Something that’s been a major talking point in recent years regarding DC films is just how much studio input there has been when it comes to each offering. No matter what side of the fence you’re on, it’s a legitimate concern because after the mixed reactions that both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad garnered, I hope I’m right in assuming that we all wish for Wonder Woman to be a critical and commercial success. Hera knows that DC needs it.
It’s no secret that Warner Bros. afforded Christopher Nolan as much creative control as possible with The Dark Knight Trilogy, which probably helped contribute to both its box office success and it being lauded as one of the best series of comic book movies of all time. But when audiences didn’t take to Zack Snyder’s BvS nearly as much – believe me, WB had a lot riding on that picture – they were said to have given more oversight with the Justice League movie.
As such, it was pretty apparent from the first teaser for Justice League that more humor had been injected than with BvS. In contrast to that, Wonder Woman looks to be a rather straight-faced movie but not without its moments of levity. And according to director Patty Jenkins, the suits weren’t too overbearing when it came to tone (via Screen Rant):
“From my point of view, there is no mandate on tone that I experienced. So I think every filmmaker is making their own movies in the tone that they see right for that movie and I had no pressure on me to not do the same. […] I don’t think there is one tone. Chris Nolan had a serious tone and Zack [Snyder] has a different tone that’s also serious in a different way, so I think it became a perception there was one tone, but that’s not what I’ve heard encouraged.”
Furthermore, it seems that she and the studio saw eye to eye when it came to the story to be told:
“They came to a place, before or during making [Batman V Superman], where they decided they were going to make Wonder Woman. The great thing is, they decided to do her origin story and I was like [claps hands] yes! That’s what I’ve been standing here waiting to do for all these years! Her origin story. I want to do the Wonder Woman that I love, that I grew up loving.”
While it remains unclear if she was given complete freedom just as Matt Reeves is said to have with The Batman, these statements indicate that what we’ll see in theaters on June 2 will indeed be Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, if you will.
