Leslie Grace of In The Heights fame has signed on to slip into the cape and cowl as DC’s Batgirl
Look out DC Universe because we have a new Batgirl. Leslie Grace has signed on the dotted line to slip into the cape and cowl for Warner Bros’ upcoming Batgirl movie. Just days after hearing that Warner Bros. and DC were screen testing for the role; Deadline reports it’s a done deal.
Sources close to the deal say Warner Bros. was “super high with the rising star following her breakout role in In the Heights, and sources say her audition sealed the deal as the choice.”
A WEALTH OF TALENT
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys For Life) are attached to direct the HBO Max exclusive feature. Birds of Prey screenwriter Christina Hodson has penned the screenplay, and she is hoping to bring a new twist.
“There’s a little piece of me in every character I write. They start with me, and then they take on a life of their own. [Barbara Gordon’s] been through so many iterations. There’s certain characteristics of hers that are always there that I’m excited to develop further. Whenever I’m writing a character who’s based on someone who’s existed in a previous form, whether it’s comics or a movie or anything, I always hope to bring something new to them and bring them to life in their own way, even if they fairly iconic like Harley Quinn or Batgirl. I think fans want the original, to be honest, but they also want to see something they haven’t seen before.”
HBO MAX
In a bizarre twist, Warner Bros. intends to keep Batgirl as an HBO Max exclusive release. Which has certainly raised a few eyebrows. This short-sighted approach hasn’t thrilled any fan, and we can only hope that the powers that be reconsider the decision and allow Barbara Gordon to shine on the big screen. Where she deserves to be.
“With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham,” said producer Kristin Burr. “Christina’s script is crackling with spirit. Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Batproject. And I’m just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool.”
Super cool is one word for it. I’ll let you decide on an alternative. Are you happy with Batgirl being an HBO Max exclusive? Or would you rather watch her adventures on the big screen? Leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.
Either way, Batgirl is heading to HBO Max sometime in the near future. Let’s just hope they do the character justice. But with Christina Hobson on screenwriting duties surely it can’t go wrong. Can it?
Source: Deadline
Author
Phil Roberts is the Owner, Daily Content Manager, and Editor-In-Chief of The Future of the Force. He is passionate about Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force and babbles frequently!
