Wonder Woman Has Rebooted DC’s Movie Game

It’s no secret that while Marvel has enjoyed enormous success with its Avengers franchise, DC has struggled just to remain relevant in the superhero comic-book-to-movie universe. With the release of last summer’s Wonder Woman, however, it looks as if the tides are finally about to turn in DC’s favor. With an engaging, spirited heroine in Gal Gadot’s title character — to say nothing of the tightly written script and exhilarating action — the film is as strong as any in the genre, and represents a sea of possibilities for the previously beleaguered studio. Here’s why it’s working.

Gadot’s appearance in Dawn of Justice

While the 2016 Batman vs. Superman outing was considered an underachievement, Gadot’s presence was undoubtedly one of the highlights. We were shown just enough of her Diana Prince to leave us wanting more; the framing device for Wonder Woman, featuring Affleck’s Caped Crusader, was ingenious in the way it tied everything together. Speaking of Affleck, while he’s no longer directing the upcoming The Batman, this tie-in may have succeeded in extending his time in the cape and cowl.

The release of Justice League comes just at the right time

While five months may not sound like long to wait between doses, Wonder Woman was so entertaining that audiences are already eager for her next outing. The fact that the majority of last summer’s tentpole releases were disappointing doesn’t hurt matters, either.

Wonder Woman 2 is already in the works

In addition to Justice League, our Amazon warrior is already locked in for a stand-alone sequel, with a release date of December 13, 2019. Gadot’s original contract was complete with the release of Justice League, and it was widely reported that she wasn’t paid as much as her male counterparts. Since the new film would surely suffer without her, it’s likely she’ll be better compensated this time around.

What this means for Justice League

Reviews are mixed as to whether Justice League compares to its predecessor, but one thing’s for sure — it was a whole lot better than Man of Steel or (shudder) Batman vs Superman. With trendy, easy-on-the-eyes newcomers like Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ezra Miller as the Flash signing on to join the fight, it’s clear that DC is experiencing a phenomenal rebirth, and we are happy to stick along for the ride.

References:

DC Rethinks Its Universe

Gal Gadot May Not Star in Sequel

A Summary of Contract Law

DC Universe Movies Are More Successful Than You Think

Featured image source: ShowBiz 411