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| Warner Bros. is looking for a female director for their 'Wonder Woman' solo film |
The recently announced slate of DC Comics movies planned through 2020 was a cause for celebration. Fans finally got some reassurance from Warner Bros. that they did indeed have a plan after seeing Marvel Studios execute one phase of successful films after another. One of the best news to come out of that announcement was that Wonder Woman was finally getting her own film in 2017. Now the word is that they're looking for a female director to take the reins. We have some suggestions.
"Warners also is opting for strong directors, tapping David Ayer (Fury) for Suicide Squad and seeking a female helmer for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman."
The Hollywood Reporter's analysis of the onslaught of superhero films included one sentence we hadn't heard before,"Warners also is opting for strong directors, tapping David Ayer (Fury) for Suicide Squad and seeking a female helmer for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman." That is groundbreaking news considering a major studio is openly seeking a female director to helm a potential blockbuster tentpole film based on a comic book character. It's been a sausage-fest thus far. (Lexi Alexander did director 2008's Punisher: War Zone)
Speaking of Alexander, Slashfilm included her in their great wish list of female directors that also listed other high profile and successful women like Oscar-winner Kathleen Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty), Mimi Leder (Deep Impact), and Angelina Jolie (Unbroken). All capable and talented choices but we'd like to widen the scope a little.
Keeping in the spirit of Warner Bros.' call for diversity in their film leads - Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Jason Momoa (Aquaman) - we'd like to add some names of distinct talented women that deserve some consideration.
PATRICIA RIGGEN
The Mexican-born director of Under the Same Moon and Girl in Progress is slated to make The 33 about the Chilean miners who were trapped 2,300 feet under ground.
MIRA NAIR
Whether it's documentaries, features or television movies, Mira Nair has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades. The director of The Namesake, Vanity Fair and Monsoon Wedding, Nair is a passionate artist with vision and attention to detail.
GINA PRINCE- BYTHEWOOD
The popular and acclaimed Love & Baskeball was written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and became an indie festival star. Starting as a TV writer she transitioned to directing leading to films like The Secret Life of Bees and the upcoming Beyond the Lights.
ROXANN DAWSON
To many people Roxann Dawson will always be B'Elanna Torres from Star Trek: Voyager but she's actually been a very busy television director. With over 40 credits to her name she was responsible for one of the few good episodes of Agent of SHIELD in season one ('Eye Spy').
LANA WACHOWSKI
Lana along with brother Andy created the ground-breaking Matrix Trilogy and fantasy epic Cloud Atlas. Their visionary style and experience with blockbuster effects and epic storytelling could aid in them getting a shot at making the Amazon princess' first big screen adventure. Their next sci-fi opus, Jupiter Ascending, premieres in early 2015.
If some of these choices seem ill-equipped to the naked eye because of their experience let us remind you that some of the biggest comic book movies have been by directors with similar backgrounds.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo came from directing shows like Arrested Development, Community and something called Animal Practice before helming one of Marvel's most acclaimed and biggest box office successes.
Iron Man
Jon Favreau was an indie star writer and director known for comedic fare with the cult favorite Swingers and later a mainstream hit holiday film with Elf. And despite the flop, Zathura, Favreau was tapped by Marvel to usher in a new era of comic book movies with the first Iron Man.
Batman Begins - The Dark Knight - The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan emerged as a virtuoso from the independent film circuit with Memento and later with the mainstream tense crime drama Insomnia. An unlikely choice initially to reboot a Batman franchise essentially about guys in costumes fighting each other but he grounded the comic book icon in a dark, gritty reality and made a billion dollar franchise.
X-Men
Bryan Singer got the legendary mutant supergroup adaptation based on only three directorial features. It just so happened one was the brilliant The Usual Suspects.
It's an exciting time to be a fan of comic book movies and thankfully at least one studio is placing an importance on racial and cultural diversity in their films. With a woman leading the way in front of the camera in one film let there be one leading the way behind the camera as well.
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