image copyright: Warner Bros.
‘In The Heights’ actor Leslie Grace is to play Batgirl in an upcoming HBO Max movie, it was announced yesterday. Grace will become Barbara Gordon and her crime-fighting alter-ego for the Warner Bros movie, which will reportedly side-step theatres and head straight for WB’s streaming platform, HBO Max.
According to Deadline, who first reported her casting, Grace has beaten several other actors to the role, including Isabelle Marced and Zooey Deutch. Grace is better know for her music but has proved to be a fantastic screen presence too. The film has been in the works since 2017, when Joss Whedon was set direct a version based on the New 52 incarnation of the character. This was scrapped and Whedon walked back in February 2018.
Christina Hodson, the writer of Birds of Prey was hired to write a new script. Little was heard about the project until it was teased at Warner parent company AT & T’s Analyst & Investor Day this year. Since then, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who helmed Bad Boys For Life have been hired to direct the movie. Shortly thereafter, WB announced the film would skip cinemas and head straight to streaming.
WE’LL SHOW PEOPLE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF GOTHAM
(Art by Joshua Middleton)
Plot details are scarce, although it is rumored that the arsonist Firefly may be the film’s main antagonist. The character featured in the Batgirl Year One storyline, along with Killer Moth and other weird and wonderful villains from the Bat-canon. Back in May, producer Kristin Burr enthused on the upcoming movie:
“With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham. 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 Bat-project. And I’m just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool."
We’ll have more on Batgirl as it happens.