Batgirl director Adil El Arbi cheers for Brendan Fraser after his moving The Whale video goes viral. El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were directing the Batgirl movie for WB, with In the Heights actor Leslie Grace attached to play the titular role of Barbara Gordon. Fraser played the main antagonist, Firefly, in the movie, and his turn as a villain had many excited after photos of him in costume from Batgirl surfaced online. Unfortunately, last month, Batgirl was cancelled by WB during post-production as the studio re-strategized its theatrical release plan following its merger with Discovery.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
Despite Batgirl's scrapping, Fraser's fans will still get to see him grace the silver screen very soon, as he also hasthe Darren Aronofsky psychological drama, The Whale, scheduled to release later this year. The film had its international premiere at the 79th Venice Film Festival on Sunday, and the early reception was mostly positive. Fraser's performance as a 600lb, queer father hoping to reconnect with his daughter was particularly praised, so much so that he received a six-minute standing ovation for The Whale from the audience, and the touching recording of that moment has since gone viral.
Now, Batgirl director El Arbi shares the viral The Whale video on his Instagram story, congratulating Fraser for his achievement. He fondly recalls his experience working with the star, acknowledging his dedication, and ends his message with a strong claim suggesting Fraser "deserves the best." Take a look at a screenshot of his story below:
The new, heartwarming comments from El Arbi will indeed move fans who are still reeling from the surprise cancellation of Batgirl. For Fraser fans, all eyes were on that superhero movie, as people longed for the actor's resurgence in Hollywood. Sadly, their wishes couldn't be granted, and this is something the actor has expressed disappointment about himself. However, although Fraser may not have been able to return to the big screen as a notorious DC villain, his turn in The Whale has surely pleased many, with even stars like Dwayne Johnson commending Fraser's remarkable work and articulating excitement for the upcoming movie.
While the movie may never see the light of the day, it's heartening to know that the Batgirl cast and the crew really bonded on set and have forged a camaraderie strong enough that they will continue to cherish their co-stars even as they head in different directions. Fraser's The Whale already has the support of his Batgirl collaborators, the premiere audience, and many Hollywood A-listers. Thus, the anticipation for it is greater than ever, and it's only a matter of months before the star bowls everyone over with his powerful performance in the film, which hits theaters on December 9, 2022.