‘Wonder Woman 1984’: Director Patty Jenkins has Doubts About a Third Film
Wonder Woman 1984 has had anything but an easy path to reaching its audience. Repeatedly punted from theatrical release dates by the COVID-19 pandemic, the blockbuster sequel that was once pegged to make $1 billion is now premiering on HBO Max just in time for Christmas Day.
While Warner Bros. has reportedly inked new bonus deals to keep the film’s cast and crew happy, director Patty Jenkins seems to be on the fence about the series’ future. According to a New York Times interview, she has doubts about returning for an eventual third film.
Jenkins has a lot on her plate moving forward
The interview with Jenkins understandably covers a lot of ground. It’s been a chaotic year for everyone in the entertainment business, let alone someone like Jenkins. Her film was viewed by many pundits as one that could have decided the fate of movie theaters before it moved to a streaming release.
The discussion touches on two factors that could decide Jenkins’s involvement in the inevitable-yet-still-unofficial Wonder Woman 3. Firstly, there’s her schedule. It was confirmed at Disney’s recent investor call that she will be helming Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, a new take on the beloved series. The film has a Dec. 2023 release date and is bound to eat up Jenkins’s time for the foreseeable future.
Secondly, Jenkins suggests that it will depend on whether or not the theatrical business model survives the ongoing pandemic. Disney has, for now, committed to theaters moving forward. While Warner Bros. has promised that its HBO Max plans in 2021 are temporary, many feel that they might stick. If the studio isn’t committed to releasing Wonder Woman 3 in theaters exclusively, Jenkins might be out.
“We’ll see what happens. I really don’t know,” Jenkins told Times interviewer, Kyle Buchanan.” I know that I’d love to do the third one if the circumstances were right and there was still a theatrical model possible. I don’t know that I would if there wasn’t.”
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ is just the start of big things on HBO Max
Wonder Woman 1984‘s move to HBO Max was initially met with a warm reception. Fans and general audiences have been so starved for big entertainment in 2020, that it was hard not to get excited about it.
Possibly based on this reception, Warner Bros. decided to take a massive next step: releasing the studio’s entire 2021 film slate on HBO Max in addition to whatever theaters are open. The move certainly had many viewers excited, but filmmakers were understandably less than thrilled. Especially since it was later revealed that the huge, industry-reshaping decision had been made without consulting any of the filmmakers involved.
“I would like to believe that it is temporary, but I’m not sure I do,” Jenkins said. “But I’ll tell you, some studio’s going to go back to the traditional model and cause tremendous upheaval in the industry, because every great filmmaker is going to go work there.”
