In 2005, Joss Whedon was recruited to write the original screenplay for ‘Wonder Woman.’ He failed and the project was assigned to someone else. Over ten years later, the details of that failure have been thrown into the highest relief, much to the chagrin of Buffy fans everywhere.

“I hate the fact that I’m so attracted to you, just touching you is overwhelming and I keep hoping you’ll turn around so I can see more of you naked,” says the character of Steve in Whedon’s script to Diana, the story’s protagonist.

And this line is, perhaps, the most feminist of the script.

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Poor Whedon, a mere male who certainly can’t help that the Wonder Woman of his dreams is, as he describes her in his script, “curvaceous, but taut as a drawn bow,” probably didn’t think the script would live to see the light of day. Unfortunately, nothing is sacred in this day and age, least of all Joss Whedon’s attempt to tell the story of Diana, Princess of Themyscira, Daughter of Hippolyta.

Thanking the entire universe for not allowing the sexist & terrible Joss Whedon Wonder Woman to ever get made. pic.twitter.com/xZrBsjmVY4

— ✨libby ✨ (@ladylibberty) June 15, 2017

I’m reading Joss Whedon’s original script for Wonder Woman pic.twitter.com/r0NOIrfEew

— Pauline ✨? (@Punziella) June 16, 2017

Superhero fans also used the leaked script as a reason to implore the universe not to allow Whedon to write the ‘Batgirl’ movie script.

me reading joss whedon’s original script for wonder woman and realising he’s gonna direct batgirl pic.twitter.com/bfBaIVKwXZ

— moony (@avxnger) June 16, 2017

If Wonder Woman taught us anything it’s that a woman should be writing and directing Batgirl not Joss Whedon

— Martian Manhunter Jr (@BlckBolex) June 16, 2017

And in case you’re especially devoted to participating in the disparagement of Whedon’s art, read this comprehensive thread on your lunch break.

reading the wh*don wonder woman script was never any fun but after seeing/crying at actual WW it becomes a viscerally insulting experience

— Rave Sashayed (@_sashayed) June 15, 2017

Was the leak of this script part of a grander scheme to replace Whedon as the writer of ‘Batgirl’? Or has Whedon grown up in the years since he described Diana as “middle-aged but very much in her prime”?

Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter at @arr_scott

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