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‘Batgirl’ star begs Warner Bros. to release the movie in emotional thread

It's not too late to do the right thing, WB.

Christian Bone Aug 25, 2022 11:07 am2022-08-25T11:07:50-05:00

Leslie Grace in costume for the movie Batgirl

via Warner Bros.

DC fans are crushed by the news that Warner Bros. Discovery has cancelled the release of Batgirl, which had completed filming and was all set to drop on HBO Max, but the sadness would-be viewers are feeling is nothing compared to what the cast and crew of the movie must be going through. To have worked so hard on a project that they thought was going to be watched by millions globally only to be told it’s never going to see the light of day can only be a heartbreaking experience.

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It turns out the shocking news was particularly tough for actress Ivory Aquino to take. Aquino, who would’ve appeared as Alysia Yeoh in the Leslie Grace vehicle, took to Twitter today to share an open and emotional thread about her reaction to the Batgirl cancellation. In the wake of reports that the studio is planning to literally destroy the film, Aquino made a public call for WB execs to rethink their actions.

movie, I ask that this measure be reconsidered.

As much as I’ve tried my best to be strong these past few weeks, I’d find myself crying, for lack of a better term, from grief, and tonight was one of those nights. As much as Batgirl has been labeled a woke film, it simply came
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

Aquino added that a “father-daughter story” like Batgirl was a special project especially due to her own father’s recent passing.

around the world, grown and not-so-grown, who hold their fathers in the highest esteem and who could see Batgirl as a story of that special bond.

I’ve found myself not being able to talk about this ordeal with anyone. I realized that no one, apart from those involved with the
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

The star praised Grace, who was to portray the eponymous heroine, for the “words of comfort and support” she shared following the announcement.

endeavor. Leslie checked in on me the day we found out of the shelving and only had words of comfort and support. I’ve dared not ask since if she’s spent nights holding back tears like I have because she has had to be the face of our Batgirl family and has had to put on a brave
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

Aquino addressed the rest of her open letter directly to CEO David Zaslav, calling on him to view the “little cogs” of the system as “fellow human beings and artists who, when given the chance, can outperform the equation and multiply the bottom line exponentially.”

is like one large cog atop increasingly smaller cogs underneath. One seemingly small movement by this large cog may seem relatively tiny, but for those little cogs at the bottom, they can be spinning ten-fold and the effects can be seismic.
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

product of our hearts and souls, that the little cogs not simply be seen as widgets whose fates are determined by an equation to benefit the bottom line. More than widgets, we are fellow human beings and artists who, when given the chance, can outperform the equation and multiply
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

from Glasgow where we filmed and from all over the world. Now, more people know about our labor of love and are eager to see the movie. I do hope you get to read this letter. Consider releasing Batgirl. She’s always been an underdog and has nowhere to go but up.
— Ivory Aquino (@MsIvoryAquino) August 25, 2022

Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have previously admitted that they tried to rescue footage from Warner servers after the sad news came out, only to find it had already been wiped. Internal screeners are allegedly happening, so fans are praying that some brave soul will leak it online so Batgirl doesn’t get consigned to the Arkham Asylum of lost movies forever.