Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins has revealed the motivations that drive the villains of the story. In just a few weeks, Gal Gadot will be reprising her role as Diana Prince in the next chapter in the DC Extended Universe, which aims to tell the tale of how the Princess of Themyscira - hardened by the harrowing conditions and events of the First World War - became Wonder Woman.
It's no secret that audiences have developed numerous grievances with the studio's burgeoning shared universe, which officially began last year with Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. While the editing and development issues receive the brunt of criticism, some believe the villains (e.g. Enchantress, Lex Luthor) have also played a crucial role in the universe's divisiveness among audiences and critics. That's something that might very well change in the coming weeks with Wonder Woman.
Ahead of Wonder Woman's release next month, Patty Jenkins has been doing press for the film and she recently revealed in press conference (via Collider) the motivations behind the actions of two of the movie's main villains, Doctor Poison (Elena Anaya) and General Erich Ludendorff (Danny Huston). Here is what she said:
"The challenge was to see both the good and the bad of mankind. And, you know, Steve really ends up, like, representing the good and the complexity of mankind. But Doctor Poison and General Ludendorff are great examples of the bad of mankind. And they're also great examples of how that is not conscientious choice to be a villain. Every villain has their belief system that makes perfect sense to them."
When it comes to comic book movies, the villains are typically depicted as having singular motives. They may not have chosen to become the villain, but they are that way because they crave money, power, or simply global destruction. Humanizing them isn't something that happens often, especially not in superhero films, which can be notorious for having undistinguished villains. It's actually something that has plagued both the DC Extended Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though they have each had their fair share of exceptional villains (like Zod and Loki).
Wonder Woman releases in just a few weeks and anticipation for the film could not be higher. Tickets are already on sale, and the film's opening weekend projection numbers are expected to increase as we get closer to its release. And judging by how well the film has been doing with critics thus far, Wonder Woman is looking to be a much-needed hit for the studio - and the DCEU as a whole.
Source: Collider
