In contrast, he states, his character Sarah Connor “was not a beauty icon. She was strong…troubled…a terrible mother and…earned the respect of the audience through pure grit.” Jenkins responded that Cameron’s “inability to understand what ‘Wonder Woman’ is, or stands for, to women all over the world is unsurprising as, though he is a great filmmaker, he is not a woman”. Williams then juxtaposes Wonder Woman with past female action heroes Sarah Connor, Ellen Ripley and Lara Croft, whom she suggests were all constructed for the male gaze, in which a “female warrior becomes a sex object”. Chris Nashawaty applauded the film’s “smart, slick, and satisfying” tone, while emphasizing the irony that a female hero and director set new standards in a male-dominated genre. Scott Mendelson of Forbes called it “the best female-centric comic book movie,” far surpassing films like Catwoman (2004) and Elektra (2005), though he noted it has flaws and doesn’t match the 2009 animated film Wonder Woman. It also became the highest-earning film with a female director in terms of domestic earnings—surpassing Frozen (2013).
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. Overprotecting Diana, Hippolyta conceals Diana’s true origin from her, but reluctantly agrees to let her sister, Antiope, train Diana as a warrior. Hippolyta tells Diana the story of how Ares became jealous of humanity and orchestrated its destruction. In present-day Paris, Diana Prince receives a photographic plate from Wayne Enterprises of herself and four men taken during World War I, prompting her to recall her past.a Plans for a third film were canceled after DC Films was restructured into DC Studios in 2022.
Jewish identity and Israel representation
- Some criticized the casting, arguing that Gadot’s Israeli background should have disqualified her from playing the role, which is often seen as an American symbol of freedom.
- He argued Connor was “if not ahead of its time, at least a breakthrough in its time” because though she “looked great”, she “wasn’t treated as a sex object”.
- Matthew Jensen was the director of photography, filming in the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
- Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour argued that feminists could not support both Israel and Palestinian rights, causing a rift in feminist circles.
Deadline Hollywood calculated the film’s net profit as $252.9 million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations, and other costs; box office grosses and home media revenues placed it sixth on their list of 2017’s “Most Valuable Blockbusters”. Estimates for the number the film needed to surpass internationally in order to cover its production and promotional costs and break even ranged from $300 million to $460 million. On April 17, it was announced that Wonder Woman would be released in China on June 2, the same day as its North American release. Belgium, Singapore and South Korea received the film first, with May 31 openings.
Deborah Lauter, senior vice president of policy and programs at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), commented on the politicization of the film, in light of Israel’s Six-Day War anniversary. Rosenberg noted how some viewers projected their political stances on Israel onto the film, turning it into a platform for discussing the complex intersections of identity, politics, and representation. However, the film also ignited debates about intersectionality, particularly surrounding Gadot’s outspoken support for Israel. Gadot’s Wonder Woman, by contrast, presented a powerful and visually striking image of Jewish femininity, offering a new, empowering archetype for Jewish women in Hollywood. Danielle Berrin of The Jewish Journal noted that Wonder Woman’s origins in battling Nazis during World War II lent her character symbolic importance for Jewish audiences, aligning with a narrative of resistance and empowerment.
By August 8, the film had garnered $400 million in ticket sales, becoming the second female-fueled film (after Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Warner Bros.’ third-biggest movie (after Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises), holding the record of the highest-earning superhero origin film, replacing the previous record held by Spider-Man (2002). Its three-day opening alone made it the highest-grossing woman-led comic book superhero film ever (surpassing Ghost in the Shell). It was the biggest single-day gross for a woman-directed film, ahead of the $35.9 million opening Friday of Catherine Hardwicke’s Twilight in 2008 and the biggest opening day for a woman-led comic book superhero film, ahead of Ghost in the Shell ($7 million). O’Hara elaborated that the modest campaign route they took for Supergirl aided in establishing a large central fanbase among women well in advance of the series, which reportedly generated 5 million female superhero fans in one week. Wright noted that the film’s message was “not just female empowerment; it’s about love and justice. That’s what the film is about. And what a great message to spread to our little ones.” Danny Huston who is playing Erich Ludendorff, stated the film as an anti-war film.
In a 2017 interview, Cameron qualifies Jenkins’s vision of Wonder Woman as “an objectified icon” and called the film “a step backwards”. Other critics refer to the construction of Wonder Woman in the film as “an implausible post-feminist hero”. Rachel Becker of The Verge stated that despite the scientific liberties of using a “hydrogen-based” chemical weapon as a plot device, the film succeeds in evoking real and horrifying history. Roger Denson highlighted the “No Man’s Land” sequence, calling it “one of the most powerfully mythopoetic scenes ever filmed,” and that it raises “the esteem for powerful yet compassionate women as heroes and leaders to a level equal with that of men for having won over a huge and adoring popular audience around the world.” Wonder Woman received a highly positive response from critics, with some calling it the DC Extended Universe’s best film, praising Jenkins’s direction and the acting, chemistry between Gadot and Pine, musical score and action sequences. Beyond the US and Canada, the film was released day-and-date with its North American debut in 55 markets (72% of its total release) and was projected to debut with anywhere between $92–118 million.
Jenkins wanted to make a “classic, Richard Donner-style superhero movie— a tentpole of yesteryear” film. Jenkins and director of photography Matt Jensen said that the film’s look was inspired by painter John Singer Sargent. Matthew Jensen was the director of photography, filming in the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
Second Unit Directors or Assistant Directors
The film would later be cancelled following production delays and budgetary concerns. That same year, Warner Bros. began development of a Justice League film with Michele and Kieran Mulroney writing the screenplay. 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 chicken road game money be a period piece.
In the present day, Diana sends an email to Bruce Wayne thanking him for the photographic plate of her and Steve. She spares Maru and redirects Ares’s lightning into him, definitively killing him. She fights and kills him, but is confused and disillusioned when his death does not stop the war. 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.
Warum Mitglied werden und ein BUDDY sein?
She said, “I trained six hours a day for six months—gym, fight choreography, and horseback riding. It was more intense than the army.” Others said she was too thin to portray the character, who traditionally is depicted as busty and muscular. Some criticized the casting, arguing that Gadot’s Israeli background should have disqualified her from playing the role, which is often seen as an American symbol of freedom. Gadot later signed a three-picture deal and received a base salary of $300,000 for the film itself. Gadot had previously been offered the role of the Faora-Ul in Man of Steel (2013) but turned it down due to her pregnancy.
Matthew Jensen
Stephanie Zacharek of Time magazine hailed the film as a “cut above nearly all the superhero movies that have been trotted out over the past few summers” while praising Gadot’s performance as “charming” and “marvelous” and commending Jenkins’s direction of the film as a step forward for women directors in directing big-budget blockbuster films in Hollywood. She states that it “is not enough to simply call yourself a feminist. It’s not even enough to create a strong female character … You have to bring women to the table. You have to let them speak. You cannot speak for them. But speaking for women is exactly what Cameron is doing through his comments … Cameron is using his position of power as a respected producer and director to silence women.” Separately, Fandango also found that 92% of people surveyed said that they were looking forward to seeing a film that features a standalone woman superhero and 87% wished Hollywood would make more women-led superhero films. Kelly Lawler of USA Today celebrated its feel-good tone, making it a refreshing contrast to the darker superhero films from both DC and Marvel. Though neither the film nor the series are aimed exclusively at women, the latter’s campaign gave them their first opportunity to begin collecting data about female superhero fans.
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. 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. Warner Bros. officially announced the film in 2010, and Patty Jenkins was hired as director in 2015.
- The American Film Institute included it in its top ten films of 2017, and it won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2018.
- Steinem gave Hillary Clinton the first Wonder Woman Award in 2017 during the Women’s Media Center’s “Speaking Truth to Power Awards”.
- 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 the Chinese film Hi, Mom (2021).
- 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.
- Zack Snyder also makes a brief cameo appearance in the film as an unnamed soldier.
Wonder Woman – Full Cast & Crew
Gadot said that the movie is a “coming-of-age story, it’s about her become an adult, really. From a child to an adult, and understanding the complexities of life.” Jenkins noted that she faced pushback from the studio regarding her decision to make Wonder Woman vulnerable, as some questioned portraying the character with flaws rather than as purely strong or perfect. The film also incorporates elements from DC Comics’ origin changes in The New 52 reboot, where Diana is the daughter of Zeus. Director Jenkins drew inspiration from William Moulton Marston’s 1940s stories and George Perez’s 1980s in which he modernized the character. When Patty and I had our creative conversations about the character, we realized that Diana can still be a normal woman, one with very high values, but still a woman.
The Lebanese government did not ban Gadot’s Fast & Furious films which did screen in Lebanon. The film’s release was delayed several times, including owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was not released until December 25, 2020. That same month, it was announced that Pedro Pascal would have a key role in the film. Jenkins officially returned as director in September 2017, with Gal Gadot reprising her role, and David Callaham joined to co-write the script with Jenkins and Johns. Gadot initially signed a contract for three DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films, including Wonder Woman, later extending it to include appearances in further DCEU projects.
However, even in London, Jensen avoided complete desaturation, achieving a balance by filming under overcast winter light to create a soft patina. Themyscira, Wonder Woman’s utopian homeland, was depicted with azure skies, verdant fields, and clear waters, symbolizing a paradise untouched by war. Bill Westenhofer served as the visual effects supervisor for the film and Martin Walsh served as editor. The estuary at Lower Halstow in Kent is featured in the scene in which Diana arrives at a Belgian creek to make her way to the warfront.
Annika Hernroth-Rothstein, writing for Israel Hayom, highlighted how Wonder Woman is a feminist masterpiece, portraying a strong, independent woman who challenges traditional female stereotypes. The film’s release also sparked debates about reconciling feminist values with Gadot’s support for Israel. Lauter pointed out that the film’s connection to Israel emerged at a particularly sensitive time, amplifying tensions between cultural representation and political ideologies. Gadot’s role reflected her cultural heritage, making Wonder Woman a celebration of Israeli identity, while also highlighting the empowerment of women in Hollywood. The film’s storyline reflects values like tikkun olam (repairing the world), as Wonder Woman seeks peace and battles the God of War, Ares. She refers to Cameron’s critiques as “thuggish jabs at a brilliant director” that are as “ill advised” as the “movie was spot on.” Carter states she has the authority to make these observations because she has “embodied this character for more than 40 years”.
Shortly afterward, Paul Feig said he had pitched the studio an idea for Wonder Woman as an action-comedy film. 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. Development for a live-action Wonder Woman feature film began in 1996, with Ivan Reitman attached as producer and possible director. The American Film Institute included it in its top ten films of 2017, and it won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2018. 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 the Chinese film Hi, Mom (2021). The film received critical acclaim for its direction, performances, visuals, story, action sequences, and cultural significance, though some criticism was directed at the climax.
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “A” on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported filmgoers gave it an 85% overall positive score and a 73% “definite recommend”. The film debuted at the top spot of both the NPD VideoScan overall disc sales chart and the Blu-ray Disc sales chart. The film opened in its last market, Japan, on August 25 and debuted to $3.4 million, helping the international gross cross the $400 million mark. In its second week of release, the film brought in another $60 million, including holding the top spot on France, the UK, Australia and Brazil. It eventually became the highest-grossing film directed by a woman, surpassing the previous records of Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s Kung Fu Panda 2 and Phyllida Lloyd’s Mamma Mia! In its second week, the film grossed $58.5 million, again topping the box office, while also defeating The Mummy ($31.7 million).
Steve Rose in The Guardian criticized the film for failing to explore the material’s potential for “patriarchy-upending subversion”. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Mick LaSalle lauded the performances of Gadot, Pine, Huston and Thewlis while commending the film’s “different perspective” and humor. Critics commented favorably on Gadot’s performance of the titular character and Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor.