Batgirl Star Has ‘Hope’ for Film’s Eventual Release After It Was Shelved 3 Years Ago: ‘Hollywood’s a Funny Place’

Warner Bros.’ decision to shelve Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s Batgirl movie over three years ago was the shot heard around the world of cinema. The choice ignited a backlash from fans that has so far gone ignored — but one person involved in the film thinks there might be some potential for it to be released one day.

“I got the chance to watch it, and it was a phenomenal film,” Jacob Scipio, one of the film’s stars, told The Direct in a new interview. “Man, I’m really sad the world never got to see it. But you know, you never know. You never know.”

He also noted the story of Warner Bros, film Coyote vs. Acme gives him some hope. “It was great that they saved [Coyote vs. Acme], I’m gonna have a ticket and be buying my ticket and seeing that movie myself. So there’s always hope,” Scipio told the outlet. “Hollywood’s a funny place, and I think if enough people want it, it can happen.”

In 2022, Warner Bros. shelved the Batgirl film as a tax write-off, despite the fact it was nearly finished when the decision was made. The cost-cutting measure not only sparked a backlash with fans but the gutted reactions from El Arbi, Fallah, and star Leslie Grace. DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran went on to claim in 2023 that the movie “was not releasable” and “would have hurt DC.”

But Warner Bros did it again with the well-tested and highly anticipated Coyote vs. Acme in 2023, despite it being finished as well. That backlash was even more intense than Batgirl’s, and over a year later it was saved from never seeing the light of day by Ketchup Entertainment, which acquired the movie after a long period of deal-making with Warner Bros. It is set to finally premiere in theaters August 28, 2026.

Hopefully Batgirl will follow in its footsteps someday soon.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.