If you’re expecting to see a big movie star like Emma Stone or Jennifer Lawrence as the DC Extended Universe’s Batgirl, you may not be comfortable with what director Joss Whedon just said about casting the iconic female superhero.
Superhero movie fans were extremely surprised to hear about Whedon joining the DCEU to direct a Batgirl standalone movie. And now, it appears that the fan-favorite director has no intention of casting a fan-favorite actress as Barbara Gordon. On the red carpet at the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 world premiere, Variety asked whether he had begun thinking about who might portray the female superhero. Whedon’s response:
I don't have my eye on anybody. I feel like I'm creating this character. I'm gonna dialogue with her, and then we'll see who joins that later on"¦I doubt it will be a name. This is somewhere where you go and find Batgirl, and then you cast her.
Pressed further on the notion that he might not sign a famous actress to play Batgirl, the Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron director insisted that the Batgirl name is more significant than the actress wearing the cape and cowl:
I'm not against movie stars, they're great, but you need somebody who's going to be just right. And a situation like this, the name carries a lot of weight, so it's not as critical.
I’m a fan of the idea of Emma Stone playing Batgirl, but I think Whedon is heading in the right direction. He’s still figuring out his version of the character, how he will tell her story, and what he’ll require from the actress who plays the part. After he sorts all that out, he’ll cast an actress who meets all of his criteria.
Of course, his contributions to the entertainment industry demand that we place a good bit of faith in him and his ability as a director.
