Director Patty Jenkins talks Wonder Woman, more story details revealed

Even though I’ll defend Batman V Superman with the tenacity of a comic book character getting one final R-rated movie, it’s hard to deny that the critical success of DC Comic’s and Warner Bros. superhero films have been diametrically opposed to the cash earned at the box office so far. With their latest effort Suicide Squad being utterly lambasted by critics, DC really really needs to step up to the plate.

And this year, it’s going to take a miracle to get that right. Which is why I’m hoping that Wonder Woman is that miracle in the flesh. She’s a character who has been knocking around the DC universe for decades, and while most people know of her, few know who she really is. And that’s something that director Patty Jenkins wants to expand upon with an origin that doesn’t explain who Diana of Themyscira is, but also defines her.

“I don’t think it is more complicated. I think Superman’s origin story was very little known really until they made the movie. How many men on the street were really down with the “Kal-El” and Krypton? They weren’t,” Jenkins explained to Collider.

So that’s what I’ve been saying for all these years: how do we make her the universal character that she is? Let’s make the movie!

And I love her, so let’s do it! I think that any of these characters—maybe Spider-Man; Spider-Man is such a simple story that maybe we all grew up; like growing up I feel like I knew Spider-Man’s story before they made Spider-Man—but Batman, sort of; Superman, complicated; all of the Marvel heroes you certainly didn’t know many of the details of those stories unless you were reading those comics.

They weren’t public knowledge, the history of Iron Man or whatever. So I don’t think it is more complicated. She has a world that she comes into this from as they all do, and her aim is very simple. It’s come and save mankind. And then she stays.

All of this ties into the type of hero that Diana is. She isn’t an agent of vengeance like Batman or an alien looking for his place on an adopted homeworld like Superman is. Wonder Woman is an ambassador of peace and love, and she’s not afraid to back those ideals up with a sword and shield if she has to. “I think they all have wonderful, different ideals, and for her it’s her belief system about the world in her own special way,” Jenkins explained.

She, besides Thor, is the only one who’s a god, and yet she has a very strong point of view. She believes in love, and she believes in truth. That’s a strong point of view. So Superman wants to save the world and all the superheroes want to save the world for a variety of reasons or they want revenge or they’re defending themselves. Whichever it is, she’s one of the only ones I can think of where she has a belief system that’s almost religious.

“I believe in the betterment of you, and I believe in you, and I believe in truth. And I believe that you all can be better, and I will fight to protect you. But I also believe in better than that.” That’s wonderful to work with. And that is in this time. That’s something amazing to have. I believe in her. I believe that’s an important message right now. “I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to kill people.

But if I’m in this situation, I’m going to fight for your right to be better people.” That’s a wonderful story to dig into. And have your own doubts about your struggles as the great superheroes have.

The Collider set visit to Wonder Woman also revealed a zeppelin full of new story details. You might want to skip the bits below, for slight spoiler reasons:

• Diana’s childhood on the island of Themiscyra will be seen
• The seclusion of the Amazons from the world of Man and their relationship with the Greek gods will be revealed in a flashback
• Diana learns to become a warrior in secret under the guidance of her aunt,General Antiope (played by Robin Wright), against the wishes of her mother Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen)
• The first big battle scene of Wonder Woman involves German soldiers squaring off against the Amazongs as they pursue Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor character, who happens to be carrying secret plans
• These plans detail a scheme to sabotage the World War One armistice
• Diana believes that Ares is behind the Great War and accompanies Steve to London, grabbing her iconic gear for the journey ahead
• Wonder Woman is described as a mix of the themes seen in Marvel’s first Thor and Captain America films: Fish out of water character building set amidst the backdrop of the most devastating war in human history
• Wonder Woman takes place in 1918 specifically as the Great War entered its final phase
• The villains in Wonder Woman rogue German general Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and the horrifically scarred scientist Dr. Maru (Elena Anaya)
• As for Ares, his role is described as that of a specter, whose presence influences a grand scheme to keep the Great War from never ending
• David Thewlis, who is rumoured to be Ares in human form, plays Assemblyman Sir Patrick Morton who happens to be campaigning for peace in our time

Wonder Woman is out on June 2. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to continue searching for people who share my views on Batman V Superman. HELP ME FIND THE OTHERS LIKE YOU!

Last Updated: March 7, 2017