The news of the cancelation of the Batgirl movie was devastating for many of us, but directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah poured their hearts into making something that those now in charge of Warner Bros. Discovery just decided wasn’t worthy of their time or energy. It can be a devastating thing, especially given that the film was already finished and done with.
And while Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (known as the duo Adil & Bilall) have a great many other projects that are incredible and show their talent, it’s still not an easy thing to deal with. The two have shared their upset over the choice to shelve Batgirl and while many of us are still fighting to get the movie released (or at least everyone should be), it seems as if Adil & Bilall have been getting words of encouragement from other directors in the genre, and Marvel’s Kevin Feige himself!
Adil El Arbi has been sharing thanks for the messages of support they’ve received from James Gunn and Edgar Wright, and they’ve also gotten an email from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige about the film. Both Adil & Bilall received an email from their Marvel boss (the two directed episodes of Ms. Marvel) that congratulated Arbi on his wedding and also gave them a message about how proud he is of them.
“My friends, I had to reach and let you know we are all thinking about you both,” Feige wrote. “Because of the wonderful news about the wedding (congrats!) and the disappointing news about ‘Batgirl.’ Very proud of you guys and all the amazing work you do and particularly ‘Ms. Marvel’ of course! Can’t wait to see what is next for you. Hope to see you soon,” the email reads.
We also know about James Gunn and Edgar Wright sharing messages with Adil & Bilall because of an Instagram story that Arbi posted online. “Thanks for all the messages of support all over the world,” Arbi wrote on Instagram. “Shoutout directors Edgar Wright and James Gunn, your kind words and experience mean a lot and help us through this difficult period.”
It happens, but it still sucks
Things happen, movies aren’t released, it’s par for the course. The difference here is that the film was basically completed and Warner Bros. Discovery just decided it wasn’t up to snuff in their new business model, so it wasn’t that the movie had anything necessarily wrong with it but rather that it wasn’t going to make them the money they wanted it to/wasn’t up to their “theatrical release” standards.
It’s a bad look for Warner Bros. Discovery all around because they’re pushing The Flash forward despite the horrific allegations against Ezra Miller and yet shelving a finished Batgirl with a woman of color as the lead. I want to see Adil & Bilall’s work. I want to see Barbara Gordon after waiting so long for her to have her life-action debut.
I hate that something like this can just easily happen if a company decides they want to pivot, and I think it’s time someone breaks into headquarters and releases Batgirl to us all.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
