Rumor: Joss Whedon will not direct Batgirl
By Erik Swann
Joss Whedon has reportedly been dropped from Batgirl.
It’s hard to deny that things are somewhat shaky for the DC Extended Universe following the lukewarm reception to Justice League. As of right now, the studio still has Aquaman and Shazam in active production and a slate of other DC titles. However, it now appears that Batgirl one of those announced titles, may be in need of a new director.
SuperBroMovies are reporting that Joss Whedon will no longer direct Batgirl. A source from inside Warner Bros. tells the outlet that Whedon was actually removed from the project months ago. The decision was reportedly made after Whedon’s ex-wife wrote a piece for The Wrap discussing the director’s alleged extramarital affairs. As of right now, neither Warner Bros. nor Whedon have commented on the matter.
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The trade also reports that Warner Bros. knew the film would under perform due to its production problems, and things became “chaotic” when Whedon stepped in. This caused the studio to rethink the decision to have him direct his own film.
Warner Bros. signed Whedon to write, direct and produce the project earlier this year. Before starting work on it, he was of course tasked with finishing Justice League after Zack Snyder’s departure. With this, he rewrote scenes and oversaw the production’s extensive reshoots. Following the film’s release, his contributions have become somewhat controversial among fans.
This development may or may not surprise people. With his work in the superhero genre, Whedon was viewed as a major pick-up for the DCEU. Conversely, his work on Justice League and the eventual mixed response could have solidified this.
As mentioned, no official statement has been made by either party at this point, but if this is in fact true, it would be a serious blow to the DCEU.
Update: According to EW.com, Whedon will still direct Batgirl.