‘Wonder Woman’ is about to make a big splash at SDCC next week, in anticipation of the film’s June 2, 2017 release. One thing in the press release was somewhat hidden, but eagle eyed fans spotted the credits for the film’s writers and they aren’t who we were led to believe it was for months now.
Originally, Warner Brothers commissioned five separate scripts from five different directors to determine the direction they wanted to take with the film. It was screenwriter Jason Fuchs (‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’, ‘Pan’) who won out and it was believed that his was the script that director Patty Jenkins was using to shoot the film.
But in the newest press release, Fuchs’ name is gone, replaced by those of Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg. It’s unclear what changed, but as we all know ‘Batman V Superman’ disappointed at the box office which sent WB scrambling behind-the-scenes, restructuring their hierarchy, demoting some producers and elevating some, like Johns, to higher positions of power. Perhaps Fuchs’ script fit better with their old game plan and now didn’t work with the new direction the studio is taking with their superhero movies. (It also probably didn’t help that ‘Pan’ was one of last year’s biggest flops.)
Johns, who is the Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics, made his name as a comic book writer on books like ‘Teen Titans’, ‘Justice Society of America’ and ‘Green Lantern’. But he has also heavily contributed to various DC Comics TV shows, like ‘Smallville’, ‘Arrow’ and ‘The Flash’ and even the ‘Robot Chicken’ DC Comics specials. He was recently announced as a co-producer and co-screenwriter for the upcoming ‘Batman’ film with Ben Affleck and the ‘Shazam’ film with Dwayne Johnson.
Allan Heinberg made his name as a TV writer, but has penned some beloved comics, mainly the ‘Young Avengers’ books, but he also penned ‘Wonder Woman’ for a period and even developed a ‘WW’ TV series, which was not picked up. His TV credits include writing and producing ‘The O.C.’, ‘Gilmore Girls’, Sex and the City’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Scandal’ and ‘The Catch’. While those soapy dramas may not indicate an affinity for super heroes, they are all undisputedly female-centric.
Here is the press release in question:
“Wonder Woman” hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.
Joining Gadot in the international cast are Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner and Saïd Taghmaoui. Jenkins directs the film from a screenplay by Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns, story by Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg, based on characters from DC Entertainment. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston. The film is produced by Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder and Richard Suckle, with Rebecca Roven, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with RatPac-Dune Entertainment, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, “Wonder Woman.” The film is scheduled for release on June 2, 2017, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.wonderwomanfilm.com
What do you think about the switch? Are you worried about such a big change so late in the game? Or do Heinberg and Johns’ credentials instill you will more confidence?
Source: Collider
