Barbara Gordon, daughter of police commissioner James Gordon, was the original Batgirl. A librarian when she's not fighting crime, she's intelligent, strong, and confident.
Besides Dick Grayson, Barbara is the most famous of Batman's cohorts, having been played by the lovely Yvonne Craig on the Adam West TV series, Alicia Silverstone in the terrible Batman & Robin movie, and voiced by Melissa Gilbert on the not terrible Batman: the Animated Series.
In the original comics history, Barbara eventually confesses her identity to her father and retires the cape, and successfully runs for Congress. After the continuity reboot of 1985, she was again Batgirl, but only for a short while before her career was ended in The Killing Joke.
Pros:A well known, well liked character. Provides the female presence that may be lacking going forward after the events in The Dark Knight.
Cons: Batgirl is in some ways like a second Robin, and the filmmakers have expressed no interest in Robin, so I find it hard to believe they'd find Batgirl any more interesting. And in a realistic setting, it's hard to justify Batman letting a young girl risk her life, especially Jim Gordon's daughter.
How I'd do it: Technically, Barbara probably appeared in The Dark Knight, in the scene where Two-Face holds Jim Gordon's family hostage (but she's credited only as "Gordon's daughter"). She's awfully young to start dodging bullets and jumping from rooftops, so I think I'd hold off for a movie or two.
Casting Guesses: A teenager part, which probably means a lengthy casting search. Unless there's a tough, smart redhead on one of those Gossip Girl type shows, and she can actually act.
Verdict: Not for Batman 3, but maybe sometime down the line. Not until after they break down and include Robin, though.
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