We may not get to see Brendan Fraser as Firefly in Batgirl, but the actor could end up playing another character in the DCU. No stranger to DC-based stories, Fraser has been featured in all four seasons of Doom Patrol as Cliff Steele, aka Robotman, sharing the role with Riley Shanahan. While Shanahan is the one under the suit, Fraser voices the character and physically appears as Cliff in flashback sequences. Recently, it was announced that the show’s current fourth season will be its last, finishing up Fraser’s work in that world.
It’s been well documented how Fraser was also a part of Batgirl, appearing as the villain opposite Javicia Leslie as the titular crime-fighter. That movie had finished filming and was reportedly holding test screenings before it was abruptly canceled, an apparent victim of new programming strategies and cost-cutting measures resulting from the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. New DC Studios co-head Peter Safran has described the film as “not releasable,” standing by the decision to keep Batgirl on the shelf. Fraser’s fans had been lookign forward to seeing him in the film, greatly disappointing many.
For what it’s worth, the door is open for Fraser to step back into another DC property. Speaking with Variety, the actor says he’s still open to doing more DC projects, clearly not holding any grudges over Batgirl getting axed. With that said, it would depend upon the right role, as it would need to be something that intrigues him. As Fraser said, when asked if he’d do more DC projects:
“Um, maybe… everything is contingent on what it’s about, the role. I mean, the job’s not easy to do, no matter who’s producing it. I just finished up with Doom Patrol, which is also a DC property, and that’s a unique cast. I loved that Riley Shanahan, an actor who wore all the gear, and I could just do the voice. I could do the job in my longjohns at home, because I was in a recording studio, so it was the best day job ever. Apart from that, I’m open to it.”
Fans May Never See Brendan Fraser as Firefly
Fraser seems to understand the decision to axe Batgirl, but he has spoken out about how he’s also unhappy that fans won’t get to see the film. The actor recently appeared on The Howard Stern Show and said that he had heard nothing but good things about Batgirl when it was suddenly canceled, though he says he was waiting for the film to be finalized before he personally took a look. He called the film’s cancelation “disappointing” and lamented how “little girls are gonna have to wait longer now before they can see a Batgirl who they can identify that says, ‘Hey she looks just like me too’ in Leslie Grace.”
Meanwhile, Fraser has drawn some high praise with his performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. It has earned him an Oscar nomination, and we’ll find out in March if he manages to snag the win.
