Just Breathe: Leslie Grace is the New Batgirl

Warner Bros. and DC Films have found the lead for their upcoming Batgirl film. After a series of names were leaked the other day, the studio just announced that one of the breakout stars from In the Heights, Leslie Grace, will be moving from Washington Heights to Burnside to take on the role of Barbara Gordon.

The film is written by Birds of Prey and The Flash screenwriter Christina Hodson and will be directed by Bad Boys For Life helmers, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, meaning Batgirl will be POC-led both in front of and behind the camera. Grace is also the third Latinx actress to join the DC Universe after Rachel Zegler’s addition to Shazam: Fury of the Gods and Sasha Calle’s turn as Supergirl in The Flash, which are both currently filming.

No word on whether this film will be in canon with The Batman — which would make her the daughter of Jeffrey Wright’s Commissioner Gordon — of if the HBO Max original will be a standalone or even part of the broader DCEU.

Either way, we just know that the streets will be a little kinder when Leslie’s home (in Gotham).

Batgirl will stream on HBO Max in 2023.