James Cameron doubles down on 'Wonder Woman': 'That’s not breaking ground'
"She was wearing a kind of bustier costume," he said.
-- Legendary director James Cameron is standing by his comments about the hit film "Wonder Woman," adding that he doesn't think the way actress Gal Gadot portrayed the superhero is "breaking ground."
"I’ll stand by that ... She was wearing a kind of bustier costume that was very form-fitting," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "She’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. To me, that’s not breaking ground. They had Raquel Welch doing stuff like that in the ’60s."
Cameron's comments echo his remarks to The Guardian last month when he said Gadot's "Wonder Woman" was "an objectified icon."
In contrast, he said he believes the character of the heroine, Sarah Connor, he helped to create in the original "Terminator" franchise was more modern and unique.
"It was all in a context of talking about why Sarah Connor — what [actress Linda Hamilton] created in 1991 — was, if not ahead of its time, at least a breakthrough in its time," he added in the new interview with the Hollywood Reporter. "I don’t think it was really ahead of its time because we’re still not [giving women these types of roles]."
"Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins fired back on social media in August after the original slight from the "Titanic" director, saying, "James Cameron's inability to understand what 'Wonder Woman' is, or stands for, to women all over the world is unsurprising as, though he is a great filmmaker, he is not a woman. I believe women can and should be EVERYTHING just like male lead characters should be."
Cameron added new comments about Jenkins in the piece published today, applauding her but still holding back on full praise.
"I didn’t think there was anything groundbreaking in 'Wonder Woman' .... but I will add a little detail to it, which is: I like the fact that, sexually, she had the upper hand with the male character, which I thought was fun," he said.
"Wonder Woman" grossed more than $820 million worldwide and was lauded by critics and fans alike.
Cameron, for his part, announced last week that Linda Hamilton will be back as Connor in the upcoming "Terminator" sequels.