Batgirl is an upcoming installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and is set to premiere sometime this year on HBO Max. The film has begun to attract attention for multiple reasons. First of all, this is set to be Batgirl’s first live-action appearance since 1997’s Batman and Robin. Alicia Silverstone portrayed Batgirl in the film, but no other actresses have taken up the mantle since. So, needless to say, it’s been a minute since we’ve seen one of our favorite female vigilantes grace the big screen.
Her absence was especially sorely felt when Birds of Prey premiered in 2020. The film follows Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) when she becomes allies with three formidable women—Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez). In the comics, Batgirl was also one of the core members of the Birds of Prey. However, the studio decided to cut Batgirl from the film due to the development of her own standalone film.
While news of a standalone film staved off some disappointment, we weren’t sure what to expect with a Batgirl film. Then, Christina Hobson, who wrote Birds of Prey, was hired to write the screenplay. This was definitely good news, given her prior work. This was followed by an image of the comic-book accurate uniform that Batgirl would be wearing, which certainly resonated well with fans. However, what has truly made this film highly anticipated, is its cast. Not only is the cast enormously talented and diverse, but it also boasts some exciting returns. Here’s every Batgirl cast member and character, both confirmed and rumored.
All confirmed cast in Batgirl
Leslie Grace as Batgirl
Leslie Grace has landed the titular role of Batgirl. While several women have taken on the name Batgirl in the comic books, Grace will be portraying the most iconic version of Batgirl—Barbara Gordon. Batgirl will mark the second film that Grace, a rising actress, has starred in. She first gained prominence in 2021 when she made her acting debut as Nina Rosario in In The Heights. Her performance as Rosario gained her high praise and, from what we can tell, it seems like she will kill it as Batgirl, too.
We’re obsessed with her comic book accurate Batgirl costume, her fluent use of comic book quotes, and the BTS footage that has seen her totally kicking butt on set. Very few actresses have taken on the role of Batgirl, but Grace seems to be taking the challenge in stride.
J. K. Simmons as James Gordon
Only one DCEU actor is confirmed to be reprising his role for Batgirl, J. K. Simmons as Commissioner James Gordon. Simmons first took on the role in the 2017 film Justice League. Gordon is known for being a close ally of Batman, but he is also the father of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl.
Simmons offered a strong performance as Gordon in Justice League, but we really didn’t get to see his full potential as the character (due to his small role in the film). This is why his return in Batgirl is particularly exciting and will allow us to get a clearer view of Gordon. Not only that, but we’ll get to see Gordon’s character as a father—an angle that isn’t explored often enough in the films.
Michael Keaton as Batman
One of the most exciting aspects of Batgirl is that Michael Keaton will be reprising his role as Batman. Keaton first portrayed the hero in the 1989 film, Batman, in what would become his breakthrough role. He reprised his role in 1992 in Batman Returns and was also expected to reprise the role for a third film. However, when director Tim Burton was dropped from the third film, Keaton also left the franchise and steadfastly refused to reprise the role. In 2021, though, it was announced that Keaton was reprising his role as Batman for both The Flash and Batgirl.
With The Flash delayed until 2023, Batgirl will be our very first look at Keaton’s return. Many consider him to be the best actor to have ever portrayed Batman, so his return in Batgirl is bound to be one of the highlights of the film.
Brendan Fraser as Firefly
Brendan Fraser will be introducing a new formidable villain to the DCEU—Garfield Lynns (a.k.a. Firefly). Firefly is a villain known for being a sociopathic pyromaniac, meaning he has an obsession with starting fires. While Firefly has had several live-action appearances on TV, such as in Arrow and Gotham, this will be his first appearance in a live-action film. Firefly is one of both Batman and Batgirl’s biggest adversaries in the comic books, making him the perfect lead villain for the film. Meanwhile, set photos have already given us a sneak peek at Firefly’s costume, and it seems Fraser is all set to bring this manic villain to life.
Jacob Scipio as Anthony Bressi
Jacob Scipio will be portraying mob boss Anthony Bressi. In the comics, Bressi is a mid-level crime boss who has a strong feud with the Killer Moth, as well as the Moth’s confederate, Firefly. While clearly a villain, Bressi wasn’t as evil as many of the Gotham villains are. In the comics, he showed some humanity and even once helped Batgirl save James Gordon from a fire. In this film, Bressi could either be a ruthless crime boss or he could prove an unlikely ally to Batgirl, as he likely wants to take down Firefly as much as she does.
Ivory Aquino as Alysia Yeoh
Ivory Aquino will be portraying Alysia Yeoh, a transgender woman who works as a bartender and is Barbara’s best friend. Her casting is quite monumental, as it marks the very first time a transgender actress has been cast in a transgender role in a DC film. In the comics, Yeoh and Barbara move in together after Yeoh posts an advertisement for a roommate. While they quickly become best friends, they both are keeping secrets. Yeoh is not privy to Barbara’s alter ego as Batgirl and Yeoh has not revealed to Barbara that she is a transgender woman. Hopefully, Batgirl will explore their friendship and acceptance of one another.
Rebecca Front, Corey Johnson, and Ethan Kai in undisclosed roles
Front, Johnson, and Kai have all been officially cast in Batgirl, but their roles are still undisclosed. No character descriptions or details of whom they may be playing have been released. However, Front would be around the right age to potentially play Barbara, Sr. Meanwhile, Kai’s young age seems to hint at a character such as Dick Grayson or James Gordon, Jr. Hopefully, further details of their roles will be forthcoming.
All rumored cast and characters for Batgirl
Dylan O’Brien as Nightwing/Dick Grayson
One of the most persistent rumors is that Dylan O’Brien will star as Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing) in Batgirl. In the comics, Grayson was once Batman’s partner, Robin. After leaving the role of Batman’s partner, he took on the mantle of Nightwing, a superhero persona he debuted against Deathstroke. Rumors of O’Brien’s role began early this year when sources claimed he had been cast. Not only that, but it was alleged that he would even be getting his own solo DC project as Nightwing. O’Brien has denied the rumors. Still, many are anticipating Robin/Dick Grayson/Nightwing to make an appearance in the film and O’Brien would certainly be a strong candidate.
Danny DeVito as the Penguin
Ever since it was announced that Keaton would be returning to the role of Batman, we’ve been curious if any other stars from Burton’s Batman films will also make an appearance. Amongst those, is Danny DeVito’s The Penguin. DeVito offered one of the most iconic takes on the infamous Batman foe, and rumors have pointed to his potential return. In particular, an image of a newspaper alleged to have come from Batgirl’s set reads, “A COMEBACK FOR COBBLEPOT. With the Penguin’s real name being Oswald Cobblepot, the newspaper is certainly suspicious. All images of the newspaper have been consistently deleted. While it might just be a rumor, we would love to see DeVito reprise his role as the Penguin.
Jurnee Smollett as Black Canary
Jurnee Smollett-Bell made her debut as Dinah Laurel Lance (a.k.a. Black Canary) in Birds of Prey. Now, fans are hoping she will reprise her role in Batgirl. Her potential appearance has been backed up by the spotting of artwork on the Batgirl set that seems to reference Black Canary. Since Birds of Prey and Batgirl share the same writer and since Batgirl played such an important role in the Birds of Prey group, many are anticipating some of the women from that group will appear in Batgirl.
Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange is another DC villain who has been heavily rumored to appear in Batgirl. Similar to the Black Canary teasers, artwork featuring Strange has led many to suspect an appearance from him. Strange is a supervillain who utilized his skill as a scientist in his evil schemes. He was among one of the first enemies to discover Batman’s true identity. While the Batgirl set has seemingly teased Strange’s appearance, it has not been confirmed, nor has any actor been attached to the role.
(featured image: HBO Max)
