Joss Whedon Addresses Fan Ire Over His Scrapped 'Wonder Woman' Script

The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron writer-director Joss Whedon stands by his never-made [...]

By Cameron Bonomolo

The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron writer-director Joss Whedon stands by his never-made Wonder Woman script.

"I don't know which parts people didn't like, but I went and re-read after I heard there was a backlash. I think it's great," Whedon told Variety of his rejected screenplay at the Hollywood premiere of Avengers: Infinity War.

"People say that it's not woke enough, I think they're not looking at the big picture," Whedon said.

"It's easy to take one phrase, out of context — and not that I was the most woke individual who ever lived at that time ten years ago, but I was in there swinging and the movie has integrity and the characters have integrity and I stand by it."

The script, dated August 7, 2006, found its way online last summer just as Warner Bros.' Patty Jenkins-directed and Gal Gadot-led Wonder Woman proved itself a global critical and commercial smash hit.

Whedon's script was mauled by fans and online commentators, who called the unproduced script sexist and "viscerally insulting."

A Twitter Moment captured much of the backlash aimed at the 116 page script, which was dissected by user @_sashayed in a now-infamous Twitter thread that received thousands of 'likes' and re-tweets.

Criticisms included a lack of focus on its titular heroine in what would have been her big screen debut, over-sexualizing the Amazon warrior, and depicting the fierce yet gentle Diana as a weaker character. The script also saw men label Wonder Woman a "wh—re" and a "b—tch."

The Buffy and Firefly filmmaker, who most recently overtook duties to finish Justice League, was attached to write and direct a Batgirl solo for Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe, but ultimately exited the project.

Gadot will reprise her role in Wonder Woman 2, out November 1, 2019.

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