Hello everyone. It’s me again. I hope you guys enjoyed my last editorial on my proposed Man of Steel franchise. Keeping in the veins of things, this editorial will focus solely on how I think DC/Warner Bros. should portray the iconic Wonder Woman in her much-deserved big screen debut and its subsequent sequels. Without further ado…
Wonder Woman was invented by William Marsters in 1941 at a time when there was little equality between genders. For an institution to introduce a female character who wasn’t a sidekick but a superhero in her own right was, to say the least, ground breaking. Her status in the superhero community would only grow from then on. Even to this day, she is undisputedly the most iconic female superheroine to grace the pages of graphic novels. So why hasn’t she received the silver screen treatment her male counterpart has had many times over? For that we must first examine the obstacles standing in the way. With the obstacles identify, hopefully I can address some of these issues in my article.
The biggest and most obvious obstacle to the film is its focus on a female warrior. While female actors have proven themselves more than capable to carry a movie as its star, the action genre is arguably one that they have not been able to plant a foothold in. Sure, successful franchises such as Resident Evil and Underworld have proven there’s definitely something there. But the fact remains, none of the Resident Evil and Underworld movies ever made more than $300 million at the worldwide box office (note: they also did not go over very well with critics). In fact, no female-driven action movie has ever crossed that threshold as far as I know. At a younger age, Angelina Jolie’s pure star power could power her movies into the $200 million box office range and beyond. She was certainly a bona fide action star what with the Lara Crofts film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted, and Salt. But only Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Wanted made over $300 million. Mr. & Mrs. Smith was a team-up with perennial Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt and she only played a supporting role in Wanted.
Why am I so focused on the $300 million mark? While there is no real life-and-death reason, the matter of fact is, the box office is the easiest measure of a film success and comic book movies seem to be operating on a whole ‘nother level than other films. Both the Incredible Hulk and Green Lantern made over $200 million, not enough to warrant a sequel. I’m not suggesting there’s any strict cut-off but anything less $300 million is beginning to look less and less “successful”. Keep in mind, major studios producing these movies are in it for the money and probably won’t hesitate to pull the plug if they feel it’s necessary. One can certainly point to the Hunger Games franchise as a successful franchise starring a female lead. While this is true, the Hunger Games feeds off its source material and the rabid teenage fan base that comes with it. I’m afraid Wonder Woman lacks this base among mainstream audiences. That in itself is another obstacle Wonder Woman faces. Due to her current absence of exposure to the mainstream audience, she lacks any fan base Superman and Batman possesses. Note: none of the Alien or Kill Bill movies even made $200 million. Haywire and Colombiana both tanked.
A third obstacle in bringing this character to life on the big screen, and indeed for most all other female superheroines, is their sexuality. I think we can all agree that despite the establishment of equality between men and women in the past several decades, comic book artists continue to sexualize its female characters. Their costumes are impractical and revealing. Diversity is wiped out (someone explain to me why a prominent, powerful middle-age African American woman in Amanda Waller had to be thin down to be young and beautiful in the New 52?). Wonder Woman is no exception. While she is arguably one of the most powerful superhero in DC Comics lore, she is still drawn such that she is very revealing. And when artists decide to cover her up, every one throws a fit. Right now, Wonder Woman is essentially wearing a star-studded underwear. A swimsuit maybe, if you prefer something “less” derogatory.
The last obstacle I will discuss (technically two obstacles) is simply her characterization in the comics. She lacks well-known or even worthy villains to face off against. Furthermore, her weapon is a lasso that acts like a truth serum and…an invisible jet. She also wears a tiara, something that belongs on a fairy princess. I mentioned before in my first article that things that work in comic books don’t necessarily work on the big screen. These are some examples of such.
But enough of that [stuff]! The following is how I would portray Wonder Woman on the big screen. Hopefully some of the obstacles are dealt with…
Let’s start with the characterization of the titular character, Wonder Woman. I personally like her updated origin in the New 52 better. Not only does it make more sense, the mainstream audience is also more exposed to the idea of a demi-god through the legends of Herakles and Perseus (the latter through Clash of the Titan). Having a baby made of clay and given life and powers by the Gods seems a bit far fetch for the mainstream audiences. Now, with that being said, Princess Diana won’t know she is the daughter of Zeus until the events of the film. It will ultimately be a part of her character development.
Before I move on to discuss the first film in my trilogy in more depth, I believe that the tonality of the Wonder Woman films should take a page out of the aforementioned Clash of the Titans movie. The two films starring Sam Worthington were disappointing but as a designer I particularly enjoyed the aesthetics of the film; everything from the monsters, location, and costumes were as I would have imagined the world of Greek Mythology. The video game series God of War also isn’t bad. But I am pointing specifically towards Clash of the Titan for its ability to bring a demi-god action hero into a PG-13 film. Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say about that. Moving on…
Because Greek Mythology and the Olympian Gods are ultimately such a big part of Wonder Woman’s background, the first film in the trilogy should focus on these relationships, particularly that of Diana’s relationship between Zeus and Ares. While I think the animated Wonder Woman could be a good template to jump off from, I dislike the idea of treating Ares as pure evil. Instead, I think the live action film should focus on Kronos and the Titans or Typhon, the last son of Kronos and in Greek Mythology, the father of all monsters. Eris a.k.a. Strife, is another option. If someone was to engender chaos in Man’s World, it should be her instead of Ares. Ultimately, I would prefer Ares to be depicted a character to be sympathize with. I see him as the combat trainer for Diana and a potential love interest that was turned toward a darker path. For those of you who don’t know, Ares in Greek Mythology is not the God of War. Instead, he is more correctly the God of Violence and shows no particular affinity for warfare. In the Iliad, he gets his ass handed to him by Artemis and runs back to Zeus to complain. Zeus basically tells him to suck it up because he deserves it. Ares is actually known as somewhat of a coward and uses trickery to defeat his opponents. It was the more aggressive Romans that depicted Ares’ counterpart, Mars, as the God of War. In any case, I personally would love to see this side of Ares: weak and afraid, his bravado a façade. By the end of the movie, perhaps there should be a glimmer of hope that Ares can be redeemed.
I am not particularly enthused by the way the Olympians are depicted in the New 52. I personally believe the Olympians should be depicted more human-like, similar to way they’ve been depicted in most movies. However, I also like the notion of the Gods having a more monstrous side to them and their ambiguity towards age. Below, I’ve only bothered to cast Zeus and Ares (the two most important Gods in regards to Diana in my opinion). The pictures of the Gods I post are similar to how I intend their portrayal to resemble.
Richard Armitage/Charles Dance as Zeus: Richard Armitage is a rising star due mainly to the Hobbit film series. In the series he has shown incredible composure and ability to play a leader. Charles Dance meanwhile is an establish actor who is perfect for portraying Zeus as an iron fisted ruler, knowing when to be just and when to be stern. Armitage would play younger Zeus and Dance would play the older Zeus.
Kellan Lutz as Ares: I know what you guys are thinking. Not the guy from Twilight! I thought the same thing but seeing him beef up for the role of Hercules in his upcoming film (despite the fact that I think it will tank) has convinced me to give him a shot. He has the boyish quality to play Diana’s mentor and friend while also possessing a large frame accentuated by his piercing eyes that exudes danger.
One last thing before I move on from the whole Greek Mythology thing. I think it would be “cool” if Prince Diana/Wonder Woman was defined by Zeus as Olympus’ new champion as Herakles once was. Okay, now I’m done.
I would start the movie with a large scale epic battle between the Titans and the Olympians with the Amazonians serving as Zeus’ vanguard. They don’t necessarily need to be the only warriors under Zeus, but Hippolyta and her Amazons will ultimately play an integral part in bringing down the Titans. This scene is reminiscent of the Wonder Woman animated film. After the Titans are re-imprisoned in Tartarus, Zeus grants Hippolyta and her Amazonians the gift of Themyscira perhaps alluding to Hippolyta’s encounter with Herakles or Theseus. Hippolyta, for her part in the war, wishes for a daughter to which Zeus, smitten, agrees to. He seduces her and…well the rest is history.
The film immediately cuts to modern day. This is how I would start tying the DCCU films together. Steve Trevor is an air force pilot on a reconnaissance flight (or something) with another pilot. This other pilot may or may not be seen, however at least through dialogue it is alluded to the fact that this other pilot is gifted, hot-shot Hal Jordan. A relationship between the two character is quickly establish (Steve Trevor as the mentor/friend etc.) because Hal Jordan then goes off the book jeopardizing the mission. Steve is shot down as a result (and lands in Themyscira) while Hal Jordan is dishonorably discharged from the air force (which ultimately leads to his role in Ferris Aircraft and the Green Lantern Corp). The film will continue from there.
So who would I cast as Hippolyta? Steve Trevor?
Cate Blanchett as Hippolyta: Cate Blanchett is not only a phenomenal actress but carries herself with the dignity and composure both on and off screen comparable with that of a Queen. Despite her age of forty-four she looks absolutely stunning. Her agelessness is never more apparent in her portrayal of Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.
Rachel Nichols as Artemis: This is probably a very common casting choice. She is a respectable and beautiful actress who is no stranger to a little action. At 5’10” she is also a perfect height for an Amazonian.
Brad Pitt as Steve Trevor: This is probably the most unrealistic casting I will ever do in this article and all my other subsequent articles. The reason why this is so unlikely is because Brad Pitt, at this stage in his career, is extremely picky about what roles he plays. Many of them are films he produces. The only glimmer of hope this may happen is the fact that he has been playing more and more supporting roles.
Anyway, I am personally in favor of the older post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Steve Trevor with little to no romantic relationship with Princess Diana. However, because it’s Brad Pitt, there’s still that possibility in the air. Also realistically, an older decorated man is needed as the UN or D.E.O. liaison to the Justice League. Having a young guy doesn’t make much sense.
Another reason why I didn’t want Steve Trevor pursuing a romantic relationship with Princess Diana is because I don’t necessarily think Wonder Woman needs a man in her life. We don’t need to cater to the public’s twisted demand for constant sexual tension between the protagonist and his/her opposite. Wonder Woman is too strong a character for that. Also…I wanted to introduce Etta Candy.
Because I envision Etta having small role in the film, I don’t really mind who plays her. I do however believe we should model her off of her New 52 version. There’s more diversity this way.
Kerry Washington as Etta Candy: She is arguably too big of a star for this minor role but hey, they got Laurence Fishburne to go for Perry White. Not much to say here except that she is a very talented actress in the prime of her career.
Now just in case you guys really hated the latter Steve Trevor casting, I’ve prepared a younger alternative.
Mike Vogel as Steve Trevor: Vogel is an actor who has been quietly gaining respect as an actor. At the age of thirty-four and standing at six-feet tall, he not only looks the part but also would physically be a good match for Wonder Woman.
Phew! Finally, we actually get to Wonder Woman. Without further ado, I announce my casting for the titular character of Princess Diana:
Jamie Alexander as Wonder Woman: She is a very common choice these days and I hate to fall onto the bandwagon but I honestly can’t think of another woman who has perfect combination of assets for the role. Jamie Alexander is beautiful and sexy, yet as Sif has clearly demonstrated, she isn’t just eye candy. She kicks ass (or at least seems capable of learning to kick ass). At the ripe age of twenty-nine, she is young enough to play naïve and hold a long running cinematic franchise but also mature enough to pass as a warrior. She has also has the right amount of exposure similar to Henry Cavill before Man of Steel. Now, here’s the part where I get hypocritical. I mentioned in my Superman arc when casting Supergirl, that I would be very stringent about Wonder Woman’s height. Both Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck stand taller than six feet. I was adamant about Wonder Woman being at their level and not get overshadowed by their presence. Also, I truly believe in order to convey Wonder Woman as a role model for women in Man’s World, she needed to be able to either look her opponent square in the eye or even look down at them. It conveys strength and status. Thus, I started my search looking for respectable actress (and young enough) at 5’10” or taller. I couldn’t find a better alternative to Jamie Alexander, who is only 5’9”.
So I mentioned earlier in the article that sexuality is a problem for female superheroine. So how would I tackle Wonder Woman’s costume? As you can see from below, I am advocating for a more armored like appearance. It is both more practical and imposing to her enemies. As an Amazonian warrior, it is what she would be accustomed to wearing. With that being said, if she is in armor, I prefer the original gold color scheme. If she is in a more traditional outfit (which I am not entirely opposed to), I prefer the New 52 silver version.
In terms of the weapons she carries, the lasso is simply too integral to her character to take away. However, no invisible jet. And I prefer it if her tiara wasn’t a weapon and is re-designed to something that looks better in reality. For the purpose of this particular first installment that I laid out, I wouldn’t mind at all if she carried a sword and shield as well. I think Diana needs to be defined in juxtaposition to Batman and Superman as a warrior, someone who is willing to kill if necessary. This will play an important role in a certain Justice League plotline I am thinking about.
This first film I think also need to deal with politics. If Themyscira does indeed reveals itself to Man’s World out of nowhere, satellite will immediately pick it up. How do the superpowers of the world respond to this? How do the women of Themyscira react to all eyes on them? As a result, I believe Princess Diana’s resolve to stay in Man’s World stem from her desire to communicate with the outside world and learn (not out of love for Steve or whatever). She will be Themyscira’s ambassador to the U.N.
So all of this has thus far been about the first movie in a planned trilogy for Wonder Woman. What would happen in the second and third movie? Unlike in my Man of Steel franchise article, I don’t think I can lay it all out clearly for you guys. This stems from the fact that Wonder Woman has a weak rogue gallery outside of Greek Mythology. Below are suggestions.
- Wonder Woman 2 – Potential villain: Cheetah, Giganta, Silver Swan, Queen of Fables, Veronica Cale. My vote would be for Cheetah but I can’t think of a good plotline for the character. She’s also a bit outlandish for mainstream audiences. If Ares has unresolved storylines from the first movie, this can be dealt with here. Also, Hades always made for an interesting villain. An original villain also wouldn’t hurt.
- Wonder Woman 3 – I am quite positive I want Circe to be climatic villain of the Wonder Woman trilogy. I see her not only as Wonder Woman’s equal but also a tie back to Greek Mythology.
Note: No major supporting characters (i.e. Cassie Sandmark) to be introduced.
Charlize Theron as Circe: The role of Circe was ultimately up for grabs between Theron and Eva Green. However, I find Charlize Theron to be the more versatile actress and was absolutely stunning as Queen Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman. Plus, I personally feel like Eva Green has been typecast as the witch character a little too often.
I hoped you guys enjoyed a read. Another long article. They’re actually getting longer and longer. Thanks and comment in the usual spot.