Refn says he ‘wants to make Batgirl,’ but would Warner Bros. be on board?
[dropcap size=small]N[/dropcap]ews has emerged revealing that Drive and Neon Demon director Nicolas Winding Refn would love to make a Batgirl solo film.
Refn has gone on record before stating that he would love to make a superhero movie, or more specifically a superhero movie of the Wonder Woman variety. Since that never came to fruition for Refn – with Patty Jenkins taking the director’s helm for the upcoming solo Wonder Woman title – the Danish director has turned his attention to a different DC leading lady.
It was during an interview with Business Insider that Refn expressed he still desired to make a superhero flick, and that Batgirl would be his top choice:
“God, I would love to make one, it would probably be great fun…I just don’t know when it’s going to happen. I very much enjoy my freedom creatively, but I also would love to make one of those big Hollywood films that costs a lot of money and has a lot of people running around with cell phones and all that insanity…You know the one I want to do? I want to make Batgirl. Let’s get Warner working on it.”
Refn would likely bring something interesting to the table, and whilst it’s high time we see a solo Batgirl film, it’s hard to say if Warner Bros. would be on board with the idea. Refn has certainly made film’s with strong female protagonists in the past, but his film’s are also known for their gore and unique creative flare. The ‘creative freedom’ he so enjoys could get in the way of making a film that’s part of a massive franchise, since he may not be so willing to yield to the demands of the studio.
There’s ample material to play around with, with other Batgirl incarnations such as Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Caine, but since Barbara Gordon is the current and most well known Batgirl, she would be the most likely choice if a solo title ever came about.
Regardless of whether it will actaully happen, we can’t help but wonder what the Danish director’s take on Batgirl would look like. Over the years Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl has made her best appearances in DC’s animated shows, and with the exception of the classic Yvonne Craig, the DC cinematic verse is sorely lacking a decent Batgirl. I suppose we should also mention the rather lacklustre ‘Barbara Wilson’ portrayal by Alicia Silverstone in Batman & Robin, but that’s one Batgirl we’d rather forget.
Since Warner Bros. are trying to strengthen DC’s cinematic verse after Batman V Superman, the studio might not be willing to bank on Refn and his creative vision, but if it did ever come to pass, Refn could bring something very original to the world of DC.
