Batgirl director desperately tried to salvage movie footage before it was deleted

One of the directors of the cancelled Batgirl movie has revealed how he attempted to salvage footage of his project before discovering Warner Bros. had deleted it completely.

Bilall Fallah, who directed Batgirl alongside partner Adil El Arbi, found out the movie had been cancelled just like everyone else when the news circulated online.

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Amazon Prime right now?

Tuesday 10 February 2026, 14:38

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Netflix right now?

Monday 9 February 2026, 15:27

The superhero movie, starring Leslie Grace as Batgirl, was filmed to be part of the extended DC Universe and was actually near completion before Warner Bros. decided to pull the plug.

Speculation has been rife as to why it has been cancelled, with the general assumption being that Warner Bros. pulled the plug as a tax write-off due to a change in strategy within the studio.

Michael Keaton filmed scenes to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman, while Brendan Fraser portrayed supervillain Firefly.

Fallah says he tried to save what he could from the film, but the studio had already deleted everything.

In an interview with Skript, he said:

"No, we have nothing. Adil called and told me, 'Go ahead! Shoot everything on your phone!' I went on the server... Everything was gone. We were ... 'F**ing shit!'... We did not keep  with Batman in it."

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah statement on Batgirl

“We are saddened and shocked by the news,” the pair said in a released statement after the news broke about the cancellation.

“We still can’t believe it. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will Insha’Allah.”

"Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life.

"We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, JK Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgiirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.

“In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment.

"Batgirl For Life.”