A Zatanna feature is being developed courtesy of Warner Bros. and DC, with Emerald Fennell signed on to be the film's writer. The project is early enough in development where an actress has not been cast for the role, but fans are speculating who might play the sorceress. Now, the venerable filmmaker Fennell has said more about the direction she's taking Zatanna in and her comments reveal exciting possibilities for the project.

Zatanna, a magician in more ways than one, has seen her popularity grow among fans of DC Comics in recent years. The superheroine first appeared in 1964 and has been implemented in various forms of DC-related media since, including projects like Smallville, Young Justice, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.

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In her interview with Empire, Fennell explained that she was eager to write Zatanna because it was her opportunity to work on a project that was "really quite dark." The filmmaker is excited to work on something "big and scary," also commenting that she's thrilled by the prospect of being able to have epic fights and action scenes in a film. Fennell said, "to have complete freedom to really let your imagination run wild is such a joy."

Fennell is one of the buzziest female directors currently working in the industry. Skilled in acting, writing, and directing, Fennell had her big creative break as the showrunner for season two of BBC America's hit mystery show Killing Eve, which earned her two Emmy nominations. She then went on to write and direct Promising Young Woman, which won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards and made her one of only seven female nominees for Best Director in the history of the Oscars. Audiences recently had a chance to see her in front of the camera as well, thanks to her role as Camilla Parker Bowles in Netflix's acclaimed series The Crown.

Zatanna represents just one of the many films based on DC Comics in the works at Warner Bros. James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is set to release this August while many other DC films such as The Batman and DC's League of Super-Pets are slated for release in 2022. Other projects in the works include The Flash, Shazam 2, Black Adam, Batgirl, Static Shock, and Blue Beetle.

The prospect of a film focusing on Zatanna is an interesting one, as the character's fanbase is undoubtedly clamoring for her to have more exposure to general audiences. The character deserves a dark story befitting of her backstory, and it's tough to think of a better choice for the project than Fennell—her enthusiasm is nothing if not reliable.

Zatanna is currently in development at Warner Bros.

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Source: Empire