James Cameron Calls Wonder Woman 'A Step Backwards For Hollywood'; Patty Jenkins Responds
Updated : August 25, 2017 10:24 AM IST
Wonder Woman was recently revealed to be the most successful superhero origin movie of all time and upon its release, was the only thing anyone was talking about in Hollywood. The film garnered much kudos for finally getting a female superhero film right but failed to impress one person.
In an interview to The Guardian, Avatar and Titanic director James Cameron said that he considers the film a ‘step backwards’ for Hollywood.
“All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywood’s been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. She’s an objectified icon, and it’s just male Hollywood doing the same old thing! I’m not saying I didn’t like the movie but, to me, it’s a step backwards,” he said.
Cameron compared her to Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton in his Terminator movies. “Sarah Connor was not a beauty icon. She was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit. And to me, [the benefit of characters like Sarah is so obvious. I mean, half the audience is female,” he said.
The writer-director-producer has been married five times and his previous wives include Hamilton, as well as Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow.
“Being attracted to strong independent women has the downside that they’re strong independent women, they inherently don’t need you! Fortunately, I’m married now to a strong independent woman who does believe she needs me,” he said.
Twitter has grown furious over the director’s statements, calling him out for thinking that a woman can either be a beauty icon or a strong female character. Many have also expressed disappointment that Cameron thinks having a strong independent woman as your partner could have a downside.
Also James Cameron: ‘downside of being attracted to independent women is that they don’t need u.’
— Kevin D. Grüssing (@KevDGrussing) August 25, 2017
Yeah, James needs sock in his mouth.
STAT!
Men like James Cameron can do more good through solidarity w/ women colleagues than w/ even their strongest representations of women.
— Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) August 25, 2017
James Cameron is evidence that we're in the Golden Age of powerful men not realizing they could just keep their dumb thoughts to themselves.
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) August 25, 2017
I'd trust James Cameron to lecture me about feminism as much as I trust Joss Whedon to lecture me about feminism these days: NOT AT ALL.
— Adam Mincks (@RufusOverYrHead) August 25, 2017
James Cameron says ‘No one is talking about me rn so here goes nothin’ https://t.co/cSMoWBTr5C
— Shannon Cole (@oshanada) August 24, 2017
James Cameron: Wonder Woman is a step backwards.
— Kenny Williams (@Ohheykenny) August 24, 2017
... dude, you're making 4 Avatar sequels no one wants. https://t.co/OsDDTAbw9b pic.twitter.com/oxJjr8oISg
Remember when James Cameron contributed to the advancement of women/feminism by making fun of Kate Winslet's weight on the set of Titantic?
— Shades of Limelight (@CertainshadesL) August 24, 2017
My face whilst reading the James Cameron interview where he mansplains feminism and calls #WonderWoman a "step backwards" pic.twitter.com/PjOsmpKfeY
— Viv Heaton (@viv_heaton) August 24, 2017
I love James Cameron. I think he has the Midas Touch when it comes to filmmaking. But his take on Wonder Woman is dead wrong.
— Scott Stamper (@DerfelBarada) August 24, 2017
"My female character was better than this new female character I know how to portray women better than women."
— ﾑ ~ Targaryen. (@SindarMomoa) August 24, 2017
- James Cameron. https://t.co/2y3Hh6b9qX
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins responded to Cameron on Twitter: “James Cameron’s inability to understand what Wonder Woman is, or stands for, to women all over the world is unsurprising as, though he is a great filmmaker, he is not a woman. Strong women are great. His praise of my film Monster, and our portrayal of a strong yet damaged woman was so appreciated. But if women have to always be hard, tough and troubled to be strong, and we aren’t free to be multidimensional or celebrate an icon of women everywhere because she is attractive and loving, then we haven’t come very far have we. I believe women can and should be EVERYTHING just like male lead characters should be. There is no right and wrong kind of powerful woman. And the massive female audience who made the film a hit it is, can surely choose and judge their own icons of progress.”
— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) August 25, 2017
The film, which starred Gal Gadot as the superhero and was directed by Patty Jenkins, turned out to be huge success for Warner Bros as the movie became the highest-grossing live-action film ever by a female director.
The movie has earned over USD 800 million at the global box-office.
On the work front, Cameron is currently busy in plotting four sequels to Avatar. The first, currently untitled sequel, will hit theatres on December 18, 2020, while the rest will be released on December 17, 2021, December 20, 2024, and December 19, 2025.
(With inputs from ANI)