The DC Extended Universe is a tricky place. All three of its films thus far have been famously divisive, as the still infant shared universe attempts to compete with the MCU's ninth year of production and third phase of films. The next installment is Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, which will be an origin story for everyone's favorite Amazonian warrior. And while the film will be primarily set in WWI, modern issues will apparently be addressed during the period piece as well.
Patty Jenkins recently spoke to USA Today about Wonder Woman, where she revealed how Diana's upbringing will help the film address issues of sexism (and possibly add some levity):
She's never met men before, so she has zero understanding of sexism in kind of a hilarious way. It just seems totally absurd to her.
This actually sounds like a fantastic way to introduce Diana to some of the uglier aspects of life outside of Themyscira. And if serious issues can be addressed with comedy, that's even better.
It certainly makes sense that Diana would have no concept of racism in her consciousness during the events of Wonder Woman. The film marks the first time she's left Themyscira, as well as the first time she'll be interacting with men. Sexism simply can't exist in a community that is single sex. So when she's presented with some type of misogyny (which should be inevitable considering the time period), she can't quite wrap her head around it.
This type of comedic moment feels very similar to the first Thor movie. Another fish out of water story, much of the film's comedy revolved around the Asgardian hero adjusting to life on Earth. And as they're both superpowered warriors who are the children of Gods, the similarities are pretty endless.
That being said, Wonder Woman does have a few things that make it wholly unique. To start, Wonder Woman's origin story is being explored after her introduction in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. As such, audiences already know and love the character, and will be willing to see her become the superhero we all know. Additionally, Wonder Woman's fish out of water story will be made more interesting with the WWI setting, as we see her essentially battle the past.
Overall, I'm now pretty eager to see Wonder Woman come face to face with some sexism, just to see her reaction. I'm sure there will be one or two armed forces naysayers who tell Diana to go buy a skirt, before she takes to the battlefield and make quick work of their enemies. Having someone with super strength, near invulnerability, and some magical gear sure will come in handy when you're down on the numbers.
Wonder Woman will arrive in theaters on June 2, 2017. Check out our full 2017 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
