After probably one of the most grueling negotiations that DC and WB had ever gone through, that lasted for about 15 weeks, Wonder Woman 2 signed its original director Patty Jenkins. This is movie history in the making.
When I read the headline, I was so happy. Wonder Woman fans have been waiting for this for a long time. Too long. There was a serious battle going on behind the scenes. Then I read the small details and I was not so happy anymore.
I will explain the bad part first so we can end on a happy note. This is the first article that broke the news:
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/patty-jenkins-wonder-woman-sequel-director-1202548413/
Patty Jenkins will “write, direct and produce” Wonder Woman 2. I am only half happy about this. I think that one of the reasons that Wonder Woman worked so well is because it was a team effort behind the scenes. It was produced by Zack Snyder who also brilliantly cast Gal Gadot in the role of Wonder Woman, the script was masterfully written by Allan Heinberg, and the story was created by Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451279/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_wr#writers). All of these people didn’t get public credit for their work on the movie, and will not return for the sequel, which makes me kind of sad. Also, I personally think that every director should have a producer to keep them in check, preferably one that is not their friend or family member. Being both producer and director is too much creative control. I love Patty Jenkins and her vision for the character, but I also appreciate what others have brought to the table as well.
So, basically, Patty Jenkins will have full creative control over Wonder Woman 2.
Fans have given her a lot of support and she and her management team knew how to leverage it. There was a lot of push and pull. From an audience perspective, it looks like this:
• It was bad that her contract didn’t include a sequel, but now we know that WB doesn’t contract directors for sequels even for movies that they know will have one.
• Then Patty Jenkins took Chris Pine to work on a Black Dahlia TV show.
• Then DC announced a release date without even signing her as a director, trying to force her hands.
But in the end Patty Jenkins has prevailed, and she is now the highest paid female director in movie history, with full creative control of her movie.
She’s also the only female director in movie history with her own franchise. Yes, the only two possible candidates decided that they want to pass on that honor. Those were Catherine Hardwicke who directed Twilight, but left and did not direct the sequel, and Sam Taylor-Johnson who directed Fifty Shades of Grey and walked away from the sequel. Twilight survived, and Fifty crashed and burned. But, now Wonder Woman kept her female director and made some movie history.
You can bet that the timing of the headline is not a coincidence either. Venice film festival is currently taking place in Italy, meaning that race for the Oscars has officially begun. DC and WB have announced that they will be pushing Wonder Woman hard, this is part of the push: Patty Jenkins for Best Director. This is also their only chance for a meaningful win, one that is not in the technical categories.
Patty Jenkins has a lot to prove with the sequel, everything will be on her shoulders with some help from Jeff Jones (who is not the Kevin Feige of DC). I really hope she can do it, because I really liked the first movie. If she can make it work, I think she will earn the right to direct Justice League 3, if such a movie will ever come out.
Please follow me and upvote my posts to help yourself stay up to date with everything that is nerdy and awesome.
See you in my next post.