Warner Bros. is closing in on a director for “Wonder Woman” and “Breaking Bad’s” Michelle MacLaren has emerged as the frontrunner for the coveted job, an individual with knowledge of the project has told TheWrap.
Warner Bros. declined to comment on its director search, while a representative for MacLaren had no comment.
There are several other directors waiting in the wings — not all of whom are female — but MacLaren has earned a spot at the top of WB’s list thanks to her strong track record working in television on visually sumptuous hit shows like “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead.” It’s unclear whether negotiations have formally begun, but the “Wonder Woman” job appears to belong to MacLaren, according to a well-placed source.
WB’s comic book movie rival Marvel has had success recruiting directors from television, with Joe and Anthony Russo plucked from “Community” to direct “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and Alan Taylor (“Game of Thrones”) directing “Thor: The Dark World.”
“Wonder Woman” will star Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, who will make her first appearance in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The solo “Wonder Woman” movie is slated to be released in 2017.
“Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe,” said director Zack Snyder at the time of Gadot’s casting. “Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character.”
MacLaren is a two-time Emmy winner for her work as an executive producer on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” and she also directed 11 episodes of the show. Most recently, MacLaren directed an episode of the “Breaking Bad” spinoff “Better Call Saul.” She’s represented by ICM Partners, which also reps Gadot.