Patty Jenkins Left Thor: the Dark World Because She Didn’t Like The Script

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins spoke about turning down Marvel’s Thor: the Dark World because she didn’t think the script was good enough. Here are highlights:

On not directing Thor: The Dark World: “I did not believe that I could make a good movie out of the script that they were planning on doing. I think it would have been a huge deal—it would have looked like it was my fault. It would’ve looked like, ‘Oh my God, this woman directed it and she missed all these things.’ That was the one time in my career where I really felt like, Do this with [another director] and it’s not going to be a big deal. And maybe they’ll understand it and love it more than I do. You can’t do movies you don’t believe in. The only reason to do it would be to prove to people that I could. But it wouldn’t have proved anything if I didn’t succeed. I don’t think that I would have gotten another chance. And so, I’m super grateful.”

On her thoughts on Marvel in general: “I really have nothing but positive things to say about Marvel, because, honestly, they gave me that chance in the first place and it was not en vogue to do so. They found Thor’s rightful director. Taika’s so good for Thor. Oh my God, I love that movie. His tone with Thor was just masterful. That felt like pure Taika to me.”

On Wonder Woman’s empathy: “That’s my favorite thing about her. Heroism involves keeping your love and compassion intact while you try to change the world. I love that about Wonder Woman and it was one of the things I felt the most passionate about being maintained, because it was something that I loved about her growing up. She was an inspiration and no part of her made me feel that I couldn’t also be a woman, and also be a mother, and also be a wife or a girlfriend or a partner. She’s a whole-bodied hero who stands for goodness, but also love and compassion and kindness. That’s where it was the most challenging—the world not thinking a female superhero could be powerful.”