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Warner Bros. and DC Films are truly starting to ramp up production on their wide-reaching slate of films. Many of these productions have been in development for quite some time, including the studios’ big-screen take on Batgirl. While the Bat Family heroine’s solo adventure has taken time, things are finally starting to move forward. As a matter of fact, it would seem that the production is finally seeking to cast the character, with stars from Transformers, In the Heights and more reportedly in the mix.
Four actresses have reportedly been eyed for the role of Batgirl. According to Deadline, the studio is preparing three of the four stars for screen tests. Said trio is made up of Transformers: The Last Knight actress Isabela Merced, In the Heights lead Leslie Grace and Zombieland: Double Tap’s Zoey Deutch. Per the trade, some of the test deals are already settled while others are still being finalized.
The fourth actress in that group was reportedly Haley Lu Richardson, whose credits include horror film Split and comedy Unpregnant. However, the trade reports that Richardson may have exited the casting process ahead of the screen test phase. As of this writing, the studio has not commented on the test process.
While the character has been played by a number of actresses on TV over the years, Batgirl was first brought to life on the big screen by Alicia Silverstone in 1997’s Batman & Robin. A solo Batgirl film first gained series momentum back in 2017 when Warner Bros. tapped Avengers alum Joss Whedon to write, direct and produce a Barbara Gordon-centric film set within the DC Extended Universe. However, the filmmaker would depart the project the following year, citing his difficulty with developing the story as a major reason for his exit.
Despite that setback, Batgirl would later gain a new writer in the form of Christina Hodson, who penned the screenplays for Bumblebee, Birds of Prey and the upcoming Flash movie. And just a few months ago, it was reported that Bad Boys For Life’s Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will be directing the film.
Batgirl will represent a new era for DC Films, as it one the cinematic comic book properties to debut on HBO Max -- a move that drew some interesting responses. Listed as a “mid-budget” production, Batgirl will join Blue Beetle and other movies on the streamer.
One aspect of the movie that’s still unclear is whether it will still be set in the existing DCEU. Warner Bros. and DC Films have been leaning heavily towards the multiverse approach, so there’s a firm chance it could take place in a new continuity. But ahead of its release, you can still stream the rest of the DCEU movies on HBO Max, which you can sign up for using this link.
The three actresses who will reportedly move forward are interesting picks for the role. And one thing that’s incredibly interesting and exciting is that Warner Bros. could indeed end up casting a POC to play Barbara Gordon. Still, based on their prior work, each actress should be able to bring something unique to the role. It'll be exciting to see how things pan out for Batgirl!
