Like most of the upcoming DCEU films, Warner Bros. is playing it close to the chest with Wonder Woman, which will be directed by Patty Jenkins. Despite the fact that the movie begins shooting this month, it isn’t scheduled to be released until June 2017. Not an eternity, but not exactly right around the corner either! Reading up on rumors here and there not only helps to build hype, but it also is keeping the rabid fan base (of which I am a proud member) from chewing their hands off in anticipation.
Today we’re going to go over some of the facts and rumors surrounding this film. If what we’ve been presented with so far is true, we’re in for a massive movie. Please be advised that while some of these rumors are unconfirmed, there is the potential for spoilers. Look away now if you want to stay fresh.
Thanks to one of scoops obtained by Heroic Hollywood’s own Umberto Gonzalez, we recently learned that this movie will take place largely in modern day, with several scenes flashing back to World War I. While this will inevitably lead to comparisons to Captain America: The First Avenger, I’m grateful that we didn’t get another movie set with a Nazi angle. Seriously, it’s been done to death.
It’s also worth noting that according to the rumors, all of the scenes set in the present time will apparently take place before the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
As of today, only a few cast members have been confirmed. This will mark the second time that Gal Gadot appears as Wonder Woman, albeit the first in her own film. We have yet to hear her speak in a trailer for the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but the buzz has been remarkably positive. Henry Cavill has nothing but positive comments, and Zack Snyder himself called Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman the ‘gateway drug’ to the entire Justice League.
It was also recently confirmed that Chris Pine will be taking on the role of Steve Trevor. When Pine was first announced as Wondy’s love interest, I was psyched. Not only am I a fan of Pine in the rebooted Star Trek franchise, but I also know how strong he can be in a supporting role. He is as comfortable delivering funny deadpan lines as he is with action, and I for one hope that Patty Jenkins utilizes this as much as possible.
Pine was pictured sitting next to Said Taghmaoui, whose role remains uncertain for now. Both were wearing clothing that looked like appropriate for a soldier during the first world war, which seems to confirm the setting rumors mentioned above. According to another hot rumor broken earlier this week, Pine may also be appearing as Steve Trevor’s grandfather.
According to sources, Steve Trevor’s grandfather crashes on Themyscira, which allowed him to meet Diana and introduce her to the rest of the world. After helping her to defeat Ares, Trevor died. Many years later, Diana met Steve, who happened to look remarkably like his grandfather.
This fits in perfectly with another Wonder Woman rumor published several weeks ago. According to sources, the villains for the film will be Ares, the God of War, and Circe, the Sorceress. Ares is not only one of the most powerful figures on Olympus, but he is also the man who trained and molded Wonder Woman into a fearsome warrior. Like Circe, he is one of the primary antagonists in the Wonder Woman comics.
There has been no official announcement as to who will be playing these roles, but that hasn’t stopped the rumors from coming in. Recently we learned of a rumor that Sean Bean was being eyed to play Ares, and Eva Green was up for the role of Circe. If that’s not casting news worthy of a happy dance, I don’t know what is.
Speaking of solid actors, Nicole Kidman was also reportedly being eyed for a part in the film, possibly for the role of Hippolyta. Again, fantastic casting if it’s true. It is never a mistake to add talent.
One thing that struck me was the fact that aside from Chris Pine (who is playing a truly “All-American” character), none of the actors are from the U.S. Gal Gadot is Israeli, and Said Taghmaoui and Eva Green are French. Boromir (Whoops, I mean Sean Bean) is the quintessential Briton, and Nicole Kidman is Australian. Given that this film will be dealing with mythological figures from other realms, it makes sense to cast people who don’t sound like they grew up stateside.
Speaking of cool mythological stuff, one of the locations that Wonder Woman will be shooting at is Basilicata, Italy, which is about as close to paradise as you can get on Earth. It could serve as a World War I backdrop, but I’m betting that it will be the setting for Themyscria. From the beaches and ideal weather to the ancient ruins, it’s just what the director ordered. I can’t wait to see how it looks, especially after Chris Pine revealed that they will be shooting on film, rather than with digital cameras. (Yes!)
When you add it all up, it points to what could be the largest scale DC movie yet.. Wonder Woman’s backstory is epic, and if you’re going to tell it properly, it really is a case of go big, or go home. It will also add cinematic diversity to other movies in the DCEU, contrasting with smaller-scale films like Suicide Squad.
When Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman appears in Batman v Superman, it will be the first time the character has ever appeared on the big screen. When she takes the lead in 2017’s Wonder Woman, it will be the first major female fronted superhero movie in a shared universe. There’s no doubt that the bigwigs over at Warner Bros. want Wonder Woman to be just as big of a smash as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is going to be. (Yeah, I said it!) If even half of what we’ve learned turns out to be true, then I believe they’re off to one hell of start.
In order to do Wonder Woman, you need to show all of the important aspects of the character. She’s a diplomat, a warrior, and compassionate. She comes from an incredible world, yet believes in ours. Her story is one of the largest ones in all of DC comics. I’m excited about all the rumors that we’ve seen so far because they appear to show that DC and Warner Bros. are taking great care to do this right. We’re not getting a damsel in distress or a ditzy sexpot. It’s still a ways away, but I think that we’ll be getting the character that earned the right to be revered by legions of fans.
Are you pleased with the info and rumors uncovered so far? Do you wish that the film would go in another direction? Whatever you think, let us know down below in the comments section. In the meantime, I’m off to go read another chapter in The Secret History of Wonder Woman. It’s a kick-ass book. You should check it out!
