The inclusion of Wonder Woman was one of the highlights of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. Her no-nonsense manner and physical role in the film's third act made her as entertaining a presence as either of the titular superheroes. It's no surprise, then, that Wonder Woman is the next DC superhero to receive the cinematic solo treatment.
Directed by Patty Jenkins, the film will see the Amazon princess leaving her home island of Themyscira, to put an end to the ongoing horrors of World War I. Creating a superhero movie that's also a period drama set against the backdrop of a large-scale war gives Wonder Woman a distinction many of her superhero contemporaries lack. And that historical drama is precisely what Jenkins is hoping to explore in her new feature.
Continuing the exploration of war, Empire has unveiled a new image from the movie, with a determined Wonder Woman charging through the grit of no man's land. This imagery of twisted trees and dark soil is an iconic look at the hellish landscape which developed as a result of gruelling trench warfare. The image is accompanied with comments from Patty Jenkins about the philosophical conflict at the heart of the movie, and how that is part of Wonder Woman's motivation:
"What motivates her is philosophical. She isn't just taking out bad guys or fighting crime. She believes in goodness and love. [She] is fierce and willing to fight, but only to protect a better vision for mankind. Hers is really a coming-of-age story.
My approach was to focus on telling the story of mechanised war and how that would look to a god visiting our world for the first time. [I wanted the audience to understand the horrors that a war on this scale makes possible and how shocking that would be to someone who comes with a strong sense of honour and justice. She doesn't realise yet just how senselessly dark the world can be."
Jenkins's comments highlight the stark rift in ideology between Diana Prince and the DC Extended Universe's iteration of Batman. The two will team up again in Justice League, in which they'll be assembling a team of metahumans to face the global threat of Steppenwolf and his horde of Parademons. While Affleck's Bruce Wayne seemingly remains the lead protagonist of that movie, Wonder Woman will put Diana Prince on the center stage, making it the first female-fronted comic book movie in either the DCEU or Marvel's Cinematic Universe.
This information comes after recent comments from Henry Cavill, who will reprise his role as a resurrected Superman in Justice League. The actor claimed that the animosity between Batman and Superman did not stay in the grave after the events of Batman V Superman. He was quoted as saying: "There's pretty much an argument between him and Batman as to who is the leader." While this is likely to result in on-screen banter as opposed to another titanic brawl, it will be interesting to see how Diana factors into the disagreement.
Much is riding on Wonder Woman. If the film is successful, then perhaps its time for the Amazon Princess to put an end to this macho disagreement by leading the Justice League herself.
Source: Empire
