The DC Universe has undergone some massive changes in a wildly short amount of time, thanks to the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran. Since the two took over the franchise, one of the largest changes was the cancelation of a Batman Beyond spin-off starring Michael Keaton. But a more immediate shock came when it was revealed that Patty Jenkins had left Wonder Woman 3 due to creative differences. The news has officially left the character’s future up in the air and added more fuel to the fire over how extensive the studio-wide changes could be for the DCU.
The biggest loss would have to be regarding Jenkins, as she made a point to sculpt a character and universe into something audiences could enjoy and connect with. In fact, her efforts helped define Diana Prince as a heroine and inspiration for many. But as one door closes, it could mean the chance for many more to open and could potentially see Jenkins return to another hero in another universe. But rather than someone entirely new, that hero could be none other than one she already had dealings with — Thor.
Patty Jenkins Has a Complicated History With the MCU
Before she entered the world of the Amazons and brought Wonder Woman to mainstream audiences, Jenkins had worked on the then-in-production Thor: The Dark World. However, as fate would have it, she had left the character and story due to creative differences. Alan Taylor would later take on directorial duties and deliver a film that was in line with the aesthetic and lore of the character but largely fell flat with audiences.
For Thor, his character remained in limbo until Taika Waititi gave him a much-needed reimagining as a colorful God in a universe filled with humor and drama. That also worked well to dichotomize his time on The Avengers, where he was forced to face the reality of his failings head-on and accept all he’s lost. But with Thor: Love And Thunder, it was clear that aspects that had worked before may have run their course, as the film was met with mixed concepts that made balancing the drama and humor more difficult than before. However, in the years since her departure, Jenkins honed her craft and may potentially be the one to come to the God of Thunder’s rescue.
Wonder Woman Prepared Patty Jenkins for Another Shot at Thor
As Thor forged his path in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jenkins was hard at work creating a version of Wonder Woman that captured the spirit of the comics, TV show and the character of this continuity. What resulted was a film that, much like the first Thor, had Diana as a fish out of water in a world and time she knew nothing about. The story balanced its humor well and knew when to inject drama as a way to push Diana’s character to new realms. From this, Wonder Woman was shown in a new light and proved what made her such a powerhouse.
And Thor may need a similar tone shift, as it’s been proven that humor works well for the hero. However, Avengers: Infinity War proved that Chris Hemsworth knows how to channel the drama and emotion of the character into something so powerful words aren’t even needed. So, for a potential fifth Thor film to work, Hemsworth also stated that a change might be necessary for the hero’s tone, and Jenkins could be the perfect fit. With the series needed return to drama, now could be the time to see Thor in what may be his last appearance, facing threats only he could handle with humor and calmness only he could provide. But most importantly, it would give Jenkins a chance to show audiences what she could bring to Thor.
