Patty Jenkins' Departure From Wonder Woman 3 Sounds Rather Thorny
The situation at DC Studios seems to be much murkier than we originally anticipated. That's because a new report published by The Wrap alleges that the recently-canned "Wonder Woman 3" was not a direct cancelation by the studio and Warner Bros. Discovery. Rather, sources claim that director and co-writer Patty Jenkins declined to rewrite her treatment, effectively walking off the project.
According to The Wrap's sources, the treatment for "Wonder Woman 3" was given not only to DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran but Warner Bros. executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. While all four figures believed the treatment needed edits, Gunn and Safran were apparently not involved in the final decision whatsoever — De Luca, Abdy, and Jenkins reportedly had a heated discussion about the treatment, with the latter standing firm on her vision for the character she reintroduced to the world in 2017. With the trio unable to compromise, Jenkins left the project.
This doesn't necessarily mean "Wonder Woman 3" is canceled, as was previously reported. The third movie in the series is still technically in development, and Gal Gadot is expected to remain as the Themysciran warrior as she is still attached to the project. However, until a new writer is brought on board and a new treatment is written, it looks like the film will remain in development longer than expected.
A problem that needs acknowledging
While we don't doubt that the situation is dicey, there is something to be said about how strange the accounts read when describing what went down. The insider source told the trade that Jenkins "doesn't want to allow" Gunn or Safran "a seat at the table," while also claiming that Jenkins believed that De Luca and Abdy "didn't understand her" or Wonder Woman. These are strongly personal claims to make, and given the industry's vehement treatment of women directors that don't meet expectations, it would be remiss of us not to approach this with even a bit of skepticism.
Granted, this would not be the first time that Jenkins had parted ways with a project due to alleged creative differences. She was originally slated to direct "Thor: The Dark World," but told Vanity Fair that problems with the film's script and the refusal to make any positive changes caused her to leave. Her "Star Wars" film "Rogue Squadron" allegedly had similar creative disputes that caused its current purgatorial state, according to former Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni's Puck News (via Collider). It is important to keep these incidents in mind, but it's equally important not to fall into regressive rhetoric.
It is no secret that "Wonder Woman 1984" underperformed both critically and commercially. However, its shortcomings should not be considered proof that the minuscule progress in the treatment of women directors post-#TimesUp should be rolled back. It was a misstep that would likely be considered little more than a mistake on a male director's resume, but for Jenkins, it's being treated like a potential career-ender.