Joss Whedon to Write and Direct Batgirl Movie
Joss Whedon will be switching comic allegiances as he enters talks to write, produce and direct a Batgirl movie for the DCEU.
Batgirl will be flying solo for Warner Bros and while the ink isn’t dry quite yet, and no other details about the project have been revealed at this stage, but expect confirmation and more information to follow soon.
EW are reporting that the comic books that will apparently influence Whedon’s creative choices. Sources tell EW that this version will be Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Gordon, and the movie will use the DC Comics New 52 version of the character as a starting point – which takes place several year after her notoriously inflicted spinal injuries during the events of the 1988 graphic novel, The Killing Joke. Here, Barbara, having recovered full mobility after experimental surgery, will be a more hard-edged character rather than the softer Barbara from the recent Batgirl of Burnside incarnation.
Whedon, should it need to be said, has a long history in the comic book world. He started the Astonishing X-Men comic book series for Marvel in 2004, and then was hired in 2005 (and paid $2-3 million) by Warner Bros to write a Wonder Woman movie that they later abandoned.
He then moved back to Marvel for a stint writing and directing The Avengers film and its sequel, Age of Ultron, while also helping to create their Agents of SHIELD series on ABC.
The movie will be the second female fronted superhero movie in the DCEU – although one wonders, even with Whedon’s knack for writing strong female characters, shouldn’t the creative team be headed by women?
