RUMOR: WB Working On WONDER WOMAN Trilogy Focusing On Roaring 20s And WWII?

BleedingCool is hearing that Warner Bros. has grander plans for Wonder Woman, stating they will be making a trilogy of films. This isn't shocking, since the heroine spans a extremely long timeline. They apparently have heard plot points of the greenlit script treatment. The first film will focus on warring Amazonian factions vying for control of Paradise Island and her exploration of world of man in the 1920s (I assume in the United States). It's sequel would then head into WWII set during the thirties and forties (echoing the original television series). Our final installment of the trilogy would be set in modern times.

"I have been informed by those who have seen the greenlit treatment that the film will spends the first half on Paradise Island with warring Amazon factions vying for control. An arrival of a man on the island changes that status quo, as he asks the Amazons for help. Not necessarily Steve Trevor either… Because when Wonder Woman joins him on his return to the world of Man, we all discover that it is the 1920s. And the film will then show Diana exploring that world – a world where women have only just got the vote – from her… unique perspective. A planned sequel would then take place during World War II in the thirties and forties. This of course was the period that the seventies TV show began in, before shifting to the then-modern day. And a threequel would then take place in the modern day, with the Justice League Of America."

Taking cues from period-set Captain America: The First Avenger. Seeing Diana likely actual fight real Nazis, not their fictionalized comic book equivalent (no Hydra here!). The site was the first to reveal Wonder Woman was going to be Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. So they obviously have an in with the future of the character at Warner Bros. I'd love to see this happen, because she lends herself to this kind of story telling.

Having a mix of fantasy and war movie elements could help further separate her from Superman. This also sounds like a crazy mash-up of genres like Boardwalk Empire, 300, Captain America and Inglourious Basterds all blended together. This tone would be similar to Man of Steel or the somber Batman v Superman.

Having Gal Gadot signed-on for six films might be the reason that bigger names didn't land the role. Her commitment is going to be huge and will be a major lead in two Justice League movies. Wonder Woman also having a trilogy, would likely scare-off potential candidates.

Warner Bros. is currently searching for a director with names like Kathryn Bigelow, Michelle MacLaren, Mimi Leder, and Tricia Brock on a reported shortlist. The release date is slated for June 2017, so production will need to come together soon.

Wonder Woman - Fan Film from Jesse V. Johnson on Vimeo.

A fan short film featuring Diana kicking the shit out of Nazis during WWII got a lot of people talking about the character, and how Warner Bros. should approach the heroine.

SOURCE: BLEEDINGCOOL

WONDER WOMAN Director Shortlist Thankfully Includes All Ladies

It was recently revealed by Warner Brothers that they are releasing a Wonder Woman film on June 23rd  2017. The studio went even further by teasing that they were indeed looking at hiring a female director. Something we've been championing for almost an entire year, once we learned the studio was actually pursuing a Wonder Woman movie. While this is progressive, let's hope to to see women directing more projects across the board.

Forbes reveals a shortlist that WB is strongly looking at for the feature that would see Gal Gadot in the lead role. The names are Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Strange Days), Julie Taymor (Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, Titus, The Tempest), Mimi Leder (Deep Impact, The Peacekeeper, The Leftovers, Shameless, Almost Human, Human Target), Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Nativity Story, Twilight, Red Riding Hood, Tank Girl, Tombstone, Three Kings) and Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body, Girlfight, XX, The Invaitation, Æon Flux). Bigelow might be the studio's frontrunner for the gig, but it;s very unlikely she would take an offer.

It's least likely Kathryn will consider this project. I've been following Kathryn Bigelow's career since I first watched Point Break in the 90s. I was very much obsessed with the film along with the James Cameron scripted Strange Days, which started my life-long crush on Angela Basset. Knowing her recent turn to based-on-a-true-story subject matter and that she's turned down two major comic book franchises, I find it extremely hard to believe she would consider making Wonder Woman.

This isn't something that is repeated while talking about Kathryn Bigelow doing films like this, but she turned down the James Cameron produced X-Men movie and Sony's Spider-Man reboot that went to Marc Webb. Giving the impression even when she was still apart of the studio system, she still wasn't interest in comic book characters. Let's not forget that she has two films in active-development which include The American and Triple Frontier, both adrenaline-fueled true life movies. I'm not too sure she's even interested in the fantasy realm.

The only way I see this happening is if the studio funds her next three projects, giving her a studio contract allowing her to make her gritty films at WB. Considering she's had some problems getting the budgets for her recent projects.

Mimi Leder is the only name (besides Bigelow) with interesting action roots, filming 90s action flicks Deep Impact and The Peacekeeper. She also directing episodes of Almost Human and Human Target. Her other television work includes popular shows such as Shameless and The Leftovers.

Karyn Kusama could be very interesting, as everyone loved her movie Girlfight which introduced us to Michelle Rodriguez. An actress who would eventually become known for her tough-as-nails characters. She's also directed genre material with the Charlie Theron starring Æon Flux and the underrated Diablo Cody scripted Jennifer's Body. Karyn will also be apart of the very awesome sounding all-female directed horror anthology XX. Contuning the horror streak with The Invitation. I think if Kusama is paired with the right screenwriter *cough JANE GOLDMAN *cough it could be a great choice.

A couple of other names that Forbes mentions is Michelle McLaren (Walking Dead, Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, X-Files) and Tricia Brock (Walking Dead, Person of Interest). You might remember I wrote an article back in January focusing on Michelle and why she would be perfect for the Wonder Woman director's chair. I'm still behind Michelle, but most of these names aren't terrible candidates.

It's interesting that the studio is already looking at directors this could mean that they are possibly moving quickly on getting the film into production. I would assume it's fantasy elements would mean they'd need a lot of post-production. If we use Batman v Superman as an example it's being shot in 2014, but releasing in 2016. Which might mean Wonder Woman could begin production as early as late summer or fall of 2015. Giving the post-production team plenty of time to get the film where it needs to be for release. Warner Bros. productions have a tendecy to take longer for post-production.


I'm curious if they'll end-up using the recent script written by Michael Goldenberg (Green Lantern, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, Peter Pan, Artemis Fowl) or will look to Chris Terrio (Argo, Justice League, Batman v Superman) for rewrites. I feel like the studio would want Zack Snyder and Chris Terrio to add their touches to the script, to make sure it fits into the world they are creating for Justice League. There is also the possibility that producer Christopher Nolan could get involved with the casting of the film. Like he has with Man of Steel and getting Ben Affleck for the role of Batman.


SOURCE: FORBES

Michael Goldenberg Will Also Ruin 'WONDER WOMAN' With A Script

Variety reports that Green Lantern scribe Michael Goldenberg has been set to write the feature film adaptation of Wonder Woman. Goldenberg had also been involved with the writing of Green Lantern 2 and The Flash which were handed into the studio during the Christmas season of 2010. Since Lantern  flopped last summer the sequel seemingly has been given the axe and Flash is currently in limbo. Goldenberg's only redeeming credit is helping on the script for Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix.  Nicolas Winding Refn's (Drive, Bronson) offered his services to direct the film which WB should jump on.

Originally, Joss Whedon had been hired by producer Joel Silver to write and direct a Wonder Woman film starring Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill in Avengers). The studio didn't like the project enough to give it the greenlight, so Whedon walked. This led to Joss lobbying to make Avengers for Marvel which has turned out to be one of the greatest success stories of the genre.