For the second time, a woman has been hired to direct a blockbuster superhero movie, only to leave before the start of production due to “creative differences” with the studio.
Michelle MacLaren, whose directing credits include Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Better Call Saul, was originally hired by Warner Bros. last November to direct Wonder Woman, the first live-action feature film starring one of the most well known female superheroes in the world. Gal Gadot is still set to star in Wonder Woman, which is expected to find a new director soon, and will make her first on-screen appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, directed by Zack Snyder, in 2016.
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Warner Bros. has released an official statement (via Coming Soon) about Michelle MacLaren’s departure, which is – as expected – very vague about the exact nature of the disagreement. That statement reads as follows:
“Given creative differences, Warner Bros. and Michelle MacLaren have decided not to move forward with plans to develop and direct ‘Wonder Woman’ together.”
In October of 2011, director Patty Jenkins (Monster) was hired by Marvel Studios to direct Thor: The Dark World. She left the project less than two months later, also citing those pesky “creative differences,” and was later replaced by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones). Michelle MacLaren was attached to direct Wonder Woman for five months, but that could hardly be considered a victory.
To date, only one major superhero movie based on a DC or Marvel comic book has been directed by a woman: Punisher: War Zone, directed by Lexi Alexander. The film was a box office bomb, making only $10.1 million back from its estimated $35 million budget during its theatrical release. It has since gone on to develop a cult following, due in large part to its eccentric sense of humor and stylish, ultraviolent action sequences.
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Warner Bros. has explicitly stated that they are seeking a woman for the director’s chair on their upcoming Wonder Woman movie. The film is still scheduled for release on June 23, 2017, and although no replacement has yet been set, we expect the studio already has their short list handy.
We may never know why Michelle MacLaren left Wonder Woman unless the filmmaker herself decides to speak out. It may have been a series of minor issues, it may have been a major disagreement. But in situations like these, an old joke always comes to mind: “I left because of creative differences: I’m creative and they’re different.”
CraveOnline will be back with more updates on the Wonder Woman movie as the story continues.
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
