Wonder Woman is a 2017 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, and Cruel and Unusual Films, and distributed by Warner Brothers. It is the fourth installment of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), and a prequel/spin-off to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).[7] The film was directed by Patty Jenkins and written by Allan Heinberg, based on a story conceived by Heinberg, Zack Snyder, and Jason Fuchs. The film stars Gal Gadot in the title role, alongside Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, and Elena Anaya. It is the second live action theatrical film featuring Wonder Woman following her debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.[8] In Wonder Woman, the Amazon princess Diana sets out to stop World War I, believing the conflict was started by the longtime enemy of the Amazons, Ares, after American pilot and spy Steve Trevor crash-lands on their island Themyscira and informs her about it.
Development of a live-action Wonder Woman film began in 1996, with Ivan Reitman to produce and possibly direct. The project floundered in development hell for many years; Jon Cohen, Todd Alcott and Joss Whedon, among others, were also attached to the project at various points. Warner Bros. announced the film in 2010 and Jenkins signed on to direct in 2015. Inspiration for Wonder Woman was drawn from Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston's 1940s stories and George Prez's 1980s stories about Wonder Woman, as well as the New 52 incarnation of the character. Principal photography began on November 21, 2015, with filming taking place in the United Kingdom, France and Italy before finishing on May 9, 2016. Additional filming took place in November 2016.
Wonder Woman had its world premiere at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on May 26, 2017, and was theatrically released worldwide on June 2, 2017, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received positive reviews, being noted for its cultural significance, with praise for its direction, performances, visuals, story, action sequences, and musical score, though some criticism was directed towards the climax.[9] It grossed over $822 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2017 and was the highest-grossing film by a solo female director until it was overtaken by Hi, Mom.[10][11] The American Film Institute selected it as one of the top ten films of 2017 and it won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2018.[12] A sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, was released in December 2020, with Jenkins returning as director and Gadot, Pine, Wright and Nielsen reprising their roles. A third film was planned, but was cancelled due to DC Films being restructured as DC Studios in 2022.
Diana, the daughter of Queen Hippolyta, is raised on the hidden island of Themyscira, home to the Amazons, women warriors created by the Olympian gods to protect mankind. Hippolyta tells Diana the story of how Ares became jealous of humanity and orchestrated its destruction. When the other gods attempted to stop him, Ares killed all but Zeus, who used the last of his power to wound him and force his retreat. Before dying, Zeus left the Amazons a weapon, the "god-killer", to prepare them for Ares' return. Hippolyta reluctantly agrees to let her sister, Antiope, train Diana as a warrior.
In 1918, Diana rescues US pilot Captain Steve Trevor when his plane crashes off the Themysciran coast. The island is soon invaded by German soldiers, who had been pursuing him. The Amazons wipe out the German landing force, with Antiope sacrificing herself to save Diana. Steve is interrogated with the Lasso of Hestia and reveals that a great war is consuming the outside world and that he is an Allied spy. Steve has stolen a notebook from the Germans' chief chemist, Dr. Isabel Maru, who is attempting to engineer a deadlier form of mustard gas under the orders of General Erich Ludendorff. Believing Ares to be responsible for the war, Diana arms herself with the "god-killer" sword, the lasso, and armor before leaving Themyscira with Steve.
In London, they deliver Maru's notebook to the Supreme War Council, where Sir Patrick Morgan is trying to negotiate an armistice with Germany. Diana translates Maru's notes, revealing that the Germans plan to release the deadly gas at the Western Front. Although forbidden by his commander to act, Steve, with secret funding from Morgan, recruits Moroccan spy Sameer, Scottish marksman Charlie, and Native American smuggler Chief Napi to help prevent the gas from being released. The team reaches the front in Belgium. Diana goes alone through No Man's Land and destroys the enemy trench, liberating the nearby village of Veld with the aid of the Allied forces. The team briefly celebrates, taking a photograph in the village, where Diana and Steve fall in love.
The team learns that a gala will be held at the nearby German High Command. Steve and Diana separately infiltrate the party; Steve intends to locate the gas and destroy it and Diana hopes to kill Ludendorff, believing that he is Ares. Steve stops her to avoid jeopardizing his mission, but this allows him to unleash the gas on Veld, killing its inhabitants. Blaming Steve for intervening, Diana pursues Ludendorff to a base where the gas is being loaded into a bomber aircraft bound for London. Diana fights and kills him, but is confused and disillusioned when his death does not stop the war.
Sir Patrick appears and reveals himself as Ares. He tells Diana that although he has subtly given humans ideas and inspirations, it is ultimately their decision to resort to violence, as they are inherently corrupt. When Diana attempts to kill Ares with the "god-killer" sword, he destroys it before revealing to Diana that, as the daughter of Zeus and Hippolyta, she is the "god-killer". While the two battle, Steve's team destroys Maru's laboratory. Steve hijacks and pilots the bomber carrying the poison to a safe altitude and detonates it, blowing up the plane and himself. Ares attempts to direct Diana's rage and grief at Steve's death by convincing her to kill Maru, but the memories of her experiences with Steve cause her to realize that humans have goodness within them. She spares Maru and redirects Ares's lightning into him, killing him for good. Later, the team celebrates the end of the war.
Additionally, Mayling Ng, Florence Kasumba, Madeleine Vall Beijner, Hayley Jane Warnes, Ann Wolfe and Eleanor Matsuura portray Orana, Acantha, Egeria, Aella, Artemis and Epione, respectively, all of whom are Amazons.[63][64][65][66] James Cosmo appears as Douglas Haig, Steffan Rhodri appears as Darnell and Dutch supermodel Doutzen Kroes portrays the Amazon Venelia.[65] Samantha Jo was cast as the Amazonian Euboea and previously played the Kryptonian, Car-Vex, in Man of Steel.[67] Zack Snyder also makes a brief cameo appearance in the film as an unnamed soldier.[68]
Development for a live action Wonder Woman feature film began in 1996, with Ivan Reitman attached as producer and possible director.[69] In 1999 the project became attached to Jon Cohen, who adapted Wonder Woman for producer Joel Silver, with the hope that Sandra Bullock would star.[70] By 2001, Todd Alcott was hired to write the screenplay, with Silver Pictures backing the project.[71] At that time, Mariah Carey and Catherine Zeta-Jones were also rumored to be possible candidates for the role of Wonder Woman.[72] Leonard Goldberg focused on Bullock[73] who said that she was approached for the role. Lucy Lawless, the star of Xena: Warrior Princess, was also under consideration, though she stated that she would have been more interested if Wonder Woman was portrayed as a "flawed hero".[74] The screenplay went through various drafts written by Alcott, Cohen, Becky Johnston and Philip Levens,[75] and by August 2003, Levens had been replaced by screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis.[76]
In March 2005, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures announced that Joss Whedon would write and direct the film.[77] Early drafts of his screenplay included Steve Trevor as the narrator, a fierce battle between Diana and her mother over Trevor's welfare and after leaving Themyscira, his need to frequently rescue a Diana rendered helpless by the modern world.[78] Whedon was not able to complete a final version of his screenplay and left the project in 2007.[79][80]
Although Whedon stated in May 2005 that he would not cast the part of Wonder Woman until he finished the script,[81] Kate Beckinsale was linked to the part.[82] In 2010, Whedon admitted that he did have an actress in mind for the part, stating that "Wonder Woman was basically Angelina Jolie."[78][83]
A day before Whedon's departure from Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures purchased a spec script for the film written by Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland. Set during World War II, the script impressed executives at Silver Pictures.[80] However, Silver stated that he had purchased the script because he did not want the rights reverting; while stating the script had good ideas, Silver did not want the film to be a period piece.[84] That same year, Warner Bros. began development of a Justice League film with Michele and Kieran Mulroney writing the screenplay. The film, entitled Justice League: Mortal, was to be directed by George Miller and would have featured Wonder Woman in her cinematic debut. Australian model Megan Gale was ultimately cast in the role in January 2008. The film would later be cancelled following production delays and budgetary concerns.[85] By April 2008, Silver hired Jennison and Strickland to write a new script set in contemporary times that would not depict Wonder Woman's origin, but explore Paradise Island's history.[86]
In 2010, Warner Bros. stated that a Wonder Woman film was in development, along with films based on DC Comics superheroes the Flash and Aquaman.[87] Both Wonder Woman and Aquaman were still under consideration for solo film subjects as of June 2013.[88] DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson said Wonder Woman "has been, since I started, one of the top three priorities for DC and for Warner Bros. We are still trying right now, but she's tricky."[89] On October 5, 2013, WB chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara said he wanted to get Wonder Woman in a film or on TV.[90] Shortly afterward, Paul Feig said he had pitched the studio an idea for Wonder Woman as an action-comedy film.[91][92] The studio then began to search for female directors to direct the film.[93] While Michelle MacLaren was the studio's initial choice to direct (and while she initially indicated interest),[94][95][96] she eventually left the project due to creative differences.[97]
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