Wonder Woman reboot film possibilities

[bardkeep]

Would you prefer Ares or Deimos & Phobos as the primary antagonists? I feel like the first WW did so poorly with Ares that it'd be nice to see something different with his sons instead. I guess the climax could be similar to Gods and Monsters with Ares, but I feel like fans will complain it's too much like Diana using the lasso to defeat Max Lord with un-wishes.

I know I'm not the one you asked but I think you can use both. Like Gods & Mortals I'd start with a brief history of the Amazons/Diana's creation that explains how Ares set up the Amazons' capture by Hercules and establishes his motivations, then I'd bring him back at the end for the moment with the lasso. So his presence is felt and you get the climax with him, but have her actively fight Phobos/Deimos throughout and maybe add in a big battle with Decay as well. I'm pretty sure the 2009 film did something kinda similar, though the final battle with Ares was just a fist fight.

I also don't think the scene with Diana getting Ares in the lasso is too much like the Max Lord situation at all. Showing the god of war the futility of his mission is a lot more profound and compelling than Diana getting blown away by magic wind while shouting "be careful what you wish for, everyone!" Besides, she's WW, beating bad guys with truth is kinda her M.O. The biggest thing is just making sure there are cool, epic action sequences leading up to it rather than just having one really underwhelming fight like WW84 did with Cheetah.

I also think the focus throughout should be totally different and the scale much larger. Spend more time with the Amazons at the beginning and then follow her emerging as a public figure in Man's World - explore her impact on the global stage, consider the politics at play, look at the religious implications that come with proof of the existence of the Greek gods, have her clearly voice that she represents an entire culture (which would set her up as their ambassador in the sequels), get into her interactions with the military and/or the UN...pretty much just do exactly what Perez did.

That said, even if you made it completely different from the first WW movie in every way, people would still probably grouse about it being another origin story. So I have mixed feelings on the matter even though it'd make a great movie and they desperately need to totally reset and re-establish her lore.

[Koriand'r]

I'm very interested to see what they would do with the costume.



Obvious change is no hand wraps or arm band. maybe put some stars on the skirt. Maybe give her a more eagle/dove-esque emblem?

You can change a lot just by changing the boots. Instead of a classical warrior influences go full on gen-z superhero/regular clothing hybrid like the Odyssey costume, then lean into what's cool. No origin, start with mystery and keep the backstory for a later movie.

[Vordan]

If we are getting another origin movie, definitely do a combo of Year One and Gods and Mortals, set in the modern day. Supporting cast should be Steve, Etta, Barbara and Ferdinand (if possible). The backstory of the Amazons, which can be done in a spin-off, should be heavily influenced by Historia. DO NOT kill off the Gods, feature them and go nuts with their designs.

Second film should feature Barbara's transformation into Cheetah. I'd want to add Veronica Cale as well, but after WW84 I do not want Cheetah sharing the spotlight again for at least her debut film. And then the third film should be Circe as the prime threat, with Cheetah as a recurring wild card who appears throughout the film series and spin-offs. The suggestions others have had of having Giganta in an action scene as one of the film's opening scenes would be great. If we get other films, Cale, Dr. Psycho and Medusa should be prioritized.

Donna and Nubia should appear as well, with their backstories as close to the original versions as possible. Maybe make Hippolyta and Philippus explicitly a couple, and Nubia is Philippus's daughter? And Donna is the youngest member of the family who came to the island through some means as an orphan and was adopted by Hippolyta. The new Avatar film seems to be setting up a big family for Jake and Neytiri, with all the kids presumably having roles that will be expanded upon in the sequels. Diana, her moms and her sisters can be established pretty quickly, especially if any Historia and Teen Titans spin-offs are planned to also flesh things out.

A big problem I’m seeing is that if you do this you’re essentially remaking the Jenkins trilogy again.
Movie 1 - Ares
Movie 2 - Cheetah
Movie 3 - Circe (that’s what was rumored anyway).

That could leave you guys dealing with the same “Lex and Zod” problem as we Superman fans where creators only use the same handful of villains. I think it’s better to just jump into Year 2 of WW the same as Superman. Make it so Barbara is already Cheetah, Diana has met and fought Ares, and use other villains. Gunn wants to use animation and video games for the DCU too, they could do a WW animated series that covers her “Year One” and shows us the contest, her initial fight with Ares, her friendship and eventual enmity with Cheetah, etc.

[Agent Z]

Should Diana have an accent?

Yes.

Should we get Dianas origin?

Not necessarily.

Should it be set in present day?

Yes.

How "ancient" should Diana be?

Not at all.

Who should be the villain?

Zeus or Circe.

Should Steve/Etta be featured?

I'd prefer the Kapatelis or the Rucka cast.

Any particular story they should adapt?

Gods and Mortals or Rucka's cast from his first run.

[Factor]

I want the clay origin, Nubia as her sister, the gods being alive and a present-day debut.
As much as I think Ares makes the most sense as the first enemy, he’s been done already. Phobos and Deimos may also be too similar, so I would try exploring other options.
Gods and Mortals should absolutely the main inspiration, though. Rucka’s Year One is basically a retelling of that anyway and his depiction of the gods as animals was just boring.

[Agent Z]

A big problem I’m seeing is that if you do this you’re essentially remaking the Jenkins trilogy again.
Movie 1 - Ares
Movie 2 - Cheetah
Movie 3 - Circe (that’s what was rumored anyway).

That could leave you guys dealing with the same “Lex and Zod” problem as we Superman fans where creators only use the same handful of villains. I think it’s better to just jump into Year 2 of WW the same as Superman. Make it so Barbara is already Cheetah, Diana has met and fought Ares, and use other villains. Gunn wants to use animation and video games for the DCU too, they could do a WW animated series that covers her “Year One” and shows us the contest, her initial fight with Ares, her friendship and eventual enmity with Cheetah, etc.

I agree about Cheetah and Ares but a rumor that Circe might have appeared in the third film isn't enough reason to exclude her. She's barely used in adaptations compared to the other two.

[Alpha]

Present Day. Not an origin story nor Year One. No Gods and Mortals please.
Show the story of her birth as told by Gail Simone in the Circle. Mix Circe and Alkyone. Make the story a version of The Witching Hour.

[I'm a Fish]

Zeus or Circe.

I would actually like Zeus to be the villain now.

[Gaius]

Rucka's first issue from his first run, "The Mission", would actually be a good basis for doing an "intro" to WW without having to do an origin redux.

Maybe even go with the running plot of the younger gen of Gods replacing Zeus, Posiedon, and Hades.

[SiegePerilous02]

Would you prefer Ares or Deimos & Phobos as the primary antagonists? I feel like the first WW did so poorly with Ares that it'd be nice to see something different with his sons instead. I guess the climax could be similar to Gods and Monsters with Ares, but I feel like fans will complain it's too much like Diana using the lasso to defeat Max Lord with un-wishes.

I think Deimos and Phobos (and maybe Eris?) Could function in Ares's place. Though like bardkeep suggested, both Ares and his kids could be used.

A big problem I’m seeing is that if you do this you’re essentially remaking the Jenkins trilogy again.
Movie 1 - Ares
Movie 2 - Cheetah
Movie 3 - Circe (that’s what was rumored anyway).

That could leave you guys dealing with the same “Lex and Zod” problem as we Superman fans where creators only use the same handful of villains. I think it’s better to just jump into Year 2 of WW the same as Superman. Make it so Barbara is already Cheetah, Diana has met and fought Ares, and use other villains. Gunn wants to use animation and video games for the DCU too, they could do a WW animated series that covers her “Year One” and shows us the contest, her initial fight with Ares, her friendship and eventual enmity with Cheetah, etc.

Yeah, one of the downsides of the two films we have now is that the ideal three act structure use of the villains has already been put out there in an underwhelming manner.

Maybe they can do a film of Diana going up against Circe and not touch on her origins. And then reintroduce Cheetah and their shared history in a manner similar to The Lies in a later film?

That scene at the end of the first issue that revealed Sharps Cheetah would an effective way to wipe everyone's minds of WW84

[Frontier]

I think if we're getting a reboot, you may as well just start off with Circe.

[Vordan]

I agree about Cheetah and Ares but a rumor that Circe might have appeared in the third film isn't enough reason to exclude her. She's barely used in adaptations compared to the other two.

Apologies, that wasn’t my intent. I think a reboot should establish that Diana has already met and fought Ares/Cheetah to skip over what we’ve already seen while still allowing for them to be used if desired. Circe would be my villain choice for a WW reboot too. I also think it would be useful to establish that Diana has fought some villains who, let’s be real, are never going to carry their own film. At the start of a new reboot set in Year 2 I would say Diana’s Rogues Gallery should be:

-Ares
-Cheetah
-Giganta (sorry guys she will never be a villain who can carry her own movie)
-Mayfly
-Red Panzer
-Zara
-Dr. Cyber
-Dr. Poison

And for a new trilogy I would use Circe, Minister Blizzard, and maybe a trio of Cale, Psycho, and Silver Swan for the finale. An animated series could be used to tell Diana’s origin and her confrontations with the villains listed above.

[Guy_McNichts]

Should Diana have an accent?
I could go either way. It makes sense that she would have one, but it never bothered me when that she didn't. My only concern is making an actress force an accent she doesn't have. If she has one, like Gadot did, fine. If not, don't bother.

Should we get Dianas origin?
We don't need a full-on rehash, but I think they will need to address certain elements to provide context. I say open with Diana as Wonder Woman in the Man's World and cover the important bits in flashbacks sprinkled throughout the movie.

How "ancient" should Diana be?
I prefer Diana young, but I suppose it's no big deal if she's a hundred years old or so before she leaves Themyscira.

Who should be the villain?
Queen Clea. She's a big enough threat to carry a movie and self-contained enough that her story can be told in a beginning, middle, and end plot. The big guns--Ares, Cheetah, & Circe--should be saved and built up for sequels.

Anything else?
My personal wish list for the first movie and beyond:

- MODERN DAY
One, we've seen Diana in a World War already. We don't need to see it again and I've never been a fan of starting her in the past. Her supporting cast can stick around for more than one movie. It would also be nice to see her openly be WONDER WOMAN from the start instead of operating in secret.

- CLAY ORIGIN
Diana doesn't need a father. The clay origin was unique, more interesting, and was thematically stronger. It links her to Gaea, and connects her to the Greek goddesses who brought her to life. Screw Zeus.

- FULL STRENGTH
Wonder Woman is supposed to be one of DC's strongest heroes, but we've seen little of it thus far. She spent her first movie learning her powers. She lost them in WW84. Justice League made her a piss-ant compared to Superman. I want powerhouse Wonder Woman.

- FLYING
I don't want to have to wait a movie and a half again for her to fly. Wonder Woman flies. She's been flying in the comics for decades. Let her f***ing fly.

- TONE DOWN STEVE TREVOR
Look, Steve's a critical part of Wonder Woman's story. He should be around, but don't go overboard. Diana has a life and allies outside of him like Etta, Julia Kapatelis, Nubia, Donna Troy, Artemis, etc.

- ROGUES
Wonder Woman actually has some interesting villains...if DC bothered to use them. Queen Clea, Osira, Doctor Psycho, Veronica Cale, Devastation, Giganta. Do Cheetah right this time. Don't just treat Greek mythology like a free idea bucket.

- CIRCE
But we should get Circe at some point. She's the big gun of Diana's enemies as far as I'm concerned.

And speaking of Wonder Woman rogues...

- NO MAX LORD
He's not a Wonder Woman villain. Piss on him.

- NO SECRET IDENTITY
Wonder Woman hasn't had an actual secret identity in the comics for years. She doesn't need it, and it adds nothing to her. For the reboot, they should take a page from Greg Rucka's comic run where Diana is a public figure.

- AMAZON TECH
We got the traditional bows & arrows Amazons, but I'd be down to see a more advanced Themyscira in the next go around. We can even get the Invisible Jet.

- DITCH THE SWORD & SHIELD
Again, Wonder Woman is supposed to be on par with Superman in strength. Whatever damage she can't withstand, her magic, indestructible bracelets ARE her shield. She should only use a sword when serious s*** is going down. She already has everything she needs.

[BiteTheBullet]

Should Diana have an accent?
I could go either way. It makes sense that she would have one, but it never bothered me when that she didn't. My only concern is making an actress force an accent she doesn't have. If she has one, like Gadot did, fine. If not, don't bother.

Should we get Dianas origin?
We don't need a full-on rehash, but I think they will need to address certain elements to provide context. I say open with Diana as Wonder Woman in the Man's World and cover the important bits in flashbacks sprinkled throughout the movie.

How "ancient" should Diana be?
I prefer Diana young, but I suppose it's no big deal if she's a hundred years old or so before she leaves Themyscira.

Who should be the villain?
Queen Clea. She's a big enough threat to carry a movie and self-contained enough that her story can be told in a beginning, middle, and end plot. The big guns--Ares, Cheetah, & Circe--should be saved and built up for sequels.

Anything else?
My personal wish list for the first movie and beyond:

- MODERN DAY
One, we've seen Diana in a World War already. We don't need to see it again and I've never been a fan of starting her in the past. Her supporting cast can stick around for more than one movie. It would also be nice to see her openly be WONDER WOMAN from the start instead of operating in secret.

- CLAY ORIGIN
Diana doesn't need a father. The clay origin was unique, more interesting, and was thematically stronger. It links her to Gaea, and connects her to the Greek goddesses who brought her to life. Screw Zeus.

- FULL STRENGTH
Wonder Woman is supposed to be one of DC's strongest heroes, but we've seen little of it thus far. She spent her first movie learning her powers. She lost them in WW84. Justice League made her a piss-ant compared to Superman. I want powerhouse Wonder Woman.

- FLYING
I don't want to have to wait a movie and a half again for her to fly. Wonder Woman flies. She's been flying in the comics for decades. Let her f***ing fly.

- TONE DOWN STEVE TREVOR
Look, Steve's a critical part of Wonder Woman's story. He should be around, but don't go overboard. Diana has a life and allies outside of him like Etta, Julia Kapatelis, Nubia, Donna Troy, Artemis, etc.

- ROGUES
Wonder Woman actually has some interesting villains...if DC bothered to use them. Queen Clea, Osira, Doctor Psycho, Veronica Cale, Devastation, Giganta. Do Cheetah right this time. Don't just treat Greek mythology like a free idea bucket.

- CIRCE
But we should get Circe at some point. She's the big gun of Diana's enemies as far as I'm concerned.

And speaking of Wonder Woman rogues...

- NO MAX LORD
He's not a Wonder Woman villain. Piss on him.

- NO SECRET IDENTITY
Wonder Woman hasn't had an actual secret identity in the comics for years. She doesn't need it, and it adds nothing to her. For the reboot, they should take a page from Greg Rucka's comic run where Diana is a public figure.

- AMAZON TECH
We got the traditional bows & arrows Amazons, but I'd be down to see a more advanced Themyscira in the next go around. We can even get the Invisible Jet.

- DITCH THE SWORD & SHIELD
Again, Wonder Woman is supposed to be on par with Superman in strength. Whatever damage she can't withstand, her magic, indestructible bracelets ARE her shield. She should only use a sword when serious s*** is going down. She already has everything she needs.

Yes to everything said here!

[bardkeep]

Rucka's first issue from his first run, "The Mission", would actually be a good basis for doing an "intro" to WW without having to do an origin redux.

Maybe even go with the running plot of the younger gen of Gods replacing Zeus, Posiedon, and Hades.

They could also do something like that "Look Back In Wonder" issue in Perez's run that's a TV special summing up her story up to that point, featuring footage from past adventures and interviews with her friends. And since Gunn seems to be pushing for year 2-type films, something like Godwatch could actually be a great story to adapt - it's exactly at the right point in Diana's career where she's established as a public figure but still fresh and you've got a great villain setup between Cale, Deimos/Phobos, and Dr. Cyber.

Still, I'd put money on the villain being Circe or another mythological villain like Medusa. I know not everyone here would love this, but especially after the very classic superheroics of WW84, I think they're gonna lean MUCH harder into the mythological angle (though not to such an extreme that it silos her). It's an easy way to carve out a unique presence for her in the DCU and it'd be a major stylistic departure from the very myth-light Jenkins trilogy, which is what they need in a reboot.