Here’s some good news for anyone concerned that DC’s Batgirl movie would disappear after Joss Whedon left the project on Thursday. There’s a glimmer of hope because someone is throwing their hat in the ring.
On Thurdsay, writer Roxane Gay tweeted that she was interested in writing a Batgirl movie.
“I can write your batgirl movie, no prob,” Gay tweeted, directly to DC.
Luckily for Gay, and fans of Batgirl, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment Vice President Michele Wells replied to the tweet telling Gay to contact her if she’s serious.
Gay is a celebrated writer probably most famous for her 2014 essay collection Bad Feminist. Last year, she released her memoir Hunger. She also has experience in the comic book world, having written Marvel spin-off World of Wakanda with poet Yona Harvey, a love story about the adventures of two former members of the Dora Milaje. They were the first black women to be leader writers for Marvel.
Whedon’s Batgirl film was announced last year, but on Thursday he left the project because he didn’t have a story.
This new development also opens up the possibilities for what the Batgirl story could be. Whedon hoped to create a movie about Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl, but Gay could take the film in another direction. There are several versions of the character that exist in the DC Comics universe. Bette Kane, Cassandra Cain, and Stephanie Brown are also characters who have taken up the mantle of Batgirl in the character’s comic book history. Cassandra Cain would be a particularly interesting direction for the film because her interesting dark origin story and popularity since she was the first Batgirl to star in her own comic book series.
In either case, bringing on Gay would be smart because many would argue that a female screenwriter and director should be at the helm of Batgirl. In addition to the focus on diversity in the entertainment industry and vocal fans, it is important for people to tell their own stories. Patty Jenkins successfully made Wonder Woman for DC and it should be no different with Batgirl. In light of Whedon leaving the project, some made those exact feelings known on Twitter.
Batgirl fans can go into the weekend with a little bit more joy and hope thanks to Roxane Gay.
