'Bad Boys for Life' directors to now helm 'Batgirl' movie
The Batgirl movie project is finally moving forward! Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment have signed on Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to helm the film. Notably, Batgirl was supposed to be written as well as directed by Justice League filmmaker Joss Whedon in March 2017. However, he left the project a year later, as he failed to crack the story of the superhero.
Batgirl is reportedly based on the DC Comics fan-favorite character, Barbara Gordon. She was first introduced in 1961 as Betty Kane, before getting a makeover in 1967. The daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon, this superhero has featured in many storylines involving Batman and his sidekick Robin. Further, Barbara has also worked as the head of the Gotham City Public Library.
Producer Kristin Burr told The Hollywood Reporter that fans would get to see a fun and different side of Gotham in Batgirl. "Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Bat project," she added. Burr also commended the script written by Christina Hodson. She had previously written Birds of Prey and The Flash.
According to reports, the movie would not be getting a theatrical release and head straight to HBO Max streaming service. There are no details available on the cast of the film and the release date so far. The much-awaited movie has been in development for many years, and it will be interesting to see the character come to life and re-energize the franchise.
El Arbi and Fallah gained fame for overhauling the Bad Boys franchise with its third installment, Bad Boys for Life. The film released just before the lockdown restrictions came into force due to the pandemic last year. It became one of the highest-grossing films of the year, earning over $426.5 million worldwide. To note, they are also directing the upcoming Marvel show, Ms. Marvel.
