"Buffy" creator Whedon exits "Wonder Woman" pic

06/02/2007 13:29

By Borys Kit and Tatiana Siegel

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Joss Whedon, who had been developing a big-screen adaptation of DC Comics superhero Wonder Woman for Warner Bros. Pictures and Silver Pictures, parted ways with the studio and production company on the project.

Whedon announced the news on Friday on a fansite, chalking it up to creative differences. "I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked," he wrote on www.whedonesque.com. Studio and agency sources confirmed the development.

The latest setback on "Wonder Woman", which has gone through a long gestation process, underlines the difficulties studios encounter when developing such marquee pop culture titles.

At Paramount Pictures, for example, J.J. Abrams’ involvement in "Star Trek XI" as director is in question. The studio insists that the "Lost" co-creator was never officially attached to direct the film, only to produce it. But in July, upon announcing Abrams’ film production pact with Paramount, then-studio president Gail Berman said Abrams was on board to direct the next instalment in the sci-fi franchise and that it would be his first project under the new feature deal.

Although Paramount is hopeful that Abrams will captain the Starship Enterprise, sources said the director likely will make his decision later this week.

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directors -- Tim Burton, Brett Ratner and McG -- were involved in developing what ultimately became "Superman Returns" before Bryan Singer took the helm. More recently, Jon Favreau surrendered the reins of Paramount’s "John Carter of Mars", which has since landed at Pixar, in favour of Marvel’s "Iron Man". And Shawn Levy ("Night at the Museum") has just stepped in to direct "The Flash", with which "Batman Begins" co-writer David Goyer had been involved.

NO SLAM-DUNK

In the case of "Wonder Woman", "We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that’s never gonna work," Whedon said in his post to his fans. "Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don’t think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views."

Whedon, who came on board the project in March 2005, was paid $2 million to $3 million (1 million pounds to 1.5 million pounds) to develop and write the adaptation, which Joel Silver is producing. He also was attached to direct. His involvement had looked like it would finally move the project forward. Whedon, the creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", was seen as someone who could crack the challenge of making a female superhero movie work, especially one that involved a magic lasso, bullet-deflecting bracelets, an invisible jet and a bathing suit-like costume.

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