Joss Whedon Has Quietly Removed Himself From ‘Batgirl’, So There’s That

Allowing the studio to deftly avoid what could’ve been some fairly ill-timed optics, Joss Whedon has announced he has withdrawn from the planned standalone Batgirl film.

Whedon, who was originally signed on to write and direct the film, confirmed he removed himself from the project in a short statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter earlier today.

Whedon, who originally signed on to the film in March 2017, stated that after almost a year of working on the film he was yet to crack the story of what a Batgirl film should ultimately be, leading to the decision to walk away from the film altogether.

Batgirl is such an exciting project, and Warners/DC such collaborative and supportive partners, that it took me months to realise I really didn’t have a story.

I’m grateful to [DC President Geoff Johns] and [Warner Bros. President Toby Emmerich] and everyone who was so welcoming when I arrived, and so understanding when I…uh, is there a sexier word for ‘failed?’

Warner Bros and DC turned to Whedon to helm Batgirl in the hopes of turning the film into a companion piece for the – at the time upcoming – Wonder Woman film. However the runaway financial, critical and cultural success of Wonder Woman significantly shifted the narrative surrounding large-scale Hollywood blockbusters and female filmmakers. THR reports that Warner and DC are quietly using the opportunity to shift their thinking on a potential Batgirl movie, given that a male filmmaker would potentially be open to harsh scrutiny in taking on a film with such significantly feminist importance as Batgirl, much in the same way that a white filmmaker would’ve been run through the ringer had they been hired to direct Black Panther, for example.

Whedon previously copped a barrage of criticism after his long-lost attempt at a Wonder Woman script surfaced online, which contained profoundly sexist overtones.

The standalone Batgirl film remains in limbo. In the meantime, DC is focused on its upcoming slate of films which includes AquamanShazam!, and Wonder Woman 2.

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