Batgirl Fans Are Convinced This Casting Call Points To A Beloved Character
With DC FanDome 2021 in the books, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the future of DC Comics-based movies. Right around the corner are "The Batman" and "The Flash," with sequels like "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" and "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" coming down the pipeline. Though those are worth getting excited about on their own, they're just a taste of the cinematic slate. Feature-length offerings for the HBO Max streaming service are in development as well, with a film centering on Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, leading the charge.
"Batgirl" wound up trapped in development hell for some time, only recently gaining traction with directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah at the helm. July of 2021 saw the announcement of "In the Heights" star Leslie Grace's casting as the titular heroine, and she isn't coming alone. So far, J.K. Simmons will return as Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, Jacob Scipio will take on an unannounced role (via Deadline), and an unspecified version of Batman will reportedly feature in some fashion. Of course, the casting fun doesn't end there.
Warner Bros. recently sent out a possible casting call for "Batgirl," and given the criteria it included, fans are speculating that the live-action debut of a DC Comics favorite is on the way.
Alysia Yeoh may feature in the Batgirl movie
Though the main "Batgirl" cast is already a sight to behold, it's apparently still incomplete. On October 14, 2021, the Kate Ringsell Casting Twitter page posted about an opening in an untitled Warner Bros. action film — assumed to be "Batgirl" — along with an application link. The tweet specifies that the studio is looking for a "mid-to-late 20's Asian American transgender woman," which had DC fans racking their brains in hopes of matching the description to an existing character. After some deliberation, the prevailing theory is that Alysia Yeoh is on her way to the DCEU.
Created by Gail Simone — who egged on the speculation herself — and Ardian Syaf, Alysia arrived in print way back in 2011 for "Batgirl" #1 as the roommate of Barbara Gordon. Though their shared living situation didn't last long (thanks to Barbara's vigilante exploits) the two remain friends all these years later. In fact, the two grew so close that Barbara was a bridesmaid alongside Frankie Charles at Alysia and Jo Muñoz's wedding. Aside from being a talented painter and a skilled bartender, Alysia holds the distinct honor of being the first canon transgender character in the history of DC Comics (via Comic Book).
At the end of the day, there's no way to know for sure if this casting call is even for "Batgirl," let alone the role of Alysia Yeoh. We'll just have to wait for Warner Bros. to make a formal announcement about it and see who lands the part.