PATTY JENKINS

There was a movie I was trying to make right after 'Monster,' a bigger behemoth: the Chuck Yeager story. It was a life dream, but it just didn't line up. We just had issues with the life rights, ultimately.

There's an idea that action movies are more attractive to one gender than the other or different kinds of people or whatever. The truth is action is not any different than any other part of a story.

It's not about superheroes. This is the method of universal storytelling that all people have... To me, they're the same as the Greek myths or the Roman myths or religious figures of every religion. These are common characters that we use to express stories about being a better person or what you would do when faced with various things.

When people are crass or loudmouthed, it's not because they don't give a damn. It's from fear and insecurity.

I think that, for whatever reason, we've gotten to a place where, particularly in Hollywood, things have to be very pat. Like 'I'm a good guy. I'm a bad guy.'

It is ironic you could make an animated film about a dog that's a universal character, but God forbid it be a human being who is not a man.

I want to make great films in my lifetime, and I really want to make a great film about Wonder Woman.

I have passed on a lot of things that would have been extremely lucrative, because they were nothing else.

I like to work, and I worked for years as a camera person before I directed.

There was a very difficult time when a female hero was a man in a woman's body. 'Hunger Games' really changed that: a woman leading a non-woman's film in the action genre. I think 'Wonder Woman' does that on a very big scale.

The need to look behind the curtain is great for a filmmaker. But whether you want to deconstruct what you like as a viewer, what you like and don't like, I wish we could let films stand on their own a little bit.

I believe in Wonder Woman and the true spirit of Wonder Woman, and I wanted to tell that story. I didn't want to make her an alt version of Wonder Woman.

Ultimately, so many things come down to money, but particularly when it comes to superheroes - people really thought that only men loved action movies and only men would go see a superhero movie.

I have a real pet peeve for women who play damaged characters but don't look damaged.

A woman doesn't have to direct a woman's film and a man doesn't have to direct a man's film; otherwise, where would we be?

The education of going through the 'Thor' experience was great.

TV is really hard to break into. This may be the worst piece of advice, but make an independent film. TV oftentimes takes people who are established. The great benefit of not breaking in yet is purity of voice.

That was devastating to me: how a bright, energetic kid could turn doomed and desperate.

I was a closet Journey fan when I was growing up.

I did not necessarily feel that Hollywood was interested in what I wanted to do. They wanted me to do what they wanted to do.

De Niro didn't gain all that weight to play Jake La Motta just to prove he could get fat - every single one of those transformative things is grounded in the character.

I always say that 'Star Wars' had a huge effect on me, too, but what 'Star Wars' did for some people, 'Superman' did for me.

What I never want to do is start phoning it in and making things just to show that I can keep my foot in the door and do big movies.

I never want to set a belief that a woman has to direct a woman's film, meaning she can't direct a man's film. If only films can be directed by people who are exactly the same as that, it's only gonna limit all of the women more.

To make a masterpiece would be my life's dream.