Original Superman Director Praises Wonder Woman Films

Wonder Woman 1984 debuted in theaters and on HBO Max last weekend and no matter how you felt about the Patty Jenkins-directed film, it’s not hard to see the influence of another superhero movie, specifically Richard Donner‘s 1978 Superman. Jenkins has even said that the Donner’s Superman was an inspiration, both on Twitter during a Watch Party for the film and in comments to CBR about the flying scene in Wonder Woman 1984. Now, Donner is responding with praise for Jenkins’ Wonder Woman films.

Speaking with Telegraph, Donner joked that Jenkins taking inspiration from Superman just proved the director has good taste.

“It just means she’s got good taste,” Donner said, laughing.

Jenkins recently explained that it was a scene of Superman flying with Lois Lane in Donner’s film influenced Diana’s flight scene in Wonder Woman 1984, a scene that itself is similar to a scene from the first Wonder Woman, at least in terms of its emotion — the No Man’s Land scene.

“I love that scene. It’s one of my favorite scenes in film history, and so I loved it,” she said of Donner’s Superman. “I also — it was — secretly, you know, people always were like, ‘What’s the No Man’s Land? What’s the No Man’s Land? [in the sequel]’ I was like, ‘There’s not going to be a No Man’s Land because this is a different movie. There’s going to be nuance!’

She continued, “But in a way, that is the No Man’s Land. It’s a different moment where she has to make the brave choice by herself. So, facing grief in that way was the No Man’s Land, and it does carry that emotion of Steve with her up into the sky. So yeah, that’s a great compliment. I’m so happy to hear that.”

In his conversation with Telegraph, Donner said he was a fan of Jenkins’ Wonder Woman as well, noting that the film had “the same feeling of emotions” as his film before noting that darker, grittier takes on superheroes aren’t things that he finds especially entertaining.

“There are so many people that make superheroes so cynical it’s depressing,” Donner said. “When they’re dark and bleak and angry with themselves and the world, I don’t find it entertaining. I think there’s enough reality going on for that. We just got over four years of that [under President Donald Trump]. I think we crave the opposite.”

Starring Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Pine, Wonder Woman 1984 is now in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.