s always hope. Hollywood’s a funny place, and I think if enough people want it, it can happen,” he said.
Maybe it could, but the event would be easier said than done. Warner Bros. Discovery shelved Batgirl for a tax break they’d have to pay back, so the offer would have to be right. It might also need to cover VFX expenses because the film was not 100 percent polished.
The desire on the studio’s part has to be there too. Based on everything we’ve reported, WBD seems like they would rather forget the production ever happened. They not only axed Batgirl, but took steps to make sure no footage ever leaks out, potentially to prevent another case of a Snyder Cut happening.
RELATED: Ketchup Entertainment Acquires ‘Coyote vs Acme’, Will Release It Next Year
DC Studios co-head Peter Safran later went out and said the film was bad for all involved and would’ve ruined the DC brand. (I know what you’re thinking: “Worse than Peacemaker? Yeah, right.”)
Like Scipio, some of his cast members disagree with Safran and stand by the effort put in by directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, as well as by themselves. Brendan Fraser, who played Firefly, called star Leslie Grace a “dynamo” and considered the cancellation unfair.
Michael Keaton, who was returning as Batman for the fourth time, looked at it as a job, but says he supported the duo of Adil and Bilall. “No, I didn’t care one way or another. Big, fun, nice check,” Keaton explained last year via ComicBookMovie.
“I like [Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah]. They’re nice guys. I pull for them. I want them to succeed, and I think they felt very [bad], and that made me feel bad. Me?” he shrugged. “I’m good.”
On a related note, Coyote vs. Acme, which Ketchup Entertainment acquired, is finally due out next August.
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