"Wonder Woman" director responded to "Titanic" director James Cameron's statement about the summer blockbuster being "a step backwards" for female leads. (Reuters/AP)
“Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins fired back at “Titanic” director James Cameron’s contentious statement calling her movie “a step backwards” for female leads.
Jenkins tweeted on Thursday: “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 for my film ‘Monster,’ and our portrayal of a strong yet damaged woman was so appreciated,” Jenkins continued.
JAMES CAMERON CALLS ‘WONDER WOMAN’ A STEP BACKWARDS FOR WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD
"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," Jenkins’ statement said.
Jenkins has signed on to write the sequel to “Wonder Woman.”
In an interview with The Guardian, Cameron said that he was not impressed with the summer blockbuster.
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“All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywood’s been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided," Cameron said. "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."
Cameron said Sarah Connor, from the “Terminator” franchise set a better example for female leading characters in movies than “Wonder Woman.”
Cast member Gal Gadot poses at the premiere of "Wonder Woman" in Los Angeles, California U.S., May 25, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni - RTX37OIR (REUTERS)
“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,” Cameron said. “And to me, (the benefit of characters like Sarah) is so obvious. I mean, half the audience is female!”
Despite his criticism, “Wonder Woman” went on to gross more than $400 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.
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