So, what's happening with the Wonder Woman movie?

Yesterday I posted the '10 tips for making a good superhero movie' article, and while searching for a good picture to go with it, I ran into a beautiful drawing of Wonder Woman by Adam Hughes, one of the best artists in the business today. I was admiring how well he captured the essence of Wonder Woman, when all of a sudden it hit me: what is going on with the Wonder Woman movie? Initially, the movie was supposed to come out in 2007. Warner Bros. had it all planned out. Batman in 2005, Superman in 2006, and then Wonder Woman in 2007. To be followed with a new Batman in 2008, a Superman in 2009 and a Wonder Woman 2010. Repeat infinitely. However, it's the end of 2006 and the Wonder Woman movie still hasn't left pre-production. What's going on?

When it was announced in 2005 that Joss Whedon would be both directing and writing the Wonder Woman movie, fans rejoiced. Whedon is a fan favorite, and judging from what he has done before, you can expect a respectful yet cool, fun and hip adaptation from the man behind Buffy and Firefly. In interviews, Whedon announced that he was looking forward to writing it, and that he would start looking for the right actress to portray the role of Wonder Woman a.s.a.p. Fans started speculating on who should play the part, and everything seemed to be great in Wonder Woman-land.

However, it took forever for new announcements regarding the movie, and every time somebody asked Joss Whedon what was up, he would tell them that he was working on the screenplay and looking for the right actress to fill Wonder Woman's boots. Yeah, okay, we knew that already, cried the fans, give us some new info! In an interview with IGN Film Force back in May, Whedon was a little more forthcoming, announcing that he was finishing up the second draft of the screenplay, and that he was having some difficulties with the story. "It's kept me busy for a long time. I'm finally finishing the second draft. I'm very happy with it, but wow! Wow, this one was like pulling teeth. It's tough. I would watch 'Batman Begins' and just grumble, just bitch and moan, because he's got everything. He's got so much of the work done for him. He's got the best rogues' gallery. He's got the best origin story. Wonder Woman is a lot more to figure out. But it's coming together."

Still, it's the end of November now, and there is still nothing more to tell about the movie. Whedon may be frustrated writing the movie, but the fans are getting equally frustrated that there is still no announcements, no teaser trailer, no fuzzy mobile phone camera pictures of movie shoots anywhere. It's just Whedon and his laptop. Still, things are definitely still going on, since Smallville producer Al Gough grumbled some time ago that he could not use Wonder Woman on Smallville, because of the movie. Gough: "We'd do a whole Wonder Woman series if we had Wonder Woman, but Joss Whedon is writing the movie, so we can't have her."

And while Whedon is hammering away, the casting rumours are still going strong. People like Rachel Bilson Katherine McPhee are mentioned in connection to the role, but they all just smile and say things like "I don't know anything about that". Which leaves us, sadly, with nothing much. The movie is still in pre-production, and we will probably get announcements regarding this movie, well... Soon?

Comments

[jack]

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[Fabio Rodriguez]

I`m absolutely agree with you in all that you wrote..
Is incredible, that the fans can`t know anything about the movie. and becasue Joss have the rigths for the movie, we can`t see WW even in smalville , is too much...

[revilo zedlav]

I hope he does'nt use any of these girls
for Wonder Woman. How can you compare them
to Lynda Carter? No way! Best choice in my
opinion, Monica Bellucci or a no name tall beauty. If he chooses somebody short or an acctress like JLo I'll boycott the movie! It batter be a serious movie too not all campy!
Oh, and I'm glad she's not on Smallville. It makes the wait even better!

[Ian]

I too am very frustrated that this film seems to be going nowhere fast. There doesn't feel like there is any forward momentum while you have the FF ready to start a sequel, the X-Men movies are said to be going to have two spin-offs, a second Superman & Batman sequels confirmed already, Nick Cage filming Ghost Rider, etc. So why is it taking so long for ANYTHING to be happening with Wonder Woman?!? And quite frankly I am sick and tired of Joss Whedon's cruel little blog jokes about who he is going to pick for the role, he seems to enjoy making WW fans twist in the wind.

[Kane]

ENOUGH ALREADY!!! If Joss Whedon and Joel Silver can't get it right by now, perhaps Warner Bros. needs to look elsewhere for someone who can get this project off the ground?! I mean, contrary to Joss's comments about her allegedly not having a rogues gallery, what about: Cheetahs I & II, Dr. Psycho, Giganta, Circe, Ares, Silver Swan, even Dr. Poisons I & II?!! She's got a family (ie, Queen Hippolta, sister Donna Troy) complete with Amazons, gods, and goddesses, her secret identity to protect as Diana Prince, romance between she and Steve Trevor, and adapting to life in man's world. You could include the inhabitants of the Wonderdome (Invisible Plane). We're currently in the middle of a war and America needs someone to give us hope. Let that hope come from Wonder Woman and sometime within the next year or so. Before all her fans implode from frustration or the war's completely over!

[Ian]

At the current rate they are going at getting this film off the ground, the 2nd generation of Superman & Batman films will be in their respective 3rd sequels before WW's first film even begins production! If on tv with all the kickass women action heroes & villians that have been on Buffy, Xena, Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, etc., then why is it so freaking hard to have a female action superhero on the big screen?!? As I recall in the Matrix films it was actually TRINITY who polled as the most popular character! So let's see some WW action already movie producers, the public is ready for a female superhero lead in a motion picture, don't think that you can only show male leads!

[Mark]

I hope the Wonder Woman movie has a hot babe playing Giganta. I also hope she is a main character so that we can see a lot of her!!

[antonio moman]

i'm really excited about wonder woman. i think this could be a real hot action movie, if done well. the mystery surrounding diana princess, with her hair pulled back in a bun and those glassses. the movie would be a big joke if it was another campy film. the writer has to make women want to be her and men want to sleep with her. the teaser trailer should have dianna prince walking through a busy air port with steve trying to catch a plane. All of a sudden terrorist take over the air port. while everyone is being distracted dianna backs away and goes into a restroom and turns into wonder woman (she has to have her signature spin). this wonder woman should have the ability to fly like the one on justice league.

[upthruster]

It just better be Wonder WOMAN, not Wonder Bimbo. Wonder Woman(Diana) is over two thousand years old, she's got to show some historical wisdom, not be some dippy boob- chick from Beverly Hills.

[Seraphim]

I don't know what is up with the movie production but they really need to get it started.
I think the role of Wonder Woman should be played my Liv Tyler, Carrier Fisher, or Jennifer Connelly. I read somewhere that they were looking for someone in they're early 20's but I believe these woman should be taken into consideration.

[Ian]

The news is out that Joss Whedon is officially OFF the WW film. And now the film goes back into development HELL for another God only knows how many years...

[Jonathan]

Like it was said earlier, whoever plays Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman had better be as tall or taller than Lynda Carter. It is not Wonder Woman if they cast someone shorter than 5'9" tall. How hard is it to find someone 5'9" tall to 6ft tall, not hard. You have women like Monica Bellucci, Torrie Wilson, Uma Thurman, Maria Menounos, Shandi Finnessey, any Miss Universe contestant from USA, South America or Europe over 5'9" tall, etc.

Additionally, I want to see Giganta in the movie and not as a cameo role but as a major character in the movie. In fact, I think it would be very nice to have Wonder Woman have to grow into a giantess herself to defeat Giganta at the end of the film.

[Tym]

I agree, Jennifer Lopez can NOT play Lynda Carter.....I will also boycot it! you need someone like Lucy Lawless..(Zena) she can handle the action it takes to be WONDER WOMAN!! We NEED a trailer or something, to give us hope that WONDER WOMAN will soon hit the big screen with others to follow!! and LYNDA CARTER must make a cameo at any cost!!! Did you hear me!! a MUST!!

[Rob Green]

I think Jessica Biel would be the perfect choice...shes new, hot, tall,and athletic

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[Elizabeth]

God! Please Not JLO... she cant sing or act PLEASE not her!
Make this Wonder Woman like Batman Begins- something to be taken SERIOUSLY and not make me want to cringe with embarrassment for my favorite SUPERHEROE. Dont portray WONDER WOMAN as a bimbo, twit, all body and no brains can barely karate chop or excute a decent front kick and not act. No: "oh! Steve help me" damsel in distress crap!Let her have dignity, grace, style, beauty, intelligence, and kick ass as good as the rest of them like Angelina JOLIE or Lucy Lu or Kate Beckinsale.
I want to be able to be PROUD of the Wonder Woman movie. I dont want anyone making fun of it- no crappy stuff like the Catwoman movie. I LOVE Halle Berry but the special effects was not good in that movie.
And did I beg please not JENNIFER LOPEZ, JLO or any other name she might go by.
It would be great if Lynda Carter could play a Cameo as Queen Hippolyte or something.
Please no JLO thank you.

[Elizabeth]

God! Please Not JLO... she cant sing or act PLEASE not her!
Make this Wonder Woman like Batman Begins- something to be taken SERIOUSLY and not make me want to cringe with embarrassment for my favorite SUPERHEROE. Dont portray WONDER WOMAN as a bimbo, twit, all body and no brains can barely karate chop or excute a decent front kick and not act. No: "oh! Steve help me" damsel in distress crap!Let her have dignity, grace, style, beauty, intelligence, and kick ass as good as the rest of them like Angelina JOLIE or Lucy Lu or Kate Beckinsale.
I want to be able to be PROUD of the Wonder Woman movie. I dont want anyone making fun of it- no crappy stuff like the Catwoman movie. I LOVE Halle Berry but the special effects was not good in that movie.
And did I beg please not JENNIFER LOPEZ, JLO or any other name she might go by.
It would be great if Lynda Carter could play a Cameo as Queen Hippolta or something.
It will hurt me but I will boycott too if JLO is anywhere in, near or around the movie. thank you.

[Heinrich]

I think she might be a bit short for the role, but I really think Megan Fox has what it would take! Yes she is drop dead gorgeous, but I think she can be drop dead serious too!

[kanezona]

I've been waiting for another live-action version of Wonder Woman since the mid 90's when NBC was casting for a new WW series. They auditioned women all over the US. And from what I gather, Baywatch regular, Alexandra Paul got the gig. But the show never got put on the air. Now, it's like 15 years later and we're STILL waiting on another live-action Wonder Woman. This time, in movie-form. WTF?!! This should be a slam dunk! You take all of her many retellings of her origin from comics and TV, mix them with fish out of water sensibility, a dash of feminism, a nice helping of Greek & Roman mythology, Lynda Carter as Hippolyta, and VIOLA! You've got a Wonder Woman origin movie ready to go!

As for casting, you've got Megan Gale for the JLA flick, if that ever comes to be. From all reports coming out of Hollywood, she kicked some major auditioning ass because she appeared to embody the character both physically as well as personally! And why not simply stick with her for the solo film as well? JLA and Wonder Woman (solo) films are all under Warners so why should there be a problem with having her in both franchises?! Isnt't that the plan for similar solo films like the Flash, Aquaman, etc.,?