Patty Jenkins Slams Streaming Movies: “They Look Like Fake Movies To Me”

[Amadeus Arkham]

Wonder Woman Director Criticizes Streaming Services’ Fake-Looking Movies

As part of this year's CinemaCon (via LA Times), Jenkins participated in a panel to discuss the future of cinema, in particular the recent boom of streaming platforms supported by the global pandemic. In reflecting on original films produced by streaming platforms, Jenkins opined that the titles all didn't appear real and supported her opinion with a lack of discussion about them reaching her. See what Jenkins said below:


"Aren’t you seeing it? All of the films that streaming services are putting out, I’m sorry, they look like fake movies to me. I don’t hear about them, I don’t read about them. It’s not working as a model for establishing legendary greatness."

Agree or disagree with her comments? Sound off below.

[Immortal Weapon]

She sounds salty. There's been quite a few streaming films that got buzz over the years like Bird Box, The Cloverfield Paradox, Bright, The Old Guard. She's blatantly wrong in that regard.

[green_garnish]

I don't know that I agree with the fake movies comment, but she's certainly spot on about these movies not marching toward legendary greatness. Not saying that can't ever happen, but it hasn't even come close yet

[inisideguy]

I really don't know. Are there not any good streaming only movies? I haven't really kept track.

[Mysterious]

I just read this article on screenrant & I think she's saying the cgi in streaming films is bad & fake..."fake movies" right? Scripts too.

[thwhtGuardian]

She sounds salty. There's been quite a few streaming films that got buzz over the years like Bird Box, The Cloverfield Paradox, Bright, The Old Guard. She's blatantly wrong in that regard.

While I do think she's being a little elitist and I do think it's possible for a truly great or "legendary" film to be made by a streaming company in the future ... I don't think she's that far off the mark in regards to what has been produced so far as I don't think any of the examples you gave (or any that I can think of) are what I'd call Great films.

The truth is that studious don't make great films(and at the end of the day that's all the streaming platforms are; other production studios), great directors, writers and actors do and so far those stars haven't aligned just yet...but there's nothing stopping that from happening tomorrow or the next day. Streaming is still in its infancy and its going to take time to attract generational talent to the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime and their ilk; it's starting to as we speak with more and more talent putting their films there but so far nothing I'd point at and say, "Now, that's cinema!" (The Irishman came close though).

[Frontier]

To be honest I don't really see that much of a difference.

[Username taken]

To be honest I don't really see that much of a difference.

Same here.

[Tofali]

Isn’t she talking about exceptions here? Like how many movies released annually in theatres acquire this legendary greatness status she feels is lacking in streaming services movies?

[Immortal Weapon]

While I do think she's being a little elitist and I do think it's possible for a truly great or "legendary" film to be made by a streaming company in the future ... I don't think she's that far off the mark in regards to what has been produced so far as I don't think any of the examples you gave (or any that I can think of) are what I'd call Great films.

The truth is that studious don't make great films(and at the end of the day that's all the streaming platforms are; other production studios), great directors, writers and actors do and so far those stars haven't aligned just yet...but there's nothing stopping that from happening tomorrow or the next day. Streaming is still in its infancy and its going to take time to attract generational talent to the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime and their ilk; it's starting to as we speak with more and more talent putting their films there but so far nothing I'd point at and say, "Now, that's cinema!" (The Irishman came close though).

They don't necessarily need to be great films. If they can develop word of mouth and make the platforms look like a viable option for movie distribution then mission accomplished. With enough success the greats will come.

[ZeroBG82]

To me this reeks of elitism and gatekeeping. I almost feel like she's complaining that it's a lot easy for filmmakers to get their films made now, which means there are more opportunities for people and she can't feel like special snowflake anymore.

And I'm of two minds on that. Because, on the one hand, I'm sure Patty Jenkins had to work really hard to get where she is, and had to scratch and claw for opportunities she could take advantage of. Particularly as a woman in a male dominated industry. I respect that. It's commendable, and her achievements are worth talking about.

On the other hand, it really does sound like she's just trying to exclude potentially new filmmakers who might break in with these new opportunities and steal a piece of her pie. And that's really backwards. More opportunity is almost never a bad thing. More competition for consumer dollars is almost never a bad thing, in the long run. And some of these films may expose people to new directors, new actors/actresses. This is a path to that legendary status for more people. And why would that ever be a bad thing?

Now, if she's just complaining about quality, I would like to call her attention to a major studio picture called Wonder Woman 84 that we should have a discussion about. What's that old saying about glass houses and throwing stones?

[Riv86672]

Agree or disagree with her comments? Sound off below.

TBH my first thought on reading the thread title was, “Who is Patty Jenkins”.

On topic, she seems to be a bit of a hater.
It’s not so much WHAT she said as HOW she said it.
Some ppl are just tactless.

[babyblob]

It is very elitist of her. I would have thought as a female writer and director that she would be happy that services like this would give more opportunities to people who would not other wise get a shot with the big companies. Some of them yes are cheesy or bad. but that can be said about a lot of the movies even from the big companies. I guess at the end of the day we cant all produce something as good as Wonder Woman 84.

[Scott Taylor]

Making movies in Hollywood, using the Hollywood system has always been very much an "in" thing where its who you know and possibly who you sleep with. Indies that didn't buy into the system automatically had a big disadvantage, regardless of how good they are.

Her complaints remind me of the kind of thing being said when talkies took over for silent films. Streaming opens up the competition and makes being part of the in crowd in Hollywood less important. Probably a good thing for creativity.

[j9ac9k]

I think there's going to be a LOT of talk about her comments, a LOT of half-cocked opinions and barbs - some based solely on what they think she said, and others still based on a misconception of what she meant.

Honestly, when I read the excerpt in the OP I took it to mean that since there isn't the same promotion or leadup, she has no foreknowledge of these movies so that when she sees them pop up, they don't seem real because they're just there, like ephemera.