So we are finally getting some (early) footage for next year's Wonder Woman movie and …
… well …
The actiony bits look very actiony, and that's good.
Gal Gadot looks pretty decent in the role, as expected.
Chris Pine as Steve Trevor? Okay.
A World War I setting? I'll be curious to hear the creative decisions behind that change.
SOP DC Movie Universe desaturated colors? Um … okay.
My biggest concern is that this carries on the fundamental change in WW's character since, oh, 2010-2011, when DC decided that Diana as an envoy for peace to Man's World with its violence an cruelty was just too un-actiony. That the tension between that philosophy and the violence that Wonder Woman was forced to commit was too difficult for folk to go with. That the idea of Wonder Woman as a proto-Xena was too difficult to resist.
So, yes, this footage is full of WW punching people, sword fighting with people, committing violence upon people. While there's a bit from the director talking about "The good thing about Wonder Woman is how good and kind and loving she is, yet none of that negates any of her power," there's no sign of "good and kind and loving" in what we saw in that preview (or in the bits where she shows up in the bits we've seen of Batman vs. Supernan).
It all looks very grimdark and violent, and if that's the message, fine, but if that's not the message, then the message is not coming across.
WWI is certainly an interesting choice to time period, maybe they avoided WWII to prevent comparisons with the Captain America movie?
I wish DC would figure out that they don't have to desaturate the color out of their superhero films. Bright colors work with Marvel, even with the slightly cheesy (but classic) blue and yellow uniforms of X-Men First Class.
+Paul Scollon That's the best guess, or else just to plow new ground. WWI certainly makes for a better anti-violence message.
It's ironic, though, that smirky dude was there talking about how nobody knows Wonder Woman's origins, while they change a significant item like that from her origins.
(I'm guessing Steve Trevor will be a WWI era Doughboy — which then leaves her free to eventually play smoochies with Superman in the modern era. Sigh)
+Marty Shaw DC has made a conscious decision — perhaps based on the Nolan Batman movies, maybe to distinguish from Marvel — to go grimdark and violent and glowery in their super-films. The desaturation is just part of that (appropriate, maybe, to a WWI setting, but …).
It's particularly ironic in that DC used to be seen as brighter, less dark, and more four-color than Marvel.
Wow, that is chock full of suck. Can DC ever make a watchable movie that is anywhere near canon!?
Sword and shield!? Major fail and gladly I can skip this movie and I hope it's another giant failure for DC.
Wonder Woman these days is all about the Sword & Shield. In fact, in the comics, she's the current God of War.
So it was once "edgy" (because of its rarity) when Diana would set aside the trappings of being an envoy of peace and understanding to Man's World, strap on the armor and weapons, and demonstrate just how incredibly kick-ass she could be. That's when you knew things were getting really dire.
Now, it's her SOP, because of the Fanbois in charge at DC Comics (and, through influence, the movies). It's a real shame.
She could hook up with Superman but I think she also had a thing with Batman for a while in the comics… and Diana did share a look with Bruce in that clip shown on the DC special the other night. They could go with that angle… and then have her get with Superman later. They can do a love triangle like Twilight 😛
+Marty Shaw Ugh.
I always liked the Diana/Bruce flirting in the Justice League cartoons, largely because it was the one thing that made that version's Batman uncomfortable.
But Wonder Woman / Superman always struck me as way too on-the-nose ubermenschen kind of a thing — an interesting alternate universe speculation, or something for the distant future when it turns out both of them are nigh-immortal, or something.
But, hey, that was back when Lois Lane was Superman's girlfriend and, later, wife. And that is so last DC Comics Regime.
+Dave Hill I am guardedly optimistic. I think WW1 has some potential, I think the costume is the right balance of classic but not cheesy.
But yeah, a grimdark Wonder Woman just doesn't work with the original character conception of bringing peace and "loving dominance" to Man's world. Is it that hard to put a lasso in a modern action movie? Not to get too Freudian, but WW's weapon should envelop, not penetrate…
+Marty Shaw I will note, with some irony, that the trailer for Suicide Squad is distinctly not desaturated. Interpret that as you will.
+Dave Hill LOL Hadn't thought of that but you're right. The one film that would fit the grimdark theme is bright and colorful.