The Flash Producer Updates Status After HBO Max Shelves Batgirl

The fastest man alive is still alive at Warner Bros. Discovery. On Tuesday, the newly formed company confirmed reports that it shelved the HBO Max movie Batgirl, the straight-to-streaming Batman spinoff set to star Leslie Grace in the title role. The modestly-budgeted Batgirl, which was deep into post-production when CEO David Zaslav pulled the plug as a cost-cutting measure, will now never release on any platform — either on HBO Max or in theaters. As fans reacted to the news with shock and sadness — sentiments shared by the movie’s directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah — some began to question whether The Flash was speeding towards cancelation.

According to The Flash producer Barbara Muschietti, “All is good in Flash land,” @FlashFilmNews reported. 

Directed by IT filmmaker Andy Muschietti, the bigger-budgeted Flash movie has been marred by controversy surrounding its troubled star, actor Ezra Miller, reportedly leaving Warner Bros. weighing what to do with the expensive Justice League spinoff. (The Flash has a reported budget of $200 million; online rumors claim that number has ballooned to as high as $300 million.)

Unlike Batgirl, which was developed and budgeted as a smaller-scale movie meant for streaming, The Flash was always intended for theaters and features the blockbuster scale Zaslav has envisioned for DC.

That hefty price tag could ensure The Flash is released rather than go onto the shelf next to Batgirl. After Warner Bros. Discovery suddenly scrapped Batgirl and the animated Scoob! sequel to take a tax write-down on the near-completed movies, Deadline reported that the company took advantage of a “purchase accounting” option that expired in mid-August; according to that report, that allows WBD to keep those losses off the books following the WarnerMedia and Discovery merger. 

The New York Post, which first reported the news of Batgirl‘s cancelation, claimed the movie was considered “irredeemable” after testing poorly with audiences. Deadline reported that initial Batgirl buzz “wasn’t that bad,” adding that The Flash has tested “really amazing” despite the distressing headlines about Miller. 

The Flash‘s bigger budget, larger scale, and better test reactions could mean the multiversal movie — which will be key to setting up the future of the DC Extended Universe moving forward — is safe from the chopping block. 

“The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max,” Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.” 

The Flash, which stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen, Ben Affleck as Batman, Sasha Calle as Supergirl, and Michael Keaton as the Burtonverse Batman, is scheduled to release in theaters on June 23, 2023. 

Upcoming DC Films include Black Adam (October 21, 2022), Shazam! Fury of the Gods (December 21, 2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (March 17, 2023), Blue Beetle (August 18, 2023), and Joker: Folie à Deux (October 4, 2024).