Now that Wonder Woman is gearing up for production, we’ve been getting a better idea of not only what to expect from the movie, but who will be participating. So far the only two confirmed members of the movie are Gal Gadot as the eponymous protagonist and Chris Pine as her love interest, Steve Trevor. Others have been rumored to join, like Eva Green, Sean Bean and a brief appearance from Ben Affleck’s Batman. Now a new name has joined the ranks: Nicole Kidman.
It was reported yesterday that Kidman is currently in negotiations to join Wonder Woman. This would be her second comic book movie role, having previously played Dr. Chase Meridian in 1995’s Batman Forever, though between the two, Wonder Woman would almost certainly be the more serious project. The original report said that Kidman will play a high ranking Amazon, but for the sake of argument, let’s assume that this is just one possibility and expand the scope to include other characters from Wonder Woman’s supporting cast. Take a look at the possible candidates Kidman could play should she join.
Hippolyta
The most common assumption is that Kidman is playing Wonder Woman’s mother Hippolyta, and for good reason. After all, that fits the "high ranking Amazon" description, and it’s a juicy supporting role that gives Kidman a fair amount to do without being the center of attention. Admittedly, it would have been cool to see ‘70s Wonder Woman Lynda Carter play Hippolyta, but Kidman certainly looks more like the character from her Pre-Crisis years and the New 52. Beyond being the mother of the superheroine, Hippolyta is also queen of the Amazons on Themyscira, so she’ll be the one not only mentoring her daughter Diana, but also serve as an inspirational figure for everyone on the island, though I can’t imagine she’ll react well to Steve Trevor crash-landing into her home. You can also bet that should there be a moment in the movie when the Amazons have to battle against invading forces, Kidman’s Hippolyta will be the one leading the charge.
Hera
What’s higher ranking than an Amazon? A god. Wonder Woman has always been heavily rooted in Greek mythology, and her movie will be no different. It hasn’t been officially announced which Greek gods will appear on screen, but perhaps Kidman is playing Hera, the Goddess of Marriage and wife of Zeus, who also happens to be her brother…mythology is weird. It’s been confirmed that Wonder Woman’s origin will be based on the New 52, meaning that instead of being made of clay, she’s the product of Zeus and Hippolyta’s courtship in the DCEU. So needless to say, the God of Sky and Weather’s wife would understandably be pissed about this (not that it’s a first time thing for him), and like in the comics, she travels to Themyscira to confront Hippolyta. It’s hard to see Hera as the main villain in Wonder Woman, given the reports already out, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t be set up as a full threat for a sequel.
Circe
One of the recent persistent rumors surrounding Wonder Woman is that Circe will serve as a primary villain alongside Ares. Eva Green was previously said to be in contention for the role, but what if Kidman is being looked at instead? She’s certainly high profile enough to portray a main antagonist, and Kidman would definitely provide the right attitude for the sultry sorceress. However, should Nicole Kidman really be playing an Amazon, that would present a problem with the Circe theory, though not one that’s insurmountable. Remember, this is DC’s interpretation of Greek mythology, so they can make adjustments if needed with a legendary character’s background. Maybe in the DCEU, Circe started out as an Amazon many millennia ago before she gained more power, left the island and began her long journey of turning people into animals and messing with both humanity and deities.
An Original Character
Admittedly, it would be weird for Patty Jenkins and the creative team to have Nicole Kidman play someone who didn’t originate from the comics, but that doesn’t mean it would be unprecedented. Other superhero movies have done that, like with Stellan Skarsgård playing Erik Selvig in the MCU or Holly Hunter playing Senator Finch in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Perhaps the Wonder Woman script calls for an individual who didn’t fit the other characters from the Amazon’s mythos. Still, that wouldn’t narrow down the possibilities. She could be a Themysciran politician, a high ranking military official, a civilian that Diana befriends, the list goes on and on. However, should Kidman be playing an original character, that wouldn’t bode well for her chances of returning for a sequel, as the ones not from the printed page are usually more expendable.
