Warner Bros. has now officially thrown down the gauntlet, like their surprise Batman/Superman announcement in July, no one saw this coming. Not only is Wonder Woman going to be in the much anticipated vs picture that will pit the Man of Steel against The Dark Knight, but she also has been cast.
The much coveted role has gone to Israeli actress, Gal Gadot. After processing the choice and implications for the last hour or so, I must say I really like that Wonder Woman is going to be in the film and by extension the actress they have chosen to play one of DC`s most iconic superheroes.
With this news it feels as though Warner Bros. is really laying down its cards and is serious about expanding upon the universe they have via the characters it owns. But before we celebrate, a number of questions must be consider if not thought about this news.
How much is Wonder Woman going to be in the film and by extension how much will she tie into the central conflict of the film. I personally think that the smart way to integrate her in the picture is almost as a storytelling device in an Chekhov's gun way.
So what I mean by this is that you just see her in her alter ego, in background of some scenes, like perhaps during a Bruce Wayne board meeting. Then it is not until the third act, like perhaps during a climactic moment where she reveals herself as Wonder Woman and her purpose for being there.
I think that in this film you just need to establish that she exists in this Man of Steel universe as opposed to full on introducing her world by showing it, etc. Perhaps she is a reaction to Superman and that its Batman she does not trust, or vice versa. This would make sense given that Goyer posited that Superman is the quote on quote first super hero of this universe, so seeing him exist is going to bring out a reaction, something that I think the film should deal with, both bad and good.
As for Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, I think that it is an interesting choice. One thing is for sure regarding her casting is that they are definitely trying to make Wonder Woman seem exocitc to the enviorment she will be in. This is a bold choice and goes in some way to make the character plausible on screen.
As for her look, I have no doubt that she will bulk up for the role and I think she will fit out the costume nicely, though I do hope at this point they do a modern interpretation of it and not the classic look we are all used to.
As for acting ability, I have seen brief clips of her in the Fast and Furious franchise and from the little I saw, I thought she had a natural great screen presence and decent acting ability, this will be her most legitimate acting performance to date.
Overall, I am quite happy that Wonder Woman is going to be in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel as it broadens the universe and allows Warner Bros. to show that it is serious about its plans for DC on film. And while Gal Gadot is untested as an actress, I think she could very much surprised people come July 2015.
Posted by Sartaj Singh
