Okay, so for those of you who don’t know, Warner Bros. is making a Wonder Woman movie. Yes, you read correctly. The Amazonian goddess is finally going to shine in her own film, scheduled to be released the summer of 2017.
Wonder Woman will be played by the Iranian actress Gal Gadot, who played Giselle in the Fast and the Furious series. Warner Bros. also decided to hire female director Michelle MacLaren who directed episodes of the X-Files, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and Game of Thrones. Not only do we get a female led superhero movie, it is also going to be directed by a woman. No, you are not dreaming.
In a genre highly dominated by males, it is exciting to see a woman finally getting her chance to be just as important as her superhero male counterparts. And it’s not just any superhero. This is Wonder Woman, basically the most well-known and beloved superhero out there. She has a Lasso of Truth, insane combat skills, an invisible airplane and a passion for justice and equality. What more could you want in a superhero?
Now, this opens up a whole new conversation in the comic book movie industry. Just comparing the stars of the DC franchise, Batman has been played by seven different actors, (now eight as Ben Affleck signed on for the new Batman vs Superman) and Superman has been played by six. There has only been one actress who has played Wonder Woman—Lynda Carter who starred in the 1970s television show. In an age where feminism is becoming more and more prominent in the media, representation has also become more important, so maybe Wonder Woman will help the industry turn a new corner. After DC announced their plans for the Wonder Woman movie, Marvel announced their line-up of upcoming films, one of them being Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel.
While these will only be two female-led movies in a world full of male superheroes, it’s a start. According to The Motion Picture Association of America, the majority of filmgoers are women. For blockbuster franchises like the ones DC and Marvel make, this is an important statistic as it brings into consideration what women will want to see in the media. Such as more women perhaps? Yes, it is cool to see Batman fighting the Joker and Captain America taking down Hydra, but what about a super-heroine to look up to? Wonder Woman will hopefully be the start of a new age of movies, where women will be just as prominent and important as their male counterparts.