Gal Gadot’s Cleopatra Movie: Patti Jenkins Steps Down as Director, Kari Skogland Takes the Reins

Jenkins has her plate full with two other big projects

There’s an update on Gal Gadot-starrer Cleopatra. The movie was planned to reunite the actor with her Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins for the third time, but Jenkins had to exit the project as she is now in charge of two massive movies: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Wonder Woman 3. The movie will now be helmed by Kari Skogland, who last directed Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for Disney+.

About Cleopatra 

Patty Jenkins, Kristen Wiig, Gal Gadot
Instagram/@gal_gadot

This won’t be Cleopatra’s first Hollywood adaptation. The Egyptian queen, who originally hailed from Macedonia and her infamous lover, Roman General Mark Antony had been in movies before. Actresses like Elizabeth Taylor had played the role, but the question of Cleopatra’s race always comes into question, and many did not support the White actress playing the queen.

Gal Gadot’s casting earned the movie enough backlash as well, mainly because the actress was from Israel. Many argued that they should cast an Egyptian actress to play the role, without knowing the whole truth.

However, Gal Gadot clarified that Cleopatra was of Greek decent, and from Macedonia, before going to Egypt. She said that they looked for a Macedonian actress to play the role, but were not able to. And since she was passionate about the role, she was casted. Gal Gadot then added that she only wanted to celebrate the legacy of Cleopatra, and anybody can make their own movie if they want.

Jenkins’ schedule

BTS of Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Instagram/@kari.skogland

Ever since Wonder Woman 3 was announced at DC FanDome 2021, Jenkins got busier. Then came the announcement that Rogue One has been delayed indefinitely, meaning Wonder Woman 3 has taken priority. There were also rumours of “creative differences” between Jenkins and Lucasfilm, which had happened in her career before causing her to drop out of Thor: The Dark World.

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