J.K. Simmons calls Batgirl cancellation bizarre

Four years after Warner Bros. Discovery canceled the completed film "Batgirl," actor J.K. Simmons has publicly described the decision as "bizarre," expressing his continued confusion over the project's fate. Simmons, who reprised his role as Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon in the movie, made the comments during a recent interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast.

The film, which was fully shot and in post-production with a reported budget of $90 million, was abruptly shelved in 2022. It was intended for a release on the HBO Max streaming service and featured Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, the commissioner's daughter who becomes the titular heroine. The cast also included Michael Keaton returning as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, and Ivory Aquino. The directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah helmed the project from a screenplay by Christina Hodson.

Simmons stated that, based on his understanding, the cancellation was not due to negative audience feedback from a single test screening. He characterized it as a business decision, noting that the cast and crew had a good time making what they believed would be a "fun superhero movie." The actor...