Batgirl before shock KAPOW! Leslie Grace reveals a $90M superhero look that was scrapped because it was so bad and the ‘costumes looked cheap’
Leslie Grace gave social media a glimpse of what appeared to be her final costume for Batgirl when she posted a highlight reel for 2022 to Instagram on Monday.
The 27-year-old In the Heights star included numerous behind-the-scenes moments from the production of the junked superhero film, which was dropped by Warner Bros. last year and shocked Hollywood.
Rumors of poor test screenings surfaced after the studio pulled the plug, with particular emphasis on the costumes looking “cheap”.
Before the axe: Leslie Grace, 27, gave social media a glimpse of what appeared to be her final costume for Batgirl when she posted a highlight reel of 2022 to Instagram on Monday
Peace out: The In the Heights star included numerous behind-the-scenes moments from the production of her scrapped superhero film, which was dropped by Warner Bros. last year and shocked Hollywood
“Thank you for teaching me 2022,” Grace wrote, captioning her Batgirl-filled highlight role. “You were unique in many ways, I will remember that. My gratitude and love for life is much deeper thanks to the experiences you have brought me.’
“I’ll take your lessons if we break up,” she concluded. “Looking forward to many more stories to tell, memories to be made and love to give in 2023.”
Batgirl’s heartbreaking cancellation came after Leslie largely filmed her starring role as the titular superheroine.
Production on the $100 million project was nearly complete when the studio scrapped its release on HBO Max, reportedly due to a combination of poor test screenings and creative accounting strategies.
What could have been: The actress included multiple glimpses of her purple and yellow Batgirl armor. Rumors of poor test screenings surfaced after the studio pulled the plug on the film, with particular emphasis on making the costumes look “cheap”.
Gracious: “Thank you for teaching me 2022,” Grace wrote, captioning her Batgirl-filled highlight role. “You were unique in many ways, I will remember that. My gratitude and love for life is much deeper thanks to the experiences you have brought me.
Hard at work: Leslie shared a collection of snippets that showed all the effort she put into the role
The filmmakers were told the decision was due to a “purchase billing maneuver” available to Warner Bros. since the studio changed hands in early 2022.
According to Deadline, newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery did not have to carry forward its losses as it tries to pay down its $3 billion in debt.
The central plot would have revolved around Grace’s Batgirl as she battles Brendan Fraser’s villain, Firefly – a man who turns to a life of crime after being fired from his job, losing his health insurance and unable to care for his ailing wife can.
But according to those who saw the scrapped flick, it was a “huge disappointment” with subpar costumes.
Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub tweeted: “I spoke to people who saw #Batgirl and they said it was a big disappointment. Also that the costumes looked cheap.’
Heartbreaker: The heartbreaking cancellation of Batgirl came after Leslie filmed most of her starring role as the titular superhero
Friendly superhero: The star clearly enjoyed her time on set and became friends with the cast and crew
While the result may have been less than stellar, Leslie’s Instagram post highlighted all the effort she and the crew put into making the stalled film.
Several snippets of the actress doing stunts filled her role and she can often be seen in her purple and yellow armor costume, which differs slightly from the promotional images.
“It’s tragic,” Brendan Fraser told Variety about the film’s shock cancellation. “It doesn’t create trust between filmmakers and the studio.”
“Leslie Grace was fantastic,” he lamented. “She’s a dynamo – just a spot on performer.”
A Big Disappointment: According to those who saw the scrapped flick, it was a “big disappointment” with subpar costumes. Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub tweeted: “I’ve spoken to people who have seen #Batgirl and they said it was a huge disappointment. Also that the costumes looked cheap.
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