Casting The DCU’s Batgirl: 10 Actresses Perfect To Play Barbara Gordon In DC’s New Batman Movie

Batgirl could soon be making her into the new DC Universe, and some actresses could do right by Barbara Gordon. The character almost appeared in a movie recently, with DC famously opting to cancel the fully shot Batgirl movie in order to start Warner Bros. Discovery’s series of tax write-offs. According to DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, the movie was shot for the small screen and would have painted a bad image for DC if released, with Safran claiming it “was not releasable.” While Batgirl is dead, the character can live on in the new DCU.

Given how DC’s cancellation of Batgirl became a major topic of discussion, and the studio opted not to keep Sasha Calle as Supergirl, canceling her planned solo movie after the actress’ The Flash debut, being a similar situation, Batgirl star Leslie Grace is unlikely to play Barbara Gordon in the DCU. As the Bat-Family will appear in The Brave and the Bold, the DCU’s upcoming Batman reboot, Batgirl is likely to play a role in the film. A few actresses could excel as Barbara Gordon in the movie.

10
Daisy Ridley Has Led A Major Franchise In The Past

Known For: The Star Wars Franchise, Murder on the Orient Express, Chaos Walking, And More

Daisy Ridley had her breakout role as Rey Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise. However, the actress has not appeared in many high-profile projects after the conclusion of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, something Ridley has noted in recent interviews. The actress’ experience as the lead of a major franchise is something the new DC Universe could use, as Ridley would be able to help build out the DCU as Batgirl. Like Rey, Barbara Gordon is a skilled fighter who is always determined to help others.

9
Saoirse Ronan Would Bring Gravitas To Batgirl

Known For: Lady Bird, Little Women, Ammonite, And More

At just 29 years old, Saoirse Ronan has already been nominated four times at the Oscars, with the actress garnering several awards and nominations for a variety of movies. Ronan would be a major get for the DCU, using her proven talent to make The Brave and the Bold‘s Bat-Family a well-rounded ensemble. The actress would be a great fit for Barbara Gordon, with Ronan being able to deliver a character that is incredibly smart and brave, as were some of her past roles.

8
Sadie Sink Could Be The DCU’s Batgirl For A Decade Or More

Known For: Stranger Things, The Fear Street Trilogy, The Whale, And More

Sadie Sink is a popular choice among fans to take on the role of Batgirl in the DCU. At 21, the actress could be too young to play Barbara Gordon in the DCU, depending on the age of the DCU’s Batman actor. However, Sink would be able to continue with the franchise for a decade or more, making Batgirl a DC staple. Sink’s role as Max in Stranger Things has made her one of Hollywood’s rising stars, and the character showed that Sink’s Batgirl would show the grit and socially awkward persona that Barbara Gordon sometimes has.

7
Karen Gillan Already Wants To Be Part Of The DCU’s Batman Corner

Known For: The Guardians Of The Galaxy Franchise, Doctor Who, The Jumanji Franchise, And More

James Gunn has said that he wants to bring actors from Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy franchise to the DCU, and Karen Gillan could make that jump to play Barbara Gordon in The Brave and the Bold. The actress has plenty of experience with action roles, being part of the Jumanji franchise, and delivering an energetic performance in Gunpowder Milkshake. As Nebula in the MCU, Gillan proved that she would imbue Batgirl with nuance, making her a compelling DCU player. That said, Gillan wants to play Poison Ivy in the DCU.

6
Jane Levy Was A Fan-Favorite To Play The DCEU’s Batgirl

Known For: Evil Dead, Suburgatory, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, And More

Back when DC was actively developing Gotham City Sirens, Jane Levy became one of the most requested actresses to take on the role of Barbara Gordon in the movie and 2020’s Birds of Prey. While that did not happen, the star opened the door for her DCU casting as the hero. In a 2018 post on Twitter, Levy commented on her Batgirl casting rumors, saying, “I think it’s probably a good idea.” The actress has the humor down for Barbara Gordon and has played action-heavy roles in the past to get Batgirl right.

5
Lili Reinhart’s Past Comic Book Role Could Inform Her Batgirl

Known For: Riverdale, Hustlers, Look Both Ways, And More

Lili Reinhart became famous for playing Betty Cooper in seven seasons of Riverdale. While the series was not always good, Reinhart consistently was the standout of the show. Betty, like Barbara Gordon, had great investigative skills and would not take no for an answer from anyone. The actress previously worked with the DCU’s Superman actor, David Corenswet, in Look Both Ways, establishing her DC universe connection. More than that, Reinhart dressed up as Harley Quinn for Halloween, showing that she is a DC fan to some extent, making her DCU chances look good.

4
Abigail Cowen As Batgirl Would Fit The DCU’s Superman Casting Choice

Known For: Fate: The Winx Saga, Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, Stranger Things, And More

Abigail Cowen was the star of Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga as Bloom. As the Netflix series was canceled after only two seasons, the actress is in need of another major role, and the DCU’s Batgirl would be the perfect fit. Like was the case with David Corenswet’s casting as Superman, DC could choose to go for an actress that has still to break out in a major way, and Cowen would make for a great Barbara Gordon. The actress has the charisma needed for the role and Bloom showed she can make Batgirl a fearless hero.

3
Emma Watson Would Make Batgirl A DCU Mainstay

Known For: The Harry Potter Franchise, Little Women, Beauty And The Beast, And More

Emma Watson is one of the most famous actresses the DCU could cast in any role. The star would not feel any pressure leading a Batgirl movie or being part of a team like the Birds of Prey, as her past in the Harry Potter franchise has made Watson a household name. Watson has not appeared in a movie in years, and her return to the big screen as Batgirl would bring a lot of attention to the DCU. As Hermione Granger, Watson displayed many of Barbara Gordon’s core qualities, such as intelligence, resourcefulness, charm, and empathy.

2
Zoey Deutch Almost Played Batgirl Before

Known For: Zombieland: Double Tap, The Politician, Set It Up, And More

Before Leslie Grace was cast as Barbara Gordon in the character’s scrapped movie, Zoey Deutch was one of the stars on the shortlist for Batgirl. It is easy to see why, as the actress is known to have impeccable comedic timing, as seen in her role in the Zombieland sequel, and has played plenty of characters as determined as Barbara Gordon. Years before she was considered for the role, Deutch (via @getFANDOM) responded on Twitter to a fan asking her to play Batgirl by saying, “Yes please,” showing she is passionate about the role.

1
Emma Stone Is The Perfect Batgirl For James Gunn’s DC Universe

Known For: La La Land, Poor Things, The Amazing Spider-Man Franchise, And More

Emma Stone just won her second Best Actress Oscar for one of 2023’s wildest performances in Poor Things. Stone is easily one of the best actresses of her generation, if not the best, and would bring in a massive amount of talent and attention to the DCU as Barbara Gordon. Her superhero movie past, having played Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, opens the door for her to become Batgirl in the DCU. As a versatile actress who commands the screen, Stone would instantly make Batgirl one of the DCU’s fan-favorite heroes.