Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who broke out following their film Bad Boys for Life, are currently enjoying rave reviews for their work on Ms. Marvel. As it turns out, being a part of both the MCU and DCEU means Kevin Feige tried to pick their brains about Batgirl.
El Arbi and Fallah helmed the first and last episode of Ms. Marvel. Afterwards, they set to work on Batgirl for DC, which wrapped production earlier this year. Naturally, Feige seemingly tried to use his connection to the filmmaking duo to learn some DC secrets.
The Ms. Marvel directors approached Marvel Studios execs when they were tasked with directing the upcoming Batgirl series, starring Leslie Grace. "We wrote [Marvel Studios] an email that said we were going to do Batgirl, and then Kevin Feige, Victoria [Alonso] and Lou [D’Esposito] all said, ‘Congratulations!’ They were super happy for us," Fallah shared with The Hollywood Reporter. "People say there’s a rivalry, but it’s totally not like that. They make each other stronger, and we felt the vibe between DC and Marvel."
According to El Arbi, Feige is a big fan of the DCU. He was genuinely interested in what the pair were working on for the new Batgirl film. "Kevin was constantly asking questions, 'How’s it going? What’s going to happen?' He was a real fanboy, so that was pretty dope," El Arbi said. Similar to James Gunn, the duo now have their footing in two of the most well-known superhero franchises, with "nothing but support" from Marvel Studios and Feige.
As previously confirmed, Michael Keaton's Batman will be making his return in the new Batgirl film. While the directors like to joke about whether Keaton will be able to turn his head this time around (unlike in Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns) they aren't giving much away in terms of his reprisal.
So, it would seem Feige will have to wait and see what happens in Batgirl, just like every other fan. With Warner Bros. reportedly considering a theatrical release for Batgirl, there's a chance the release date for the DC film could shift, but time will tell.
Ms. Marvel is now streaming on Disney Plus while Batgirl is expected to release on HBO Max in late 2022.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter