Relatively unknown indie director Cathy Yan was chosen to tackle the upcoming DC film Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Understandably nervous, Yan contacted another female director of a DC film, Wonder Woman 1984's Patty Jenkins.
While speaking with Variety, Yan shared the advice given to her by Jenkins. "You’ve got to remember that no one knows this movie as much as you," Jenkins told Yan. "That’s what makes you the director." Yan acknowledged that Jenkins' words were "really, really helpful."
The only full-length film Yan directed before Birds of Prey was the 2018 drama/comedy entitled Dead Pigs, which went on to win the Special Jury Award for ensemble acting at the Sundance Film Festival.
Jenkins, meanwhile, returns to the world of Wonder Woman after directing the character's first solo outing in 2017. Wonder Woman 1984 arrives in theaters June 5.
Directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) stars Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ewan McGregor, Ella Jay Basco, Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, Francois Chau, Charlene Amoia, Chris Messina and Matthew Willig. The film arrives Feb. 7.