- Emerald Fennell confirms her Zatanna script will not be part of the DC Universe.
- Fennell completed the screenplay and believes Zatanna is a “really cool character.”
- Despite the screenplay being scrapped, Fennell enjoyed the process, describing her story as “reasonably demented.”
Emerald Fennell’s Zatanna script has disappeared, but not due to any magic. Before Peter Safran and James Gunn’s upcoming DC Universe (DCU) was conceptualized, Fennell wrote a script for the first big-screen adaptation of the DC Comics character. However, while speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fennell confirmed her Zatanna will not be included in the DCU.
Fennell recalled working on the project before her film “Promising Young Woman.” The script was written when J.J. Abrams had just arrived at Warner Bros. and planned to reboot the Dark Universe, with the intention of creating a new dark villain/hero universe. Fennell, who expressed her enthusiasm for the project, described Zatanna as a “really, really cool character.”
Despite completing the Zatanna script, it will not be featured in Peter Safran and James Gunn’s DCU. Fennell described the process as “complicated,” as her screenplay was intended for the now-defunct DCEU. Nevertheless, Fennell enjoyed the experience, admitting to Horowitz that her Zatanna story was “reasonably demented.” They shared a laugh when Fennell revealed she didn’t have to worry about production costs or film content. The possibility remains open for Fennell to work within the DCU or Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the future.
As a child, Fennell expressed her desire to be an actress, write murder stories, and live in America. Now 38, she has become a prominent figure in Hollywood. Her most recent project, “Saltburn,” which she directed, wrote, and produced, is available on Prime Video.