The reviews are in. Wonder Woman is, according to an irrepressible majority, a good film. This is monumental for both the future of the DCEU and the genre as a whole. A veritable FU to any and all that questioned Warner Bros. ability to deliver on a competently made superhero film following what many consider three irredeemable blunders.
More importantly, the early critical success of Wonder Woman serves as a poetic rejoinder to the surmounting misogyny implicit in the comic book industry.
Comic Book’s first female icon did what Superman and Batman could not. Director Patty Jenkins did what David S. Goyer and David Ayer could not. They have earned the best critical response of all the entries in The DCEU (and so far any film in the genre’s history) whilst simultaneously restoring vigor into what was hitherto a plighted franchise.
I’ve stated many times that despite its knotty beginnings, the future of DC FILMS is a bright one. With revered players like Geoff Johns, James Wahn and most recently Joss Whedon being brought into the mix, Patty Jenkins's Wonder Woman appears to be ushering in a new era for Warner Brothers. An era that sees its filmmaker at last doing justice to their esteemed properties.
For what seems like the first time critics have used words like “fun” and “ glorious ” to describe a DC Films release. Gal Gadot is reported to reign as the Amazonian princess, validating what was in my opinion little more than a perfunctory attempt at introducing her in Batman V. Superman.
Although we can safely assume Wonder Woman is going to dominate at the box office (at least until Tom Holland swings by next month) the film doesn’t officially hit theatres until Friday.
Assuming it is the box office hit it’s already poised to be, will that mean an even greater impetus to produce more female driven superhero titles?
Could we see a big screen adaptation of Matthew Vaughan’s Paper Girls ? Or maybe even Kelly Sue Deconnick’s Bitch Planet?
The possibilities will be endless if studios have categorical evidence that women can perform just as well as male leads if given the same production quality. I for one am extremely excited to see some kick ass heroines get their own vehicles, particularly a James Bond style espionage film starring Black Widow.
Speaking of which, there’s something ironic about Warner Bros. dishing out a female led superhero film before Marvel, a studio that has managed to feel increasingly subversive with every release.
Outside of Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, there aren’t any even slated. Not that that’s some crime indicative of Marvel’s lack of social prowess, I think DC just happens to own the more viable female heroes, at least right now anyway.
Regardless, with the release of Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and the Joss Whedon helmed Batgirl, the next decade of superhero films is going to look a lot different than anything we’ve seen before, likely thanks in large part to the critical success of Wonder Woman.
Be sure to check back here for our review.
