Gunn confirmed that none of his upcoming HBO Max projects will meet the same fate as “Batgirl.”
This week’s announcement that Warner Bros. Discovery would be scrapping its completed “Batgirl” film sent much of the entertainment industry into a panic. The decision to deny the film a theatrical or streaming release in favor of writing it off as a tax loss was a largely unprecedented one, and many feared it would have ramifications for other HBO Max original properties.
The move was part of a strategic shift that will see Warner Bros. moving away from expensive DC streaming content, preferring to use its comic book intellectual property to make theatrical films. But many noted that the some of the most promising Warner Bros. superhero projects in recent years have been developed for HBO Max. The studio’s attempt to establish a big screen cinematic universe for its DC characters has gotten off to several rocky starts, but James Gunn’s “Peacemaker” was a critical darling, with several planned spin-offs in development.
In the wake of the “Batgirl” news and the general uncertainty surrounding HBO Max that it created, many were worried that they had seen the last of John Cena as Peacemaker. As it turns out, that was a false alarm. Responding to a fan on Twitter on Sunday, James Gunn revealed that everything is still running smoothly on his side of the DC universe.
“No need to be worried on behalf of #Peacemaker,” Gunn tweeted. “Our friend will still be making lots of peace in Season 2.”
The news shouldn’t be surprising, as “Peacemaker” had previously been renewed for a second season. Many were more concerned about Gunn’s other planned “Suicide Squad” spin-offs for HBO Max, including a show about Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, that hadn’t yet aired. But when a fan asked about his other HBO Max projects, Gunn once again assured everyone that there is nothing to worry about.
“Everything is beyond good on all fronts, yes,” he wrote.
While Gunn has not spoken publicly about the “Batgirl” cancellation, he was in contact with the film’s directors, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Arbi took to Instagram this week to thank his Hollywood friends for the outpouring of support that they received, citing Gunn as an ally who particularly helped.
“Thanks for all the messages of support all over the world,” he wrote. “Shoutout directors Edgar Wright and James Gunn, your kind words and experience mean a lot and help us through this difficult period.”
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