Joss Whedon shares news on his Batgirl movie, including how he got the job and how ‘hardcore’ and ‘intense’ he thinks she is.
In case you forgot, Joss Whedon is doing a Batgirl movie! The man who gave us Buffy, the ultimate badass lady hero, is taking on a female superhero. The film is still in very early stages with not much to go on, but Whedon has finally divulged some details.
Whedon was at the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this week and gave some details on why and how his Batgirl movie came about.
"“We weren’t even talking about Batgirl – it came up as part of another conversation and then we all got so excited that the movie suddenly appeared. So that’s a really good sign to me. It wasn’t a slot they were trying to fill. We all just started talking about her and then I couldn’t stop. So, that’s a good feeling.”"
So far so good! Whedon and DC weren’t just trying to fill a slot or appease shareholders, this is an idea that came from a genuine excitement about a character and that has been lacking from the DCEU so far. I don’t think anyone would argue Zack Snyder has any real passion for Superman or Batman, or at least it doesn’t feel like it.
Let’s see what else Whedon has to say!
"“She came up, and I started getting obsessed with how a young woman could get hardcore enough to need to put on the cowl. Like, what’s her damage? She didn’t have her parents killed in an alley. Who is this person, who decides — rather than being forced to by their childhood trauma — decides to pick up this life? How intense and driven that person is … I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”"
It’s Barbara Gordon
Well, that’s … something. Batgirl didn’t come from a traumatic background, but she’s far from the only one. Superman didn’t start saving people because his parents got murdered, and neither did Wonder Woman. They just started become heroes because it was the right thing to do.
Maybe Whedon thinks Batgirl is different from them because she isn’t superpowered, but it’s still an unusual aspect of her character to focus on. Barbara Gordon (assuming that’s the Batgirl Whedon is working with) is the daughter of a cop who grew up with a front-row seat to the crime and corruption in Gotham. Earlier comics had her working for the Gotham PD as well, and in the New 52 she’s a forensic sciences student. She’s someone who sees firsthand the problems in Gotham and how effective Batman and Robin are at solving them. Why wouldn’t she join the fight? Does she have to be ‘intense’ or ‘hardcore’ to do this?
You don’t need a tragic backstory to be a superhero, and superheroes don’t need to be intense to be interesting. Hopefully, Whedon remembers that and there’s more to his passion for the character than just this one quote.
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Regardless, Joss Whedon’s Batgirl film has the potential to be a real bright spot in the DCEU. I can’t wait to see it, whatever it turns out to be.