Filmsane

Patty Jenkins, the badass director of one of the most badass movies of the year, Wonder Woman did an AMA on Reddit yesterday.

More than 700 comments were posted during her AMA session on Reddit, and her answers were informative, poignant, sometimes surprising but awesome never the less. In it, she talked about her influences on her work, Wonder Woman and the movies she’s about to see.

Here are some of her most interesting and fascinating answers.

Asked about Zach Snyder’s influence on WW movie:

I think Zack mostly had an influence in getting things back in order to be a good origin story, and then Geoff and I worked super closely to work on the script and the story and Zack was a great producer, but creatively they gave me the reins.
I’m open to anything in the DCEU but mostly I just love making Wonder Woman.

Aside from Richard Donner’s Superman, what other films/Wonder Woman comics influenced her making of the movie?

Casablanca
The original Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
The original Wonder Woman comic book
The Lynda Carter show
George Perez’s comic strips of Wonder Woman

Her advice for an aspiring producer(s) yet to enter the show-business?

Hard work and passion are worth more than talent, but also really try to learn everything you can about great storytelling and how you can facilitate bringing that to the screen.

Movies she’s excited to see this year or have already seen?

Very excited to see a number of things, Baby Driver being the next one coming up, but also

Spider-Man: Homecoming
Justice League
Thor: Ragnarok

I also can’t wait to see Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle In Time.

The hardest thing to do in making Wonder Woman that may have looked easy to an audience?

I don’t know if it looks easy but the tone – pulling all of those different worlds together into one movie, that was extremely difficult and complicated.

Were there any improvising that ended up in the movie, or was it all by the book scripted?

There was plenty of improvising. Great lines arrived every day, and particularly the boat scene, Chris Pine’s entire riff about not being an “average” man was improvised on the spot – as were many other great moments.

I encourage humor all the time!

Her favorite meal?

A cheeseburger. It’s my go-to comfort food.

And  favorite kind of ice cream?

Mint chocolate chip.

Did the burgeoning romance between Diana and Steve was necessary for the story you chose to tell? Were there any drafts that had it stay platonic?

As for the romance, yes I thought it was absolutely necessary. I think that all of the great epic classic films that I was basing the movie on had that as an integral part of them, and I wanted Diana’s story to have EVERYTHING – no lesser than any other superhero. It’s not about her needing anybody, it’s about her deserving someone amazing.
How did you get involved with Arrested Development?
It was my favorite show and I told everyone that. A little unknown thing about me is that I grew up around all comedians and I even thought I would be a comedy director before I had a chance to write and direct Monster, so I was missing comedy and really excited to excise some of the darkness by jumping into my favorite show.

What were some of Patty’s biggest fears or concerns heading into Wonder Woman?

Just living up to the task of making a great Wonder Woman film was very serious and holding a singular vision throughout was a concern, but I feel excited that I ended up making a film I was very confident and happy with, and so pleased that the fans seem to be satisfied (so far)!

What was it like working with Gal?

Dreamy. She’s the best! A great actress, partner, friend, and Wonder Woman – can’t say enough good things about her.

What other genres of film would she would like to delve into after the comic book genre?

Many. I love great thrillers, I’d love to make an absolutely grand love story.
Drama and other kinds of action stories excite me. I think there are versions of many kinds of films that I would love to do.

Wonder Woman is out in theaters now.