Leslie Grace to Star as Title Character in Warner Bros. & DC Films’ “Batgirl”

Leslie Grace is the (bat)girl of the hour…

The 26-year-old Dominican American actress and Latin Grammy-nominated singer has been cast as Barbara Gordon in Warner Bros. and DC Films’ Batgirl.

Leslie Grace

The decision was made after testing actresses this week.

The studio was already extremely interested in the rising Afro-Latina star following her breakout role in In the Heights, and sources say her audition sealed the deal as the choice.

The studio had no comment.

The film will bow on HBO Max, marking one of the first major DC properties to debut exclusively on the streamer. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah will direct the film from a script by Christina Hodson.

While plot details are under wraps, it is known that Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Commissioner Gordon, will be the character behind the cape in this version. Gordon is the most established version of the Batgirl character and was first introduced in 1961 as Betty Kane.

Grace was among a final group of actresses being tested for the role that included Isabella MercedZoey Deutch and Haley Lu Richardson.

Maribel Verdú to Star as Ezra Miller’s Mom in Warner Bros. Standalone “The Flash” Film

Maribel Verdú has landed the mother of a role…

The 50-year-old Spanish actress will star in Warner Bros.The Flash film.

Maribel Verdú,

Verdú, best known for her roles in Y Tu Mama Tambien and Pan’s Labyrinth, will portray Barry Allen’s mother in the upcoming Warner Bros. DC standalone movie.

Billy Crudup, due to a schedule conflict on the second season of Apple’s The Morning Show, won’t be reprising his role as Flash’s father.

Ezra Miller will be playing Allen/The Flash again. Cameras will roll in the spring to summer in London.

Andy Muschietti is directing off a screenplay written by Christina Hodson.

While the plot is under wraps, The Flash reportedly involves alternate dimensions with Allen trying to save his mother from being murdered. Also making cameos are alternate dimension Batmans, Michael Keaton from the 1980s Warner Bros. films and Ben Affleck from the millennium ones.

John Ortiz to Star in Transformers Spinoff “Bumblebee”

John Ortiz is transforming his resume…

The 49-year-old Puerto Rican actor is set to star opposite Hailee Steinfeld and Jon Cena in Paramount Pictures’ Bumblebee, the first spinoff of the Transformers franchise.

John Ortiz

It’s set in 1987, where Bumblebee, who is refuged in a junkyard, is discovered and revived by Charlie (Steinfeld) who, on the cusp of turning 18, is trying to find her place in the world.

The blockbuster film, which will open in theaters on December 21, 2018, has Travis Knight directing from a script by Christina Hodson.

Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing with Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis.

Ortiz’s upcoming film slate includes Paramount’s God Particle, produced by JJ Abrams and starring David OyelowoReplicas opposite Keanu Reeves, and Nostalgia with Jon Hamm.