Although Joss Whedon left the project two months ago and left Batgirl temporarily in limbo, Warner Bros. has quickly moved ahead to find his replacement. Christina Hodson has signed on to pen a new version of the script.
Hodson made the transition from development executive to screenwriter four year ago, and since then has found nothing but success. Her scripts have appeared three times on the famed black list, she’s penned the script for 2017 thriller Unforgettable and she’s currently working on the Transformers spinoff, Bumblebee, and the remake of The Fugitive.
What makes this an even better fit is that back in 2016, the studio recruited her to write Birds Of Prey, a Harley Quinn-centric Suicide Squad spinoff.
The Batgirl film will finally give one of DC comics most established female heroes her own film, and will feature the character’s most iconic incarnation behind the mask: Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon.
Whedon was attached to the project for nearly a year before stepping down in February. He explained his decision in a statement:
“Batgirl is such an exciting project, and Warners/DC such collaborative and supportive partners, that it took me months to realise I really didn’t have a story. I’m grateful to everyone who was so welcoming when I arrived, and so understanding when I…uh, is there a sexier word for ‘failed’?”
Batgirl currently doesn’t have a release date, which is probably a good thing as it doesn’t have to race through production just to hit a mostly arbitrary date the studio picked out. However, reports suggest that Warner Bros. is eyeing the film to be a part of a second wave of superhero movies after Wonder Woman 2, along with The Flash and other titles.
Hodson’s hiring is a great one, as she looks to be on the precipice of breaking out into one of Hollywood’s best screenwriters. This gig should give her the opportunity to do just that.
#Peace.Love.Batgirl
