Batgirl and Black Adam received the same test screening scores

Despite having the same low test screening scores, DCEU only canceled Batgirl while Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods are still set to premiere.


Warner Bros. Discovery canceled Batgirl despite the fact that the film was only a few touches short of a finished product. This perplexing decision is still baffling audiences around the world.

We have a feeling that Batgirl's cancellation isn't the last bad news we'll hear from Warner Bros. Discovery.
We have a feeling that Batgirl's cancellation isn't the last bad news we'll hear from Warner Bros. Discovery.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Batgirl received the same test screening score as two upcoming DCEU films, Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which all received scores in the low 60s.

So, it feels awfully unfair to blame the cancelation on the low scores. After all, Batgirl's test score is similar to 2017's It, which made $700.3 million at the global box office. Not to mention, the early scores for Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Black Adam are also in the 60s. So, what gives?

The verdict is still out on whether the Shazam! sequel can keep up with Avatar: The Way of Water in December.
The verdict is still out on whether the Shazam! sequel can keep up with Avatar: The Way of Water in December.

If we go by the same report, Warner Bros. Discovery's new leadership wanted audiences to enjoy films with more spectacle and the smaller feel of Batgirl just wasn't cutting it. In line with this, Warner Bros. also canceled an upcoming HBO Max movie, Wonder Twins.

In addition, another source notes that the company no longer believes in spending upwards of $80 million on a streaming movie if it doesn't attract more subscribers than a movie with half the budget or even less. This suggests that Warner Bros might still release DCEU films on HBO Max but it will give them a more reasonable budget. More importantly, the studio also wants theater releases to "feel theatrical."

All of this comes during a point of uncertainty for the DCEU. If Batgirl was supposed to re-introduce Michael Keaton's Batman to audiences, how are viewers going to react to seeing him now that he won't reappear until next year's very controversial, The Flash? Does this mean that Warner Bros. is diminishing Keaton's role in the DCEU? Maybe this is related to Ben Affleck coming back as Bruce Wayne for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?

Dwayne
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Black Adam have a lot of heavy lifting to do for the DCEU in October.

Warner Bros. Discovery has a lot of explaining to do and we're hoping that we'll get fewer axing news and more reassurance going forward. The 10-year plan is a good start, but we're looking for more.


Ray Ampoloquio
Ray is a lifelong gamer with a nose for keeping up with the latest news in and out of the gaming industry. When he's not reading, writing, editing, and playing video games, he builds and repairs computers in his spare time. You can find Ray on Twitter.