Batgirl Star Still Hopes Warner Bros. Will Release Shelved Film After Three Years

More than three years have passed since Warner Bros. abruptly shelved Batgirl, the DC superhero film directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and starring Leslie Grace, Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser, and Jacob Scipio. What was meant to be a mid-budget streaming release for HBO Max instead became a symbol of Hollywood’s unpredictable corporate decisions – and one of its most infamous ‘tax write-off’ casualties.

Yet even after years in limbo, hope for the film’s release hasn’t entirely vanished.

Jacob Scipio, who played a key role in the movie, recently told The Direct that he’s still optimistic. “I got the chance to watch it, and it was a phenomenal film,” he said, adding that the cast poured their hearts into it. “I’m really sad the world never got to see it. But you never know. Hollywood’s a funny place.” Scipio cited the case of Coyote vs. Acme – another completed Warner Bros. project that was nearly buried for financial reasons before being rescued by Ketchup Entertainment for theatrical release in 2026 – as proof that lost films can still find light.

When Warner Bros. decided in 2022 to cancel Batgirl, it was reportedly nearly complete, with most of its post-production work finished. The studio justified the move as part of a strategic restructuring following its merger with Discovery, claiming the film didn’t meet the company’s new vision for DC. But for many, the justification never sat right. Directors El Arbi and Fallah called the decision ‘heartbreaking,’ while fans questioned why a finished film could be tossed aside, especially when far weaker projects were released.

Industry insiders have noted the deeper implications of this case: once a studio writes off a movie as a tax loss, it legally can’t profit from it without reversing the deduction – meaning a release could trigger a major repayment to the IRS. Still, as Scipio’s comments show, some within the production cling to hope. Perhaps, like Coyote vs. Acme, a deal could someday rescue Batgirl from the vaults.

For fans, the longing goes beyond curiosity. Many want to see Brendan Fraser’s performance as the villain Firefly, or Michael Keaton returning as Batman. Others view it as a matter of principle – that art completed by hundreds of craftspeople shouldn’t be destroyed for a balance sheet. Whether Warner Bros. ever changes course remains uncertain, but one truth rings clear: Hollywood’s habit of shelving finished films is testing the patience – and ethics – of audiences everywhere.