Since the last decade, Superhero movies have become one of the most produced and watched genres worldwide. Be it for the big screen or as a TV series, and the interest quotient remains the same.
Marvel and DC are the top-tier listed studios that have created some of the most memorable movies of many beloved comic characters.
Bringing these fictional icons into life from pages has been one of the most challenging tasks as people expect a lot. They should have a story that entertains and inspires the audience whenever they see these Superheroes on screen.
This year a new character is going to embrace the screen. She is someone who usually is seen as an animated version of the DC comic book movies or just a supporting character to Batman.
You guessed it right! It’s the Batgirl.
We are sure that this machinery of making comic book movies is not stopping anytime soon. Each year there is a new iteration to look forward to, and people are looking forward to seeing this version of the Batgirl.
Production of the highly anticipated HBO Max movie, The Batgirl, is finally completed; on November 30, 2021, filming for Batgirl began in Glasgow, Scotland. The film’s cast and crew have teased behind-the-scenes photos and videos since filming began.
You may recognize Leslie Grace from In the Heights. She has been cast as Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) for the Batgirl movie.
Grace posted an Instagram photo of herself standing on a rooftop on a chilly night, showing off her Batgirl costume for the first time.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah pose with lead actress Leslie Grace to commemorate the film’s recent filming wrap.
As the filming was completed, Grace again shared the announcement on her Instagram with a video. Fans are very excited to know what the movie looks like after months of rumors and news.
She expressed gratitude to the crew for making it possible and promised to treasure those memories. The actress shared a behind-the-scenes video with the cast and crew on Instagram. Check out the video here:
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According to J.K. Simmons, the Batgirl film will explore Jim Gordon as a father figure to the titular heroine, and he praises Leslie Grace’s performance.
The supporting cast includes Simmons as Gordon, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Brendan Fraser as Firefly, Ivory Aquino as Alysia Yeoh, Rebecca Front, Jacob Scipio, Ethan Kai, and Corey Johnson, in unspecified roles.
J.K. Simmons returns to Gotham City for Batgirl to reprise his role as James Gordon
J.K Simmons first appeared as the Gotham City Police Commissioner in the theatrical cut of the DC Extended Universe’s Justice League, where he briefly spoke with Batman to learn about the city’s world-threatening enemies.
He came back for Zack Snyder’s extended version of the film, released last year on HBO Max.
Barbara Gordon, Jim’s daughter who becomes a GCPD officer but eventually turns to vigilantism when the sociopathic pyromaniac Firefly attacks the city, will make her DCEU debut in Batgirl.
As the production of Batgirl continues, those involved provide some insight into what to expect from their respective characters.
While speaking with A.Frame at the Academy Awards, J.K. Simmons revealed new details about his return as Jim Gordon in the forthcoming Batgirl film.
The actor teased that his character, Gordon, will be given a more significant role in the movie and that it will start exploring Gordon as a father to the protagonist.
Take a look at what Simmons said below:
“The tiny role that Commissioner Gordon played in Justice League was very businesslike and very, ‘Let’s see if we can stave off the end of the world!’ What appealed to me about this movie was from Jim Gordon’s point of voice, it’s really more a story about him as a guy and as a father and not just about the guy who’s turning on the Bat Signal and trying to keep the citizens of Gotham safe-although that’s obviously also a part of the story. But it was a chance to delve into a different aspect of the character. [Leslie Grace] brings so much to it. I completely agree about In the Heights. She was really charming and compelling and charismatic in that-and she brings all of that to Batgirl in addition to pretty kickass stunt skills.”
It’s not the first time Simmons has stated that Gordon will play a more prominent role in the upcoming Batgirl film. He previously revealed that his role in Justice League would be more extensive than in either version, and it would explore “a completely different side” of Gordon.
Simmons’ new comments point to this different side, his relationship with Barbara as a father, which will undoubtedly be an exciting and unique dynamic, especially given the lack of any hint of her existence in the Justice League.
What may be intriguing to see is whether the Batgirl film introduces a wife for Simmons’ Jim Gordon or if the GCPD Commissioner portrays her as a single father. Previous depictions of the character have shown him as both single and married.
The comics depict Gordon married to a woman named Barbara and their offspring being the titular female lead.
However, with Simmons teasing a closer connection with his daughter, the two will likely be without a family matriarch. Only time can tell when Batgirl arrives on HBO Max later this year.
Of course, J.K. Simmons isn’t the only well-known actor who has joined the cast of the upcoming Batgirl film.
Michael Keaton’s return as The Batman
Fans are also enthusiastic to know that Michael Keaton will play Batman, supposedly training Leslie Grace’s title character in the ways of the superhero. Brendan Fraser will also play the villainous Firefly, continuing his latest famous streak.
It will be exciting to see how Batgirl performs on HBO Max and if the characters are given more prominent roles in the larger DC Extended Universe.
The streaming endeavor marks the first time a Batman protegee will show up in the shared universe, and it would be fantastic to see the Bat family expanded.
Batgirl will air on HBO Max in 2022, but no specific date has been revealed yet.