GUNN’S NIGHTMARE: Jenkins Fuels Speculation About DCU Comeback
The biggest headache for DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn just got louder. Patty Jenkins, the director whose Wonder Woman pitch was famously torpedoed by the new regime, is refusing to gracefully fade into the background. Instead, she is making noise about a triumphant return to the very franchise that publicly dumped her.
In a recent interview with m.c.u.n, Jenkins was asked point-blank about revisiting the Amazonian warrior in the newly rebooted DCU. Her response? A classic Hollywood dodge: “You never say never because I love Wonder Woman.“
While she added that she is “so excited with what I’m doing” and it’s “always good to do something new,” the door remains conspicuously ajar. The phrase “you never know” is now ringing alarm bells across the Warner Bros. lot. Insiders tell TMZ this is a transparent power play. Jenkins knows the DCU needs top-tier talent, and she is strategically positioning herself for a call from Gunn or Peter Safran, despite their prior messy split.
The $ Million Triumph vs. The Disaster Sequel
Jenkins’ history with DC is a tale of extreme highs and embarrassing lows, making her potential return incredibly complex. Her film, Wonder Woman, was a certified blockbuster and a critical darling, often hailed as one of the few genuine successes of the previous, now-defunct DC Universe. That movie alone secured her reputation as a major director.
Then came the crushing disappointment of Wonder Woman . Even sources close to the director admit the sequel “really isn’t that great.” Its simultaneous release on HBO Max during the pandemic further muddied its performance, but critics and fans alike savaged the script and direction. The sequel flop provided the perfect excuse for Gunn and Safran to kill the third film and reboot the character entirely.
The new DCU is prioritizing three pillars: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. With the first two on track, the third remains a “question mark,” according to Gunn. This uncertainty is exactly what Jenkins is capitalizing on. She may have overseen a disaster, but she also delivered a phenomenon.
Chaos on Other Fronts: Is Star Wars Ditching Jenkins?
The timing of Jenkins’ DC flirtation feels desperate, particularly given the swirling rumors about her other massive franchise commitment: the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron movie. That project, which was set to be a huge directorial opportunity for her, is reportedly in serious trouble.
Sources now indicate that Rogue Squadron is potentially being “retooled as a Disney+ series.” The key piece of gossip? It is “unclear if Jenkins herself is still attached to the project.”
If the Star Wars mega-deal is slipping through her fingers, Jenkins needs a new big franchise to anchor her career. Throwing a lifeline out to the DCU—which is currently hungry for talent and high-profile names—is a clear and calculated move to hedge her bets. Is she ditching Star Wars, or is Star Wars ditching her? Either way, the DCU is now her backup plan.
The LEGO Movie Lifeline: A DC Comics Connection
Jenkins isn’t completely adrift. It was recently announced that she is set to direct one of three upcoming live-action LEGO Movie projects. The twist that makes this relevant to the DC drama? She is directing a script she co-wrote with former DC Comics chief Geoff Johns.
Johns was a central figure in the previous, failed DC regime, working closely with Jenkins on the first two Wonder Woman films. Their continued collaboration proves Jenkins remains linked to powerful industry figures with deep roots at Warner Bros.
While Jenkins insists she is “having a good time” with her current projects, the LEGO movie, however charming, doesn’t carry the blockbuster weight of a Star Wars or a Wonder Woman franchise. This LEGO project is a placeholder, a respectable distraction, while she waits for the big phone call.
The WM Tragedy: Why Gunn Killed Her Pitch
The most painful public humiliation for Jenkins was the cancellation of her Wonder Woman pitch. The official word, leaked through industry channels, was that the film was killed because it did not fit with the new direction being mapped out by James Gunn and Peter Safran. It was a cold, decisive execution.
While the failure of WW certainly didn’t help, insiders believe the reason for pulling the plug “had less to do with the movie itself and more to do with the plan to reboot the entire franchise.” In other words, Jenkins was collateral damage in Gunn’s master plan for a clean slate.
However, the way she “launched the character certainly worked last time.” Gunn and Safran need all the A-list talent they can get for the dozens of new movies and shows coming in the DCU. Ignoring Jenkins’ ability to deliver a hit is foolish. The studio is in a tight spot: bring back the director they publicly rejected, or risk hiring someone less proven.
The Cliffhanger: Will Gunn Take The Bait And Invite Chaos?
Patty Jenkins is a skilled director and a great writer, capable of tackling more than just Diana Prince. Could James Gunn bring her back for a non-Wonder Woman project, perhaps an HBO Max series or a smaller film in the DCU fold, purely to capture her talent and silence the noise?
Her quote—”You never say never”—is a perfectly crafted piece of self-promotion, a siren call to a studio desperate for credibility. Gunn has maintained a disciplined, non-nostalgic approach to the DCU so far. Allowing Jenkins back in, even in a small capacity, risks inviting the chaos and baggage of the previous regime back into his clean operation.
The choice is brutal: Hire the woman whose name is synonymous with the character and risk repeating the WW mistake, or keep her locked out while she publicly campaigns for a job. The pressure is mounting on James Gunn to decide if he values proven talent more than a clean, scandal-free slate.
