'Wonder Woman' Director Patty Jenkins Once Again Cites Influence of Richard Donner's 'Superman' on Her Film
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made $873 million at the global box office, but in terms of launching a DC Comics-based movie universe that fans felt passionate about, it was something of a letdown. Ditto for last August’s Suicide Squad. Thus, Warner Bros and DC are signaling fans that 2017 will be a fresh start for their superhero franchise. And when it comes to their next film to reach the multiplex, Wonder Woman, they’re making absolutely sure we know their inspiration is Richard Donner’s 1978 classic Superman, arguably the greatest and most beloved of all DC movies.
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In a new interview at Collider, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins — not for the first time — discusses how Donner’s film sparked her own love for the superhero genre:
“I’m here because of Superman. I’m here because when I saw [Richard Donner’s] Superman as a kid, it rocked my world, and I was Superman. I was that little boy. I took that ride and that journey. I always say that Star Wars had a huge effect on me too, but what Star Wars did for some people, Superman did for me. I remember the theater, I remember the feeling, I remember I cried and I laughed and I went through that whole thing and I was Superman. I believed in myself as Superman, and that’s the beauty of film.”
Moreover, she believes her Wonder Woman, like Donner’s Superman, will be a great entry point into its lead character for those moviegoers unfamiliar with her (somewhat convoluted) origins:
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“I think Superman’s origin story was very little known really until they made the movie. How many men on the street were really down with the “Kal-El” and Krypton? They weren’t. So that’s what I’ve been saying for all these years: How do we make her the universal character that she is? Let’s make the movie! And I love her, so let’s do it!”
This isn’t the first time Jenkins has invoked Superman in discussing her forthcoming summer tentpole. Last December, she made similar references to Time. And before that, her film’s initial trailer had a sly shout-out to Donner’s predecessor as well. We’ll all see how much of the spirit of Donner’s Superman echoes in Wonder Woman when it races into theaters on June 2, 2017.
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