Patty Jenkins rose to fame as a director with the 2003 film Monster, which starred Charlize Theron. The movie was a monstrous hit and Jenkins proved to be a promising filmmaker to look out for. Shockingly, she didn’t make a feature film until 2017’s Wonder Woman. She had been directing episodes of many TV projects in between including Betrayal, Entourage, and Arrested Development.
The MCU had been seeking creative voices to direct their films and put their unique style to them. Jenkins was one of those directors who were considered by the studio to helm one of their projects. But she did not feel like the script did not do justice to her capabilities as a director and she ultimately left the project.
Patty Jenkins Rejected Directing Thor: The Dark World
After the success of the first Thor film and The Avengers, Kevin Feige wanted to expand and tell more stories about the members of the Avengers. They had decided to make Thor 2. Patty Jenkins was initially considered to direct the film but she wanted the film to focus on the romance between Thor and Jane Foster. The studios instead wanted to focus on the action and its villain Malekith.
In the new book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, Jenkins expressed her thoughts about leaving the project as she didn’t think she could do justice to the script that the studio wanted her to do. She said,
“I did not believe I could make a good movie out of the script that they were planning on doing. It would have looked like it was my fault. I would have looked like ‘Oh my God, this woman directed it and she missed all these things.'”
The directing duties of Thor 2 ultimately went to Alan Taylor. The fear that Jenkins had eventually came true as the film turned out to be a lackluster one and is considered to be one of the worst MCU films ever made. Jenkins went on to direct the incredibly superior and successful DC film Wonder Woman in 2017.
Patty Jenkins Does Not Like The Controlling Nature of Marvel Studios
Patty Jenkins was initially hired to direct Thor: The Dark World. But she left the project as she did not feel that he could do justice to the studio’s treatment of the film. She talked about how the studio is run through authority and control while additionally feeling that she would not thrive under such conditions. She said (via Comicbook.com),
“I really like the people who work there, but they want full control over their movies. The director is under control. Yes, it can happen. Furthermore, It shows immediately if a director cannot impose his/her vision. When this is the case, I get the impression that these people are doing a different job than me.
But with Wonder Woman 1984, I think I did exactly what I wanted. And then, everything a superhero movie needs comes naturally to me: I love shooting great action scenes versus great sets. I really enjoy it.”
Jenkins went on to do things where she had creative control including the two Wonder Woman films for DC. The fact that she left the opportunity to direct an MCU project because she did not get creative freedom is a testament to her desire to not lose her integrity and respect as a director who wants to imprint her unique voice in a film.
