Earlier this week, we learned that Michelle MacLaren had decided to part ways with the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, citing creative differences with the studio that couldn't be overcome. Well, it turns out that Warner Bros. has already found a replacement, as word has come down that Monster director Patty Jenkins is going to now direct the project.
This news comes to us from Variety, which seems to suggest that Jenkins is now locked in for the gig. Surprisingly, this little shuffle is expected to have no impact on the schedule for the Wonder Woman movie. With Jenkins in place to helm, the film still plans to start shooting this fall.
If you've been following comic book movies for a while, then the name Patty Jenkins should ring a few bells. This is because she was the director originally hired by Marvel Studios to take the helm of Thor: The Dark World. Much like the case with Michelle MacLaren and Warner Bros., a few months later it was reported that Jenkins and Marvel couldn't see eye to eye on the sequel, and that she was laving the production behind. Ultimately, Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor came into the mix and helmed the movie.
It was a rather big surprise when Patty Jenkins signed on to make Thor 2, and it's pretty much an equal level surprise that she's now been put in charge of making Wonder Woman. This shock mostly generates from the fact that Jenkins hasn't actually directed a feature film since 2003's Monster (which wound up winning Charlize Theron her first Academy Award). Since then, she has largely been working on television, helming episodes of shows like Arrested Development, Entourage, The Killing, and Betrayal. In case you didn't notice, none of those titles really scream "epic superhero blockbuster," but it seems that big Hollywood studios see something in her work or her approach that makes her a fit for these big projects.
As things stand, we really don't know all that much about the Wonder Woman movie. Gal Gadot will be playing the title role in the movie, and it's expected that the solo feature will be her first reprisal of the character following her performance in Zack Snyder's upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Right now, no other actors are attached to the project. There were recent rumors that suggested that Scott Eastwood would be playing the role of Steve Trevor - classically Wonder Woman's central love interest - though new reports have denied those claims, saying that the studio is currently looking at four other unnamed actors for the part. Unfortunately, while production is expected to begin this year, we'll have to wait until June 23, 2017 to see the finished result.
Are you excited about Patty Jenkins getting the gig as the new director of Wonder Woman? Hit the comments below with your thoughts.
