J.K. Simmons Finally Speaks Out on ‘Batgirl’ Cancellation – And Reveals He Never Even Saw the Finished Film

J.K. Simmons has finally shared his thoughts on the cancelled Batgirl movie, revealing that he never actually watched the finished film. The actor, who was set to return as Commissioner James Gordon, recently talked about the project and said he still does not know what the final version looked like.

The Batgirl movie became one of the biggest examples of an unfinished Hollywood project after Warner Bros. Discovery decided not to release it. The film had already been completely shot and was deep into post-production when the studio cancelled it. With a reported budget of around $90 million, the movie was turned into a tax write-off instead of being released in theaters or on streaming.

Simmons discussed the situation during an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. Horowitz asked the actor about his experience with DC projects, including Justice League and Batgirl, and whether he felt like he missed out on playing such an important character.

Simmons first played Commissioner Gordon in Justice League and was supposed to continue the role in Batgirl. The cancelled movie featured Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, with Michael Keaton returning as Batman. The film was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and was planned as a new story focused on the early days of Batgirl.

When asked if he had ever seen the movie, Simmons admitted that he had not.

“No. No. Apparently, one test audience saw it, and, you know, it wasn’t like it was like a bad score from the test audience. It was, yeah, it was a whatever business decision obviously,” Simmons said.

The actor explained that he was excited about the project and enjoyed working with the filmmakers. While he never got to see the final cut, he believed the movie had the potential to be a fun superhero adventure.

“When Batgirl came along with Adil and Bilall and, you know, it was an exciting prospect to be part of the origin story of Batgirl. For those who don’t know, Commissioner Gordon’s daughter,” Simmons said.

He added that everyone involved had a good experience making the film and thought audiences would enjoy it.

“It was, yeah, we really had a good time making it and thought it was going to be a fun superhero movie,” the actor explained.

The cancellation of Batgirl happened shortly after Warner Bros. and Discovery completed their merger. At the time, the studio was changing its approach to DC projects and looking for ways to reduce costs. Since Batgirl was originally planned as an HBO Max release instead of a theatrical movie, the company decided that cancelling the project made more financial sense.

A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson later said the decision was not connected to the cast’s performances and praised Leslie Grace and the filmmakers for their work.

The movie’s cancellation also happened during a major transition period for DC. The old DC Extended Universe was ending, and James Gunn and Peter Safran later took control of the franchise and began building a new DC Universe.

During the announcement of the new DC plans, Safran revealed that he had seen Batgirl but believed it was not ready for release. He said, “That film was not releasable,” while also praising the talented people involved with the project.

Despite the movie being cancelled, Safran confirmed that Batgirl herself still has a future in the DC Universe. He said Barbara Gordon is a character the studio plans to use eventually, although there are currently no clear details about when she will appear.

For now, the Batgirl movie remains one of the most unusual stories in recent superhero history. Fans may never see the film, and even one of its own stars, J.K. Simmons, never got the chance to watch the finished version.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!