HBO Max’s upcoming Batgirl film is now reported to be released in 2022. With the anticipation of Matt Reeves’s upcoming film The Batman, Barbara Gordon is the next logical step to hit viewer’s screens. The HBO Max film is reportedly a Batgirl origin story that will be darker than ever.
There is a question of how dark this film will be. Barbara’s past as a caped crusader has not been a light affair. The Joker committed an atrocity in “The Killing Joke” by paralyzing Barbara. However, there is not much more information on the plot of the film. Leslie Grace will be the one to portray Batgirl. She is most notable for playing Nina Rosario in Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s In the Heights. Additionally, there is exciting news that JK Simmons will be returning as Barbara’s father, Commissioner Gordon.
Barbara Gordon’s Legacy
Unfortunately, many of Barbara Gordon’s live-action counterparts have not aged well. For instance, Alicia Silverstone portrayed Barbara in Batman and Robin. Silverstone’s portrayal of Baraba was wildly inaccurate. Barbara appeared as Alfred’s niece for some reason. This is a strange choice as she is most notable for being Gordon’s daughter, and as George Clooney can attest, the film is despised for its overly campy nature.
Additionally, Barbara Gordon appeared on the WB’s short-lived show Birds of Prey. Birds of Prey premiered in 2002. The series only lasted fourteen episodes. In the series, Dina Meyer played Barbara as her alias Oracle.
One of Barbara’s most accurate portrayals was in DC’s Harley Quinn. The animated show takes a delightful spin on many familiar faces from Batman. While it takes a humorous tone, many of the characters are true to form. Harley and Poison Ivy meet Barbara as a college student. Batman is missing in action and Barbara takes up the mantle. She uses his signal as a homage to fighting crime. Viewers can hope to see a grittier portrayal of Barbara Gordon when Batgirl airs on HBO Max in 2022.
