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I'd Pay to See Kathryn Bigelow Direct Wonder Woman - Would You?

Lapis Exilis

Lapis Exilis

Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Just ran across an interesting article calling for superhero genre films to be handed over to some female directors. It has some good points, especially in regards to the "reasons" people are likely to give why men are more appropriate directors for superhero flicks. I must agree that the genre is getting a tad played out in its current iterations on film and could use something to infuse new blood. Would some X chromosomes help?

Personally, I don't think it's really a question of male directors versus female directors, but of individuals' being well suited to handle material. Thus the thread title - I'd pay to see Bigelow's version of Wonder Woman right now, and I'm bummed to hear that Patty Jenkins is off Thor: The Dark World. Do you think it's true that female directors get passed over for superhero films because they are female? I mean, seriously, I'd have rather seen Debra Granik's version of the Dark Phoenix saga than Brett Ratner's - wouldn't you?
 
I think thats a great idea. Wonder Woman is a icon outside being just a superhero. I think the problem they have had is guys trying to figure out how to make her more than a "superhero with boobs".
 
The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty aren't perfect movies, but if Bigelow can keep getting financing for projects like them, I'd rather she kept it up rather than waste two years slumming it on a blockbuster.
 
I haven't seen her war movies, but I have seen her sci-fi and fantasy movies, and nothing there suggests she couldn't bring something equally special to Wonder Woman.

Although it's not a concept I find personally stimulating, i'd probably check out her version.
 
It's gonna be a challenge no matter who directs it. WW is just a hard character to make relatable to audiences-- she's an Amazon warrior from a hidden island that is ruled by women and somehow looks like Ancient Greece. And she's also got superpowers and can fly and/or pilot an invisible jet.

Somehow they'd have to find a way to get inside her head and make us truly understand her and what she's thinking, like MOS did with Superman. Or give her some kind of unique character arc like Marvel did with Thor, when he got knocked down a peg and work his way back up.

But I'm not really sure how.
 
I would definitely check out her film, something I wouldn't do with most other people's, but I'd rather she focused on less blockbustery films since that's what I prefer.
 
I don't follow superheroes much but I do find it utterly bizarre that we got a Green Lantern movie (who?) before there was a Wonder Woman movie, a character I'd actually heard of and has a degree of visibility. But then, apparently the superhero cinema playpen is restricted to guys as protagonists as much as it is, apparently, directors.
 
So females are better suited to direct certain scripts than comparably qualified males? I'd think that the best director for the project at hand would be the best director for the project at hand, period.

But maybe I should read the article and then add to my first reaction.

EDIT: Ok, I skimmed the article which pretty much lost my interest after "Any creature on screen minus a 'Y' chromosome tends to be a side player in this cinematic universe."

Why does this need to be a male vs female thing? The best person for the job is the best person for the job. This ain't the 1950s. Hollywood is full of capable women who could do a great movie. And many have.

I just have to roll my eyes when people play the race, gender, whatever card. If you got the goods and can make the studios money, they'll beat down your door to let you do it.

But I'm not in Hollywood, so I could be wrong.
 
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Depends on what the trailers look like.

If it looks good I'll buy a ticket regardless of whose directing.
 
I can't see me going to a wonder Woman film regardless of who directs it - I just don't get the character.
 
BillJ said:
Depends on what the trailers look like.

If it looks good I'll buy a ticket regardless of whose directing.
Click to expand...

I take my prior comment back.

My wife was a huge fan of Wonder Woman growing up. So if there is ever a film, I imagine I'll be there opening night with her. :lol:
 
No, because I wouldn't watch a Wonder Woman movie regardless. Honestly, there are probably half a dozen DC superheroines who are better and/or more interesting than her.

Why on earth DC keeps on bigging her up I have no idea... Except that she's their only well known superheroine who isn't a copy of a male one.

Regarding a woman directing a superheroine movie, it MAY improve it's chances of being good. Then again if it was left up to a decent male writer, one who didn't have distorted views about women, then there's no reason he shouldn't do just as good a job.
 
Carcazoid said:
Why does this need to be a male vs female thing? The best person for the job is the best person for the job. This ain't the 1950s. Hollywood is full of capable women who could do a great movie. And many have.
Click to expand...

Even today, the ratio of male to female directors is incredibly lopsided. According to a USC study published this year, there's only one female film director today for every 15.24 male film directors. Hollywood is full of female filmmakers, but most of them haven't made a great movie, because they can't get hired to just make a movie, period.
 
Carcazoid said:
EDIT: Ok, I skimmed the article which pretty much lost my interest after "Any creature on screen minus a 'Y' chromosome tends to be a side player in this cinematic universe."

Why does this need to be a male vs female thing?
Click to expand...
...because it is?

Even if one accepted your premise that directors are always hired based on their ability and no other factors (and I don't for the reasons Harvey cited), that quote is referring to the content of the movies. If superhero films are overwhelmingly concerned with their male characters, with almost exclusively male protagonists and very often dealing primarily with the male characters, then that is a way in which superhero films are gendered.

If you want to say it's a good thing or a neutral thing, then fine, whatever. But it is a thing, it is an observation that is empirically true.
 
But it is, and this conversation is (presumably) addressing that.

Wonder Woman or Black Widow films seem like the kind of obvious and yet curiously non-discussed routes for the two major franchises in terms of protagonist.
 
Kegg said:
But it is, and this conversation is (presumably) addressing that.

Wonder Woman or Black Widow films seem like the kind of obvious and yet curiously non-discussed routes for the two major franchises in terms of protagonist.
Click to expand...

Widow will be in the new Captain America movie.

I have no idea what WB plans to do with Wonder Woman. They've always seem embarrassed of the character.
 
^
Which underlines my point, don't it. The one female superhero in the Marvel film universe can basically travel between franchises as a supporting player in different character's movies.
 
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