‘It was incredible’: Batgirl star Leslie Grace denies claims that scrapped film was ‘unreleasable’

‘There was definitely potential for a good film, in my opinion,’ actor stated

Batgirl actor Leslie Grace has refuted claims that the shelved film was not fit for release.

The DC movie had completed filming on the $90m (£73.7m) film, but was left surprised when the release was cancelled in August 2022.

An official statement from Warner Bros at the time explained the decision as being part of “leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max”.

Earlier this month, DC co-chairman and CEO Peter Safran stood behind the decision, and told the US press that the film “was not releasable”.

In a new interview, Grace has spoken out against the claim, stating that the amount she got to see had the potential to be a good film.

“I got to see the film as far as it got to; the film wasn’t complete by the time that it was tested,” she explained to Variety.

“There were a bunch of scenes that weren’t even in there. They were at the beginning of the editing process, and they were cut off because of everything going on at the company. But the film that I got to see – the scenes that were there – was incredible. There was definitely potential for a good film, in my opinion. Maybe we’ll get to see clips of it later on.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the actor said that neither Safran, nor DC co-chairman James Gunn, had contacted her since the film’s cancellation.

Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon in the only released image from ‘Batgirl’ (Warner Bros)

When asked about possibly portraying Batgirl in a sequel to 2022’s The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, Grace was hesitant to give a firm answer on her future as the character.

“We’ve definitely had conversations about Batgirl’s future and how Batgirl can make a resurgence,” she noted. “I think fans are looking forward to seeing that. We’ll just see where that takes us; I can’t say one way or the other if that is a reality at this point.”

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She added: “The last thing that I would want to do is give folks any kind of inkling of something that I have not much control over – as we’ve learned.”

When Batgirl was first cancelled, Grace and the film’s directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah released statements speaking of their surprise at the decision, as well as their appreciation for the experience.