Emerald Fennell’s Zatanna Film: Why the DC Project Got Too Dark | Dark Horizons

Emerald Fennell’s planned foray into the DC universe, a solo film centered around the magical character Zatanna, proved “too dark” for Warner Bros., even before the arrival of James Gunn and Peter Safran and their overhaul of the DC slate. The revelation comes from Fennell herself, who discussed the project while promoting her new film, February 13th’s Wuthering Heights.

Fennell, known for her critically acclaimed Promising Young Woman and the more recent Saltburn, was tapped in June 2021 to write the script for a Zatanna feature. The project was initially conceived as part of the broader “Justice League Dark” universe spearheaded by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. However, that universe ultimately failed to materialize, and Fennell’s Zatanna film joined the list of casualties.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fennell described the script as deeply personal, reflecting her own emotional state at the time. “I think it was demented because I was probably going through it at the time,” she explained. “I just finished Promising Young Woman, and there was this huge thing in this world that I’d never operated in. I was like, ‘Okay, how do I make the version of a superhero movie that I would connect to emotionally?’”

The resulting script, she said, centered on a character experiencing a nervous breakdown. “So it’s a script reflective of a woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown, I would say. I suppose it just meant that it was probably too far away from the genre. It was really dark. I haven’t read it for a really long time because I found it really difficult.”

This wasn’t a case of Gunn and Safran scrapping a project they inherited; the concerns about the film’s tone predated their arrival. Fennell acknowledged that the studio’s reservations surfaced before the DCU reset. The project’s darkness, it seems, simply didn’t align with the studio’s vision for the character or the broader superhero landscape.

Zatanna Zatara, a stage magician and powerful sorceress, first appeared in DC Comics in 1964. Her unique ability to cast spells by speaking backwards has made her a fan favorite, and she’s been featured in various animated series and video games. She even made a live-action appearance on the CW’s Smallville, played by Serinda Swan.

Fennell expressed regret that she hadn’t fully delivered what the studio was looking for. “I love JJ so much, and he took a chance on offering me to do it, and I really wanted to deliver something amazing for them, and I always felt like I hadn’t quite delivered the thing that they wanted.”

The cancellation of the Zatanna film is emblematic of the turbulence that characterized the DCEU for years. Numerous projects were announced, developed, and then abandoned as the studio struggled to find a consistent creative direction. The arrival of Gunn and Safran signaled a decisive break from the past, with a new, unified vision for the DC universe. While Zatanna’s future remains uncertain, Fennell’s candid comments offer a glimpse into the creative process – and the challenges – of bringing a complex character to the big screen within the constraints of a major studio franchise.

Fennell’s experience also highlights the delicate balance between artistic vision and commercial viability. Her desire to create a “dark” and emotionally resonant superhero film clashed with the studio’s expectations, ultimately leading to the project’s demise. It’s a reminder that even talented filmmakers can face obstacles when navigating the complex world of blockbuster filmmaking.

The fate of Zatanna on screen remains to be seen under the new DCU regime. While no immediate plans for the character have been announced, her enduring popularity and unique skillset suggest she could resurface in the future, perhaps with a tone more aligned with the studio’s evolving vision.