Comic book adaptations are, in many ways, easier than most other kinds of adaptations. Not only is there pre-existing material, but there is an abundance of it, so if one storyline is bad, there’s more to choose from. However, it looks like Joss Whedon was having a creative block because he left the Batgirl project because he was unable to come up with a story for the super heroine.
“Batgirl is such an exciting project, and Warners/DC such collaborative and supportive partners, that it took me months to realize I really didn’t have a story,” Whedon told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. Referring to DC president Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. Picture Group president Toby Emmerich, he added, “I’m grateful to Geoff and Toby and everyone who was so welcoming when I arrived, and so understanding when I…uh, is there a sexier word for ‘failed?'”
It is bizarre that Whedon couldn’t find any inspiration in the hundreds of stories involving Batgirl, especially because she is such a popular character. Sources say that, even after a year, he couldn’t come up with a story that would give audiences what they wanted.
Whedon was known for female-led series in the 1990s and early 2000s, but a lot of people started to question if the director/writer knew what he was doing when Black Widow’s plot line in Age of Ultron was reduced to a romance and anxieties about being barren. Whedon and DC have a solid relationship, given that he took over directing duties on Justice League after the tragic death of Zack Snyder’s daughter. Still, Whedon might have felt pressure to come up with something as loved as Wonder Woman, a tall order indeed.
Now that Whedon is gone, and the DCEU as we know it is trying to figure out their next move, it’s unlikely that Batgirl will be getting that solo film anytime soon.
