Wonder Woman has become quite the success story this month (grossing an astronomical $500 million in two weeks), with audiences already clamoring for Patty Jenkins to helm another installment -- and it looks like the filmmaker has finally confirmed her plans to return for the sequel. It's no secret that Warner Bros. has struggled getting Wonder Woman onto the big screen. They last attempted to bring the iconic superhero to life in the mid-2000s, with Joss Whedon's now-abandoned project. It wasn't until Jenkins came on board that things started to look up.
Diana Prince made her grand debut in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice last year, played by Gal Gadot -- and the actress returned to headline her own standalone film this year, in Jenkins' Wonder Woman. After three divisive, yet financially successful, installments, Wonder Woman became the first universally acclaimed movie in the DC Extended Universe. People from all across the filmmaking industry -- including Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige -- have praised the film.
Aside from reprising her role in Snyder's Justice League later this year, audiences are wondering where Gadot's character goes from here on out. Jenkins has previously stated that she wants to bring Wonder Woman not only into the present day but also set the sequel in the United States. Despite openly discussing these plot details during the press rounds, the filmmaker never officially confirmed her involvement with the sequel -- until now. After recently screening Wonder Woman for female screenwriters and filmmakers at a recent Women in Film event, Jenkins participated in a Q&A where she confirmed that she'll be returning for Wonder Woman 2 (via Advocate).
"I had an epiphany about Wonder Woman 2. I was like, 'you don't have to do this. It doesn't have to be a foregone conclusion that you do Wonder Woman 2.' But then as I was falling asleep I had an epiphany. I was like, 'Wait a minute. You have the greatest character of all time that you love dearly, with a cast that you love sitting at the palm of your hand at this day and age — you can do whatever you want with them — are you crazy?' And then I suddenly realized, it's not more, it's another movie. It's its own movie. And it's got to be great."
Update: Patty Jenkins has responded to the story on Twitter, saying her comments weren't confirmation but "ideas and hopes."
Hey All. Thanks for the excitement but that wasn't a confirmation. Just talking about ideas and hopes. But still excited and hopeful ;) #WW2 https://t.co/oaFZcPrRWl— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) June 30, 2017
Although it certainly sounds like Jenkins has every intention of directing the Wonder Woman sequel, it's worth noting that she doesn't explicitly confirm her involvement. Still, she has already begun working on the story treatment for the sequel alongside DC Films head honcho Geoff Johns, so it seems like it's all but official from the studio that she'll be returning for Wonder Woman 2.
Typically, these announcements don't happen until several weeks after the release of the original movie, thereby giving the filmmakers greater leverage in negotiating for their return if their original movie has done exceptionally well at the worldwide box office (which Wonder Woman certainly has). Considering that the movie is merely days away from surpassing every other DCEU installment to become not only the highest-grossing DCEU movie domestically but also the third highest-grossing DC Comics movie overall (domestically), behind only Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, now is the perfect time for Jenkins to officially sign on for the inevitable sequel. Perhaps the studio will make the announcement at San Diego Comic-Con next month?
MORE: Patty Jenkins Writing Wonder Woman 2 Treatment
Source: Advocate
