That was quick... Mere days after word surfaced that Warner Bros. had reached the critical screen testing phase, we now know that In The Heights' Leslie Grace has been cast as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the film to feature the character.
Bad Boys For Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are aboard to direct from a script by Birds Of Prey writer Christina Hodson (who cracked the concept and story where the previously attached Joss Whedon couldn't).
Batgirl, created by producer William Dozier, editor Julius Schwartz, writer Gardner Fox and artist Carmine Infantino, made her comic book debut as Betty Kane 50 years ago and remains a DC Comics staple. But by far the best known incarnation is Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, who has been through quite the character arc. When Barbara was left paralyzed by the Joker in Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel The Killing Joke, other crimefighters such as The Huntress and Orphan took up the Batgirl mantle, while Gordon became Oracle, who helped aid Batman in his adventures. The comic book company has since retconned the trauma and Gordon has appeared back as her heroic alter ego.
Grace herself confirmed the news with an excited tweet...
Zoey Deutch, Haley Lu Richardson and Isabela Merced were among the other actors vying for the role, but Grace will now slip into the cowl.
Right now, the film is (in the States at least), being targeted for a streaming debut on HBO Max, so we'll wait and see whether Warner Bros. offers a VOD deal or a cinema debut in the UK.