While Batwoman continues to fight amongst The CW’s Arrowverse heroes, it looks like another member of the Bat-family is suiting up for HBO Max. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the long-in-development Batgirl film has found its directors in Bad Boys for Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.
Batgirl first began as the project of Joss Whedon in 2017, but the writer/director departed a year later after being unable to satisfactorily crack the story. Warner Bros. then brought on seasoned DC Extended Universe writer Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey, the upcoming The Flash) to figure out the script. With that key piece in place, El Arbi and Fallah have now been brought on to spearhead the project, reportedly targeted for distribution on HBO Max.
The movie’s producer, Kristin Burr (Cruella), told THR, “With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham. Christina’s script is crackling with spirit. Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Batproject. And I’m just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool.”
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Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham PD’s Commissioner Jim Gordon, is the most iconic character to wear the Batgirl cowl. Others like one-time Robin Stephanie Brown and current Orphan/Birds of Prey character Cassandra Cain have also used the moniker. It’s unclear which iteration will be featured in the Batgirl movie, though odds are it’ll be Gordon.
El Arbi and Fallah are also still attached to another developing project set for a streaming debut, Beverly Hills Cop 4, which Netflix scooped up back in 2019. What’s more, the pair serve as executive producers, co-showrunners, and directors on Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series Ms. Marvel.
News of Batgirl coming to HBO Max arrives on the same day a new animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader, was also announced. That’s coming from J.J. Abrams, Bruce Timm, and The Batman director Matt Reeves. Reeves is also creating a Gotham City Police Department spin-off for the streaming service.
