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Batgirl film cancelled: No plans to release film on HBO Max or Theaters

miraimatt

miraimatt

Member
Oct 27, 2017
94
i don't get defending these ghoulish bean-counters. they're axing everything they can. it isn't about quality, it's about numbers on a spreadsheet. you can say "well it's a business!! they gotta make the numbers go up!!!" but somehow other studios manage to function as capitalist enterprises without treating people this badly.

feels like Konami around 2015 in terms of the aggressive torching of goodwill of creators and fans alike.

(i especially don't get snyder bros cheering this on… don't they realize the mechanism in play here—original content for HBO Max that is movie-ish—is the exact same one by which they got the thing they wanted so badly?)
 
mreddie

mreddie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
44,216
https://www.indiewire.com/2022/08/hbo-max-removed-6-streaming-movies-1234747761/

Zaslav:

john-wick-keanu-reeves.gif
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 17, 2018
44,208
miraimatt said:
i don't get defending these ghoulish bean-counters. they're axing everything they can. it isn't about quality, it's about numbers on a spreadsheet. you can say "well it's a business!! they gotta make the numbers go up!!!" but somehow other studios manage to function as capitalist enterprises without treating people this badly.

feels like Konami around 2015 in terms of the aggressive torching of goodwill of creators and fans alike.

(i especially don't get snyder bros cheering this on… don't they realize the mechanism in play here—original content for HBO Max that is movie-ish—is the exact same one by which they got the thing they wanted so badly?)
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If those companies inherit debt like WB/Discovery did, it is entirely possible they would take a similar route. Which is bad, obviously, but art as a commercial product under capitalism means it is ultimately at the whims of said beancounters.
 
Furisu

Furisu

Poutine on the Ritz
Member
Dec 5, 2018
2,991
Hollywood is buzzing around Warner Bros. Discovery's upcoming earnings results and plans for a combined streaming service, which can upend its most popular streamer

Hollywood is abuzz with speculation approaching Warner Bros. Discovery's first quarterly earnings since becoming the nation's No. 2 entertainment giant on Thursday. Multiple insiders told TheWrap they expect Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav to announce a major restructuring of marquee streaming platforms HBO Max and Discovery+ during its results or soon after.
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Should find out more tomorrow, as per this The Wrap article (behind a paywall):
www.thewrap.com

Speculation Is on Fire Around HBO Max's Future, Planned Layoffs in Major Streaming Shake-Up - TheWrap

Hollywood is buzzing around Warner Bros. Discovery's upcoming earnings results and plans for a combined streaming service, which can upend its most popular streamer
www.thewrap.com www.thewrap.com
 
miraimatt

miraimatt

Member
Oct 27, 2017
94
Mekanos said:
If those companies inherit debt like WB/Discovery did, it is entirely possible they would take a similar route. Which is bad, obviously, but art as a commercial product under capitalism means it is ultimately at the whims of said beancounters.
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sure, but like… don't do that, then? the people doing this came from Discovery. they are the ones who chose to make the deal! it's not like they somehow just ended up here and are trying to make the best of things.

if the situation is forcing them to treat people badly, and the situation is something they themselves engineered, then it's still their responsibility.

(i appreciate the response and i apologize for any harshness in tone. i am irritated at david zaslav, not you)
 
GreenMamba

GreenMamba

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,326
Antoo said:
www.hollywoodreporter.com

Behind the Cancellation of ‘Batgirl’

The HBO Max film fell victim to a change in corporate strategy.
www.hollywoodreporter.com www.hollywoodreporter.com

hollywood reporter reveals the film tested in the 60s range, which is comparable to what it part 1 and shazam 2 (which hasn't released yet) scored
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That sounds like it was testing totally fine, so hopefully we can put to rest the idea it was cancelled because it was somehow uniquely terrible.
 
Scrappy-Fan92

Scrappy-Fan92

Member
Jan 14, 2021
8,924
Praetorpwj said:
It's a fantastic four minute scene. It's a complete mystery to me how the consistent charm and quality of the DCAU never influenced the live action stuff in the 90's more. After producing two series of award winning BTAS in early 90's WB could only come up with Batman Forever.
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Different production crews with (ostensibly) different aims will do that. What Warner took away from B:TAS was that a less overtly violent Batman could be profitable. They were correct, they just proceeded to meddle in certain other ways. At least Schumacher's team paid homage to the DCAU by importing Mr. Freeze's new backstory into the live-action film continuity, even if it was a tonal clash with the rest of Batman & Robin.
 
Griffith

Griffith

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,585
And yet some people have faith in the DCEU...

Absurd move to just throw all of that money away. Even more absurd that this movie got cancelled yet the Flash is still okay and dandy for release.
 
Liquidsnake

Liquidsnake

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,987
I don't think anybody here really cares what I have to say and what I'm about to say is probably not a popular opinion, but I think this is a very good thing. If the quality is not up to par then why do further damage to the brand just cancel it and Move on.

It is better to not release it ever, than to release it and further damage the brand.

I only wish they would've done this with the last matrix movie, that film destroyed the brand and did irreparable harm to it.
 
Vonocourt

Vonocourt

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,629
Liquidsnake said:
I don't think anybody here really cares what I have to say and what I'm about to say is probably not a popular opinion, but I think this is a very good thing. If the quality is not up to par then why do further damage to the brand just cancel it and Move on.

It is better to not release it ever been to release it in further damage the brand.
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www.hollywoodreporter.com

Behind the Cancellation of ‘Batgirl’

The HBO Max film fell victim to a change in corporate strategy.
www.hollywoodreporter.com www.hollywoodreporter.com
Either way, when a very early version of the film test screened, with temp VFX and score, it landed a score in the low 60s and is believed to have only tested once. Film producers and executives have long noted that test screenings are best used to determine whether audiences are engaged or disengaged during certain parts of the film, not as a final judgment call on a movie. For example, horror films that end up doing well have been known to test in the 60s. Batgirl's test score, which was for a director's cut, is comparable to scores for the first It (2017), which wound up grossing $700.3 million globally, as well as an early score for the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Both of those films tested in the 60s.
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It probably wouldn't have.
 
Lukar

Lukar

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,429
Liquidsnake said:
I don't think anybody here really cares what I have to say and what I'm about to say is probably not a popular opinion, but I think this is a very good thing. If the quality is not up to par then why do further damage to the brand just cancel it and Move on.

It is better to not release it ever, than to release it and further damage the brand.

I only wish they would've done this with the last matrix movie, that film destroyed the brand and did irreparable harm to it.
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It sounds like it wasn't going to be bad though? Certainly not brand-damaging:

Antoo said:
www.hollywoodreporter.com

Behind the Cancellation of ‘Batgirl’

The HBO Max film fell victim to a change in corporate strategy.
www.hollywoodreporter.com www.hollywoodreporter.com

hollywood reporter reveals the film tested in the 60s range, which is comparable to what it part 1 and shazam 2 (which hasn't released yet) scored
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CrichtonKicks

CrichtonKicks

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,216
Liquidsnake said:
I don't think anybody here really cares what I have to say and what I'm about to say is probably not a popular opinion, but I think this is a very good thing. If the quality is not up to par then why do further damage to the brand just cancel it and Move on.

It is better to not release it ever, than to release it and further damage the brand.

I only wish they would've done this with the last matrix movie, that film destroyed the brand and did irreparable harm to it.
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And who exactly is supposd to be the arbitre of whether it's up to par? If the movie had been released and the movie resonated with even a small minority of the viewers should they have been denied that experience because Liquidsnake is worried about protecting the "brand"?
 
ZeoVGM

ZeoVGM

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
76,219
Providence, RI
Liquidsnake said:
I don't think anybody here really cares what I have to say and what I'm about to say is probably not a popular opinion, but I think this is a very good thing. If the quality is not up to par then why do further damage to the brand just cancel it and Move on.

It is better to not release it ever, than to release it and further damage the brand.
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As has been noted about 65 times so far in this thread, it had nothing to do with the quality of the film.

I only wish they would've done this with the last matrix movie, that film destroyed the brand and did irreparable harm to it.
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lol what

You can't be serious.
 
Liquidsnake

Liquidsnake

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,987
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt or they would be releasing it. Pure and simple. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
 
blueredandgold

blueredandgold

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,657
Don't feel like joining the quote pile-on but don't ever think that if the consensus is going one way you shouldn't chime in and express thoughts that go against the grain.

There's nothing wrong in thinking this!

I've always thought movie threads on here were full of people more entertained by situations exactly like this rather than the actual films (no matter who makes 'em) and this is proving me right.

There's a lot of shall we say, 'earthy' language in any thread about a DC movie, so it's always dis-heartening to hear people sometimes turned off by participating.
 
Vonocourt

Vonocourt

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,629
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt they would've released it if that was the case. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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No one is saying that but you accuse us of being in fantasy land while you're just making up nonsense to feel self-righteous and persecuted about.
 
ZeoVGM

ZeoVGM

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
76,219
Providence, RI
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt they would've released it if that was the case. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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This is embarrassing.
 
CrichtonKicks

CrichtonKicks

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,216
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt they would've released it if that was the case. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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So you just link your taste to the corporate executives and let them decide what you should like? You're embarrasing yourself.
 
Lotus

Lotus

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
105,987
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt or they would be releasing it. Pure and simple. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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Ok...
 
fontguy

fontguy

Avenger
Oct 8, 2018
16,158
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt or they would be releasing it. Pure and simple.
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The movie existed to draw people to a service the new CEO is functionally discontinuing.

EDIT: "The HBO Max staff were bad at their jobs. If they weren't, they wouldn't have all been fired. Pure and simple."
 
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JayCB64

JayCB64

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,991
Wales
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt or they would be releasing it. Pure and simple. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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This is my new favourite copypasta
 
Ayirek

Ayirek

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,255
NinjaScooter said:
I don't think this decision is a DCEU thing or a referendum on how the new leadership feels about the DCEU. Its a They don't want to spend more money on HBO Max content anymore thing.
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I'm not a film executive but it seems to me that filming the movie is the expensive part, and not releasing it prevents any chance to recoup that investment. That's just silly.
 

Deleted member 3896

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,815
Liquidsnake said:
To everybody saying it's a great movie that's not how they felt or they would be releasing it. Pure and simple. this is money motivated and the truth is the movie was just not up to par otherwise they would release it. And this is why I don't post here as often as I used to you guys live in fantasyland sometimes I will dip out of this thread and let you all continue the conversation about how amazing this movie is.
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Super bizarre, context-free post.

Who knows how the movie was? But coming in here after other completed or nearly completed projects have been axed, memory hole'd and made into tax write offs and insist that lol Batgirl sucked lol is the worst kind of lazy ass shitposting.
 
Zeliard

Zeliard

Member
Jun 21, 2019
10,952
Mercury Fred said:
Super bizarre, context-free post.

Who knows how the movie was? But coming in here after other completed or nearly completed projects have been axed, memory hole'd and made into tax write offs and insist that lol Batgirl sucked lol is the worst kind of lazy ass shitposting.
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Also the test screening scores came out, which showed Batgirl scoring in the 60s. That isn't incredible but hardly a disaster and in line with movies like IT and Shazam 2, the latter of which is notably costlier but critically to all of this was always budgeted and intended as a theatrical release.

For a time, according to multiple sources, Warners considered pumping more money into Batgirl to beef it up into a 2023 theatrical release. Another source downplays the notion that a theatrical upgrade was seriously in contention, as from the script stage it was conceived as a streaming play. Either way, when a very early version of the film test screened, with temp VFX and score, it landed a score in the low 60s and is believed to have only tested once. Film producers and executives have long noted that test screenings are best used to determine whether audiences are engaged or disengaged during certain parts of the film, not as a final judgment call on a movie. For example, horror films that end up doing well have been known to test in the 60s. Batgirl's test score, which was for a director's cut, is comparable to scores for the first It (2017), which wound up grossing $700.3 million globally, as well as an early score for the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Both of those films tested in the 60s.
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www.hollywoodreporter.com

Behind the Cancellation of ‘Batgirl’

The HBO Max film fell victim to a change in corporate strategy.
www.hollywoodreporter.com www.hollywoodreporter.com

The article then goes on to say:

At a certain point, a source notes, it doesn't make financial sense to spend $80 million or $90 million on a streaming movie, as it won't necessarily attract more subscribers than, say, a $40 million movie. (In an earnings disclosure in April, HBO and its HBO Max streaming service counted 76.8 million combined global subscribers.)

Going forward, a streaming film will be made for a more modest number, "and if it's for theatrical, it better feel theatrical," notes a knowledgeable source.
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TheMerv

TheMerv

Member
Jan 1, 2022
1,545
I'm just gonna mention that Matrix Resurrections is my favourite film of the past year. It's the kind of film we'll never see from WB again. If it destroyed the Matrix brand to the point were WB never makes another one then you know what?

Good.

I'd rather not WB soil Resurrections with a pale imitation.
 
DrScruffleton

DrScruffleton

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,555
Any chance this ever gets leaked then? Like what does "Shelved" actually mean? It just sits on some hard drive somewhere forever? They destroy every copy? Are there any requirements about the storage of it for them to write it off for taxes?

sSkphlo.jpeg
 
Chaofahn

Chaofahn

Member
Nov 16, 2017
463
Melbourne, Australia
It absolutely boggles my mind how behind Warner Bros is for DC films. I love Superman and Batman as much as the next guy, but the Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam movies were a total breath of fresh air for a non-comic book dude/comic casual like me due to their mainstream obscurity.

It's why the likes of Netherrealm Studio's Injustice and their story mode gripped me so tightly - DC has a plethora of interesting, tentpole characters that can headline their own movies. Hell, adapt the story from both games!! And if colour-swapping Batgirl/Supergirl is too much for them, surely they can elevate characters of different ethnicities from their library.

Such a damn shame this was canned.
 
Paquete_PT

Paquete_PT

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
5,335
Liquidsnake said:
I only wish they would've done this with the last matrix movie, that film destroyed the brand and did irreparable harm to it.
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Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but this is a forum, you have to be ready for your opinion to be challenged, it's not really personal.
You say most people here are on a fantasy land yet you come here with this take that I'm assuming is just your opinion. The last Matrix "destroyed the brand" for you. I personally liked it more than any of the first 2 sequels, it was a great sci fi love story and a great take on remakes made for nostalgia/profit sake. The movie is deeper than it seems.
You clearly aren't thinking about the people behind these projects and think everything comes down to quality and profit. And you're probably right, and that's how Hollywood thinks, it's a business. But if movies are art than we have to look at more than that. In Batgirl you had a new superhero played by a latina woman that could inspire so many girls, regardless of the movie not being up to par with Nolan's Batman. This matters. Probably more than the end quality of the movie.
 
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