Emerald Fennell: A Rising Star

So, picture this: it’s 2021 and Emerald Fennell is riding high on the success of her debut feature, Promising Young Woman. Naturally, when the superhero scene came calling, folks were stoked. Rumor had it she was penning a script for a Zatanna movie under the prestigious Bad Robot and Warner Bros banners. Sounds like a match made in superhero heaven, right?

The Hopes Dashed

Fast forward a couple of years and, spoiler alert, the Zatanna movie never hit the big screen. Instead, Fennell channeled her creative energies into thrilling projects like the psychological rollercoaster, Saltburn, and this year’s adventure with Margot Robbie in a good ol’ bodice-ripper, Wuthering Heights. Fans of DC have been left scratching their heads, wondering what on earth happened to our charming sorceress, Zatanna. Many believed it was simply put on hold during the DC universe shake-up when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over the zany world of superheroes.

Behind the Magic

In a recent chat with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fennell spilled a couple of beans about her take on Zatanna and why it didn’t quite take flight. “Honestly, I think it was a bit bonkers since I was probably in the thick of life’s chaos at that point,” she admitted. She was determined to craft a superhero flick that resonated emotionally. What does that mean, you ask? Well, imagine a hero grappling through a nervous breakdown—definitely not your typical cape and spandex affair!

Zatanna: The Enigmatic Sorceress

Now, let’s not forget Zatanna Zatara, one of the most legendary magic-wielders in the DC universe. This lady doesn’t mess around; she casts spells by speaking backwards. Talk about multi-tasking! While you might know her from her subtle portrayal in the CW’s Smallville, Fennell’s vision would have brought her to the silver screen in a much darker light.

The Dreaded Script

Fennell describes her scrapped Zatanna project as “really dark” and, let’s be honest, it has haunted her enough that she hasn’t dared to revisit her own script. “I love JJ [Abrams] so much, and he took a chance on me when I was trying to craft something spectacular,” she said. The pressure was real! She even admitted feeling like she didn’t quite hit the mark—perhaps now she’d be kinder to herself if she were to read it again.

Bottom Line

Despite the turmoil, Fennell’s experiences shed light on how challenging it can be to balance creative visions with studio expectations. While we might never get to witness her interpretation of Zatanna, her journey exemplifies the whimsical, sometimes messy, nature of movie-making. And hey, we still have Wuthering Heights in theaters now, so all is not lost!