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It’s no secret that the comic book genre is dominating the movie industry. The characters from the page have been followed for generations, so there’s a built-in audience ready to shell out cash. Filmmaker Kevin Smith is a massive fan himself, and recently went on a NSFW tirade about DC’s plans for the Batgirl movie. Specifically, how it’s currently expected to be a streaming project.
The DCEU constantly keeps the fandom on our collective toes, but it’s clear that Warner Bros. is putting stock in HBO Max as a place for additional comic book content. Bad Boys For Life filmmakers Adil & Bilall recently signed on to helm the Batgirl movie, which might not actually end up in theaters. Kevin Smith learned about the streaming plans for Batgirl, and responded emotionally by telling his podcast co-host, writer Marc Bernardin:
Hold up, Hold on Marc, I have to call the mayor of Hollywood. What are you nuts! How is this just a streaming series and not a fucking...Like, they got Wonder Woman. But I'm like, take Wonder, throw Bat, take Woman off, put Girl, make the same amount of money. Like they could be printing big fucking dollars. It's a billion-dollar franchise if handled correctly. And you cast it right, oh shit. And they're just gonna let it be a… look, there are wonderful streaming series. I'll fight anybody who says Hacks isn't one of the greatest fucking series of all time, now airing on HBO and I'm not even a paid fucking advocate, I'm just a big fan. But I would not have thought they would take Batgirl in this direction. Maybe a spinoff animated series sure, but that smells like a movie to me
Well, there you have it. Kevin Smith is known for his enthusiasm over comic book lore, as well as for having a foul mouth at times. So when learning that Batgirl might end up exclusively on HBO Max, his response was delightfully on brand.
Kevin Smith expressed his shock over Batgirl on an episode of his podcast FatMan Beyond. While reacting to the news of the movie’s directors Adil & Bilall, he was flabbergasted to hear that the project could end up being a streaming exclusive. Mostly because the Batman protegee is one of DC’s most iconic femme fatales.
The DCEU has found its streaming home on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
From what we know about the project (which is almost nothing) Batgirl isn’t going to be a series but a movie experience. But Kevin Smith wants to see the character on the big screen, and feels like Warner Bros. could make a ton of money if handled properly. He went on to explain the fiscal possibilities, saying:
I feel like, maybe I'm overestimating, maybe it's a half a billion dollar franchise, but it just feels bigger. But I'm not shitting on it, if that's the way they want to go, great. But you cast like the modern-day equivalent...hey, alright, who's that girl that sings that song that everybody really loves? You cast Olivia Rodrigo as Batgirl, a billion-dollar franchise right there.
While casting Olivia Rodrigo would no doubt break the internet, Kevin Smith’s point stands. If the right star is found and Adil & Bilall properly handle the source material, Batgirl does have all the components of a major franchise. We’ll just have to see how the project keeps developing, and if it ends up getting a theatrical release after all.
The Batgirl movie was announced years ago, with Joss Whedon originally attached to bring the project to life. He ended up departing the project in 2018, citing issues nailing down the story. But now it seems that the wheels are once again turning, and we might finally get to see one of Batman’s protegees in the DCEU.
The next installment in the DCEU is The Suicide Squad on August 6th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
