The surprising cancellation of the $90 million project that starred Leslie Grace and with Michael Keaton and J.K. Simmons (returning as their versions of Batman and Commissioner Gordon) sent massive ripples in Hollywood. The DC Extended Universe has not had a smooth road compared to its chief rival, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some fans have cried foul over the Batgirl cancellation, given that it was nearly finished. Supporters of Brendan Fraser, in particular, felt cheated in missing out on the actor’s nuanced portrayal of super-villain Firefly. Moreover, fans have worried that Batgirl’s cancellation might mean more DCEU projects being crossed out. However, it appears not all are on the chopping block for now. The Black Canary and Blue Beetle projects have been reported to be moving forward, according to inside sources.
Black Canary
According to a report posted by TVLine, the Birds of Prey spinoff Black Canary is still moving forward with its production. The report pointed out that Jurnee Smollett is collaborating with Misha Green (Lovecraft County) in developing the script. Earlier in May, Green confirmed that she was working on the plot, responding through her official Twitter account:
— Misha Green (@MishaGreen) May 4, 2022 However, while the report was recent, no new specifics have been revealed. Furthermore, the last news of the development update was prior to the cancellation of the Batgirl HBO Max project.
Blue Beetle
Shifting to a DCEU project with more concrete details, the Blue Beetle feature film seems to be safe. In a report by The Hollywood Reporter, it name checks the superhero film headlined by Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai) to be moving towards its August 2023 release: Directed by Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings), Blue Beetle will be the first major superhero film with a Latino as the lead. Principal photography had wrapped earlier in July.
— IGN (@IGN) August 10, 2022 The film will center on the Jaime Reyes version of the Blue Beetle, which is the story of a teenager who inadvertently becomes the keeper of the Blue Beetle scarab. The mystical artifact creates a living armor that provides various powers, including flight, super-strength, and the ability to create weapons from its carapace.
Some more DCEU projects are safe while others slowed down
In the same THR report, other earlier confirmed and in-development projects were mentioned. The second season of Peacemaker and the other projects under James Gunn appear to be safe. Likewise, the sequel to The Joker film with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga is progressing. On the other hand, certain other rumored and confirmed projects are apparently showing no movement. As the report states: The article also mentions that all these projects were building up to a Crisis on Infinite Earths style of event under Walter Hamada. Given the cancellation and slowdown of these projects, as well as the restructuring of the DC Extended Universe overseen by Alan Horn, this Crisis event might no longer be on the table, at least for now. During the Q2 earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav pointed out that the new management is focusing on quality over quantity. Zaslav added: It is entirely possible the Black Canary and Blue Beetle projects will be altered in a way that reflects this new mandate of quality under Warner Bros. Discovery. No release date has been provided for the Black Canary film. Blue Beetle is reportedly scheduled for a theatrical release on August 18, 2023.
