Though the disparity between the number of studio jobs for female directors and male directors has been a problem for as long as anyone can remember, it hasn’t been addressed by Hollywood-at-large until very recently. Even with the hiring of Patty Jenkins — subbing in for the originally picked Michelle MacLaren — for “Wonder Woman,” a gender gap in the studio tentpole world still exists, but fortunately another blockbuster looks like it’ll have a little diversity behind the camera.
Heroic Hollywood reports the long-desired — by the studios, at least — reboot of the “Tomb Raider” series has its director’s chair earmarked for a “Michelle MacLaren type.” With a new draft from “Divergent” screenwriter, Evan Daugherty, and lowered expectations following 2003’s ill-received “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life,” it would seem like the perfect job for MacLaren herself to jump into the studio filmmaking world. But the TV veteran must surely be weighing her options carefully following the creative friction she experienced with Warner Bros — whom, coincidentally, will be the studio behind the “Tomb Raider” reboot along with MGM.
Even with MacLaren out of the running, there is still an abundance of talented female directors that deserve just as much of a chance at the big movies as their male counterparts. For example, we know that Angelina Jolie will not reprise her role as Lara Croft — it’s a reboot, duh — but should her previous experience in the series really bar her from returning to the franchise as a director? We don’t think so, but we still know it’s unlikely that the “Unbroken” director will get to come back in any capacity. Maybe Claire Denis can do a “Tomb Raider” installment after her space movie?
If done right, this could have the potential of being a huge cash cow, but Warner and MGM have a tough road ahead. In the meantime, why not help the execs in their director search and leave your wishlist for this project below.
