Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman is a total throwback to a more classical era of superhero movies. The film looks and feels like a delightful adventure romp from the 1980s, and the film even seems to possess a number of fantastic references to the 1978 Superman. We've been wondering about one very specific homage for months, and now Gal Gadot has confirmed that the scene in which Diana saves Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) from an assassin's bullet is a direct reference to a similar scene in Richard Donner's Superman in which Clark Kent saves Lois Lane. Gadot said:
This is actually an homage for the Superman scene where Lois Lane has been saved by Superman but she didn't really know that he was the one to save her. Cause he passed out. But this was a sweet, wonderful homage for the very first Superman.
Of course, it's worth pointing out that most astute fans already picked up on the reference. When a trailer featuring the sequence dropped online last year, plenty of DC Comics aficionados were able to go through the details and pick out the similarities. The difference here is that Gal Gadot's recent comments during an appearance on HBO Screening Room have officially confirmed that the sequence was designed from the ground up to harken back to one of the most classic scenes in superhero movie history
Check out the original scene from Superman below to see how it compares with the moment from Wonder Woman.
This is far from the only reference to the greater DC universe that we have seen in a DCEU film. Man of Steel similarly included Christopher Reeves' face over the face of Henry Cavill's Superman in one very brief scene, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice featured a reference to the animated Batman classic Mask of the Phantasm, and Suicide Squad was packed with nods to other heroes in the DC lore. These references don't necessarily enrich the moviegoing experience for mainstream audiences who aren't accustomed to the DC world, but they go a long way towards satisfying fans who can pick up on them.
That said, it also helps that this sequence is simply one of many fantastic action scenes in Wonder Woman. The film is a beautifully constructed action adventure that knows how to incorporate drama into the chaos. From this sequence in London, the action escalates in a logical and compelling way -- and the film even includes one of the best superhero moments of all time when Diana finally makes her way to the front. Quite a bit of love went into making this movie, and it's clear to see in every scene.
Wonder Woman is now in theaters, so make sure to check it out. There are still plenty more blockbusters set to debut this year, so check out our 2017 movie premiere guide and fill out your moviegoing calendars accordingly!
