Wonder Woman is a 2017 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins from a screenplay by Allan Heinberg, and based on a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder, and Jason Fuchs, it is the fourth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Gal Gadot stars as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman alongside Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, and Elena Anaya. The film follows Diana, an Amazon princess, as she leaves her home island of Themyscira after the American spy Steve Trevor informs her about World War I. Believing it to be orchestrated by Ares, the god of war, she sets out to stop the conflict.
Development of a live-action Wonder Woman film began in 1996, with Ivan Reitman initially set to produce and possibly direct. The project remained in development hell for many years, with writers and directors like Jon Cohen, Todd Alcott, and Joss Whedon attached at various points. Warner Bros. officially announced the film in 2010, and Patty Jenkins was hired as the director in 2015. The film drew inspiration from William Moulton Marston's 1940s Wonder Woman stories, George Pérez's 1980s comics, and the New 52 version of the character. Principal photography began on November 21, 2015, in the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, and concluded on May 9, 2016. Additional filming occurred in November 2016.
Wonder Woman premiered at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood on May 26, 2017, and was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on June 2. The film received positive reviews, with praise for Jenkins' direction, performances, visuals, story, action sequences, and cultural significance, though some criticism was directed at the climax. It grossed over $824 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2017 and the highest-grossing film by a solo female director until it was surpassed by Barbie (2023). The American Film Institute included Wonder Woman in its top ten films of 2017, and the film won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2018. A sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, was released in December 2020, with Patty Jenkins returning as director and Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen reprising their roles. Plans for a third film were cancelled after DC Films was restructured into DC Studios in 2022.
Plot
In present-day Paris, Diana Prince receives a photographic plate from Wayne Enterprises taken during World War I. It shows her and four men, and prompts her to recall her past.
Diana, the young 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 humans and orchestrated their destruction. When the other gods attempted to stop him, Ares killed all but Zeus, who used the last of his power to wound Ares and force his retreat. Before dying, Zeus left the Amazons a weapon, the "god-killer", to prepare them for Ares' return. Seeking to protect Diana, Hippolyta hides her daughter's true origin from her, but reluctantly agrees to let her sister, Antiope, train Diana as a warrior.
In 1918, an adult Diana rescues US pilot Steve Trevor when his plane crashes off the coast of Themyscira. The island is soon invaded by German soldiers, who had been pursuing Trevor. The Amazons suffer some casualties, but 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. He 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 equips 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 the Moroccan spy Sameer, the Scottish marksman Charlie, and the American Indian smuggler Chief Napi to help prevent the gas from being released. When 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 and takes a photograph in the village, where Diana and Steve fall in love.
Steve and Diana infiltrate a gala at the German High Command. Steve intends to locate the gas and destroy it, while Diana hopes to kill Ludendorff, believing he is Ares. Steve stops her to avoid jeopardizing his mission, and Ludendorff subsequently kills the inhabitants of Veld with the gas. Angry at Steve for intervening, Diana pursues Ludendorff to a base where the gas is being loaded onto a bomber aircraft bound for London. She fights and kills him, but is confused and disillusioned when his death does not stop the war. Sir Patrick then appears and reveals himself to be Ares. He tells Diana that although he has subtly given humans ideas and inspiration, it is ultimately their decision to resort to violence because they are inherently corrupt. When Diana attempts to kill Ares with the "god-killer" sword, he destroys it, then reveals to her that she is the "god-killer" because she is the daughter of Zeus.
While Diana and Ares battle, Steve's team destroys Maru's laboratory. Steve hijacks the bomber carrying the poison, flies it to a safe altitude, then 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. Later, the team celebrates the end of the war.
In the present day, Diana sends an email to Bruce Wayne, thanking him for the photographic plate featuring her and Steve. She continues to fight for the world as Wonder Woman.
Cast
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman: An immortal Amazon warrior of the island Themyscira. Lilly Aspell portrays Diana at age 8, while Emily Carey portrays her at age 12. Chris Pine as Steve Trevor: An American pilot and spy and the love interest of Diana. Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta: The Amazon queen of Themyscira and Diana's mother. Robin Wright as Antiope: The sister of Hippolyta, the general of the Amazonian army, and Diana's aunt and mentor. David Thewlis as Sir Patrick: A speaker for peace of the Imperial War Cabinet who is revealed to be Ares, the god of war. Danny Huston as Erich Ludendorff: A general of the Imperial German Army. Elena Anaya as Dr. Maru: A German chemist who specializes in poisons. Lucy Davis as Etta Candy: Steve Trevor's secretary who befriends Diana. Saïd Taghmaoui as Sameer: A Moroccan spy and ally of Steve Trevor. Ewen Bremner as Charlie: A Scottish sharpshooter and ally of Steve Trevor. Eugene Brave Rock as Chief Napi: A Blackfoot smuggler who trades with both sides of the war. Lisa Loven Kongsli as Menalippe: Antiope's lieutenant.
Additional Amazons are played by Ann Ogbomo (Philippus), Josette Simon (Mnemosyne), Mayling Ng (Orana), Florence Kasumba (Acantha), Madeleine Vall Beijner (Egeria), Hayley Jane Warnes (Aella), Ann Wolfe (Artemis), Eleanor Matsuura (Epione), Doutzen Kroes (Venelia), and Samantha Jo (Euboea). James Cosmo appears as Sir Douglas Haig and Steffan Rhodri portrays Colonel Darnell. Zack Snyder makes a brief cameo appearance as an unnamed soldier.
Production Background
Development for a live-action Wonder Woman film began in 1996, with Ivan Reitman attached as producer and possible director. In 1999, the project became attached to screenwriter Jon Cohen and producer Joel Silver with the hope that Sandra Bullock would play Diana. By 2001, Todd Alcott was hired to write the screenplay, with Silver Pictures backing the project. At that time, Mariah Carey and Catherine Zeta-Jones were also rumored to be possible candidates for the role of Diana. Lucy Lawless, the star of Xena: Warrior Princess, was also under consideration for the part, although she was interested in playing a "flawed hero" version of the character. The screenplay went through various drafts written by Alcott, Cohen, Becky Johnston and Philip Levens. By August 2003, Levens had been replaced by Laeta Kalogridis.
In March 2005, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures announced that Joss Whedon would write and direct the film. Early drafts of Whedon's screenplay included Steve Trevor as the narrator, a fierce battle between Diana and her mother over Trevor's welfare, and Trevor's need to frequently rescue Diana, who was rendered helpless by the modern world. During Whedon's tenure as screenwriter, Kate Beckinsale was being considered for the role of Diana. However, she did not like the script. Whedon, who wanted Angelina Jolie to star in the film, was not able to complete his screenplay and left the project in 2007.
A day before Whedon's departure, Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures purchased a spec script for the film written by Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland. Although the screenplay—which was set during World War II—had impressed Silver Pictures executives, Joel Silver said they purchased it to avoid future legal action if Warner Bros.' Wonder Woman film ended up bearing similarities to the script. Around the same time, Warner Bros. began development of a Justice League film with Michele and Kieran Mulroney writing the screenplay. The film, entitled Justice League: Mortal, would have featured Australian model Megan Gale as Diana in the character's cinematic debut. The film was later cancelled due to production delays and budgetary concerns. By April 2008, Silver had hired Jennison and Strickland to write a new script set in contemporary times that would not depict Diana's origin, but would explore the history of Themiscyra.
Development
Between 2010 and 2013, executives at Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment reiterated their intention to produce a Wonder Woman film. In 2013, filmmaker Paul Feig said he had unsuccessfully pitched an action-comedy Wonder Woman film to Warner Bros. By October 2014, the studio was searching for a female director for the project. Michelle MacLaren was selected, but she left the project due to creative differences. In 2015, Patty Jenkins accepted an offer to direct a Wonder Woman film based on a screenplay by Allan Heinberg and a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs. Heinberg's script was rewritten and completed by Jenkins and Geoff Johns, who were left out of the official credits by the WGA.
It was decided that Jenkins' film would include Diana's origin story. The character would be the same version that appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Diana's origin story would occur during World War I—a departure from her origin story in the comics, which depicts her supporting the Allies during World War II. Jenkins drew inspiration from William Moulton Marston's Wonder Woman stories of the 1940s and George Perez's stories of the 1980s, which modernized the character. The film also incorporates elements from The New 52 comic reboot, which depicts Wonder Woman as the daughter of Zeus. Jenkins cited Richard Donner's Superman (1978) as a significant influence on the film's tone and storytelling. She wanted Diana to be vulnerable, warm and "filled with love". She also wanted her to be a flawed character as opposed to one who is "impeccably right".
Casting