Brendan Fraser’s Batgirl Role Has The Potential To Solve A DCEU Villain Problem
Brendan Fraser As The Main Antagonist in Batgirl:
Brendan Fraser has been cast as the major enemy in Batgirl, and his debut in the DCEU might help the franchise’s villain problem. Fraser is having a well-deserved career renaissance, thanks to lauded parts in DC’s Doom Patrol and Danny Boyle’s FX series Trust. He was recently cast in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, and he will star in Darren Aronofsky’s forthcoming film The Whale. There isn’t much known about Batgirl right now. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will direct from a story written by Christina Hodson, who also wrote Birds of Prey and The Flash in 2022. J.K. Simmons will reprise his Justice League role as Barbara Gordon, a member of the Bat-Family and the daughter of Commissioner James Gordon. Jacob Scipio has been cast in an unspecified part as well. The origin tale of Batgirl has been teased, with Fraser as the wicked pyromaniac Firefly. Firefly isn’t the most well-known member of Batman’s rogues’ gallery, but he could be just what the DCEU needs to solve its villain problem. Since its inception with 2013’s Man of Steel, the DCEU has experienced a slew of failures. DC Comics has many excellent villains, but Warner Bros. has struggled in recent years to appropriately include the characters. Many DCEU antagonists have been polarizing and underappreciated in their individual flicks. Fraser’s Batgirl casting has the potential to alter this by utilizing his natural charisma and underappreciated theatrical skill to present the most surprise enemy yet, while also avoiding the pressure of adapting the more iconic rogues’ gallery opponents.
The DC Extended Universe’s Villain Problem Is Explained:
Given that the majority of the DCEU’s current villains vary from contentious to forgettable, Batgirl should learn from past mistakes. General Zod was played with appropriate ferocity by Man of Steel (Michael Shannon). Nonetheless, in Zack Snyder’s overdone final act, his warped intentions for preserving the Kryptonian species were disregarded in favor of CGI annihilation. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Jessie Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was immediately mocked and singled out as one of the film’s weaker components. Although he originally failed to portray the scary, extremely intellectual form shown in the comics, Luthor’s Justice League appearance addressed this issue by hinting at a more mature and muted attitude. He has the potential to become a worthy antagonist, but there are currently no plans to extend his storyline. Jared Leto’s Joker had a similar fate, with a contentious character design and heavily trimmed part in Suicide Squad preceding a welcome but brief presence in the Snyder Cut’s Knightmare sequence.
If it weren’t for the DCEU’s unwillingness to correct its faults, Luthor and the Joker may still become intriguing antagonists. Too frequently, villains are introduced as an impediment for heroes to overcome, but their personal relationships with allies and foes are rarely examined. Bland’s oppressively grey CGI monsters like Doomsday and Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) were uninspiring, and the DCEU’s shift into lighter terrain only improved its antagonists a little. Shazam! wasted little time in getting under Dr. Sivana’s (Mark Strong) skin, while Orm’s (Patrick Wilson) environmental reasons in Aquaman rapidly gave way to a traditional hero-vs.-mad tyrant battle. However, if its adversary is given a real footing in Gotham, Batgirl can profit from what is expected to be a more grounded tale than in past episodes.
With Birds of Prey and its overt focus on Harley Quinn, this was a squandered opportunity (Margot Robbie). The film smartly chose a small-scale narrative but struggled to balance its cast of lesser-known characters. The Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) and Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina) added ominous flamboyance to an excessively basic story. Unfortunately, due to their minor roles and untimely deaths, they were unable to invoke the comic’s deadly foes. The Black Mask’s rise to power and his hinted rivalry with the Joker may never be addressed, and the film’s alleged queerness was sadly missing. Both characters were vibrant flashes of energy who had been stripped of their identities. The DCEU has concentrated on Batman’s enemies while ignoring much of their rich past. They are rarely represented as truly living in this realm, which limits their long-term influence. Batgirl, which was hinted at the DC FanDome, provides the ideal opportunity to buck this tendency.
How Brendan Fraser’s Batgirl Villain Can Help Solve The DCEU Problem:
Firefly is generally rumored to be Batgirl’s antagonist, which might prove to be a wise choice for the DCEU. He’s not a well-known rogue, especially among mainstream audiences, which alleviates the strain that hovers over each portrayal of the Joker or Penguin. Firefly is an odd pick, yet he can successfully serve Batgirl’s tale because he has no direct relationship to Batman. The choice of a villain with whom spectators may be unfamiliar lends credence to the premise that Batgirl will be a smaller, more intimate picture with a fascinating enemy devoid of expectations. Fraser’s involvement is a pleasant surprise, but it is far from a certain conclusion. He’s a well-known actor well known for charming comedies and his role as Rick O’Connell in The Mummy, thus his Batgirl casting might deceive audiences. He may utilize his charisma to create the DCEU’s most likeable, even sympathetic villain, or he might use it to surprise the heroes.
Brendan Fraser is an expert in intimidating people. In The Affair, his portrayal as prison officer Gunther revealed his capacity to be incredibly terrifying, seamlessly switching from his friendly movie persona to a violent, towering monster. Fraser’s ability to resist his humble, friendly attitude might be the most useful asset to Batgirl. Even after displaying his cold, dishonest attitude in The Quiet American, his CIA operative manages to elicit sympathy. This is due in large part to Fraser’s ability to colour even the most problematic of characters. Fraser is no stranger to blockbuster territory, having previously happily flung himself around during action set pieces. However, he is now older, and Fraser has claimed that he has undergone many operations, which will likely restrict him from executing many feats. This just adds to the intrigue of his character, implying that the film would most likely focus on instilling subtle terror in Batgirl’s enemy rather than agility or physical power.
The directors of Batgirl might use Fraser’s friendly demeanour to dispel suspicions during Barbara and her father’s inquiry. He might be the most endearing and, more importantly, surprising villain yet, which is precisely what the DCEU requires. Previous opponents were frequently motivated by money or world dominance, whereas others lacked an intriguing reason for their actions.Fraser’s casting hints that Batgirl intends to take a different approach with her nemesis. Just as Batman teaches Batgirl, Fraser’s middle-aged adversary may be looking for a successor in the shape of Jacob Scipio’s unnamed character. This would create a more personal storey and may even tie in with a rumoured Batman cameo-whether it’s Ben Affleck or Michael Keaton-concentrating on the Dark Knight’s heritage and his rogues’ gallery.
Brendan Fraser’s Batgirl Role & Its Implications For The Multiverse:
Fraser’s Batgirl casting may raise problems regarding consistency with his role as Cliff Steele/Robotman in DC’s Doom Patrol. Although the HBO Max program isn’t part of the DCEU, The Flash introduces the Multiverse, which apparently makes all current and former DC films and shows canon in their individual realms. Some may ask if Fraser playing two identities might generate conflict, but this isn’t a problem that has to be addressed formally. For one thing, Fraser’s villain may have a very different appearance and demeanour than Cliff. It’s not unusual for a franchise to cast a single actor in many roles. The MCU is also branching out into the Multiverse, where performers such as Chris Evans have previously appeared in films based on Marvel characters. In the past, the MCU has reused performers, with Gemma Chan appearing in Captain Marvel and Eternals, and Martin Starr appearing in both The Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Because so little is known about Batgirl’s narrative, it’s impossible to predict how Brendan Fraser’s villain will affect the story. However, the casting is a welcome break from showing younger, more muscular enemies. In the past, the DCEU has underutilized a number of great performers. Nonetheless, the possibility of Fraser debuting as a fully undeveloped Batman rogue inspires optimism that the filmmakers will break a dismal pattern and correct one of the DCEU’s major flaws.
