Another "Wonder Woman" show now in early development

[Mars]

It's questionable how old to make her look if she's going to be thousands of years old.

That's her origin, she's an immortal much like Marvel's Thor, you are not going to find a teen-aged Thor in a modern High School.

But seriously?

How does a new (or very, very old) nation present itself to the world?

The White house or the UN?

Possibly show up with a couple bottles of wine for kathy lee and Hoda on the fourth hour of the Today show?

What's her message?

"peace"?

"calm down"?

In the 40s it was all about the Nazis, which almost made sense.

I find nothing wrong with her World War II origins, a downed fighter pilot crashes on a mysterious uncharted island full of Amazons, that is the standard origin for Wonder Woman.

Post crisis In the 80s the "peace" thing was code for "holy shit atomic weapons are scary".

That's politics, Wonder Woman is a crime fighter, not a negotiator.

She needs a voice and an audience.

Surely if she wanted to promote peace and stop war, then she should go to a warzone?

I just think Wonder Woman is not a suitable character for a high school small town setting, there is a character very much what they are trying to make her out to be and that's Supergirl. They had a supergirl in smallville, so why not a series about her? They start with Wonder Woman and try to reinvent her so that she is no longer reconnizable to her established audience base. Why fit a square peg in a round hole when there it a round peg ready made that already fits?

 

[Gaith]

Doesn't the WB want to do a JL movie in '15? Unless they left WW out of that, I don't see any other live-action use of the character being approved before then.

 

[Mars]

Doesn't the WB want to do a JL movie in '15? Unless they left WW out of that, I don't see any other live-action use of the character being approved before then.

There are two characters very similar to each other that might fit the bill, there is Wonder Woman and Supergirl, they both possess super strength, some versions of Wonder Woman can fly without the invisible airplane. Wonder Woman is a woman in her perpetual 20s, as an immortal she does not age and is thousands of years old when she meets Steve Trevor. Supergirl is a teenager, if they are going to do a high school television series about her, it would make sense to start her at 14 or perhaps 16 and have the series continue through her college years for a total six year run.

To do Wonder Woman in her high school years would require them to reinvent her past, her past defines who she is, without that ancient Greek origin, she is a different superhero, so instead of remaking her, wouldn't it make sense just to use Supergirl, a figure most would recognize, and if they do a Wonder Woman, do a mature 20-something Wonder Woman instead.

 

[Christopher]

Doesn't the WB want to do a JL movie in '15? Unless they left WW out of that, I don't see any other live-action use of the character being approved before then.

Having Smallville didn't keep them from doing Superman Returns. Maybe they're hoping that building up the character on TV will help sell her to movie audiences, even if the continuities are different.

 

[Mars]

Doesn't the WB want to do a JL movie in '15? Unless they left WW out of that, I don't see any other live-action use of the character being approved before then.

Having Smallville didn't keep them from doing Superman Returns. Maybe they're hoping that building up the character on TV will help sell her to movie audiences, even if the continuities are different.

Superman Returns is a different continuity than Smallville. What Hollywood writers can't resist is totally reinventing traditional characters like Superman and Wonder Woman, Originally the Superman movie was to be a reinvention, but they were forced to pick up on Superman I & II, but the writers would have liked to have done a totally reinvented Superman, but that didn't fly back then, now they are at it again. Maybe they should concentrate on writing good stories for the established characters rather than reinventing them. People who come to watch Wonder Woman want to see the Wonder Woman they are familiar with.

 

[Gaith]

wouldn't it make sense just to use Supergirl

Too similar to, and too soon after, Smallville. (And that would've been true even if there hadn't been a Supergirl on that show.) Not gonna happen.

Having Smallville didn't keep them from doing Superman Returns. Maybe they're hoping that building up the character on TV will help sell her to movie audiences, even if the continuities are different.

But the fact that Smallville started before Returns was actively planned is a key difference. Also, neither really trod on each other, as the general Superman origin is both well-known and stable. A new, live action budget-friendly WW, on the other hand, could very easily muck things up for her depiction in a JL movie.

 

[Mars]

wouldn't it make sense just to use Supergirl

Too similar to, and too soon after, Smallville. (And that would've been true even if there hadn't been a Supergirl on that show.) Not gonna happen.

How do you figure that, since they are doing a spinoff series about the Green Arrow called "Arrow" and another spinoff series called "Aquaman" with the same actors reprising the roles that started out in the Smallville series.

Having Smallville didn't keep them from doing Superman Returns. Maybe they're hoping that building up the character on TV will help sell her to movie audiences, even if the continuities are different.

But the fact that Smallville started before Returns was actively planned is a key difference. Also, neither really trod on each other, as the general Superman origin is both well-known and stable. A new, live action budget-friendly WW, on the other hand, could very easily muck things up for her depiction in a JL movie.

 

[Vendikarr]

Didn't NBC think about doing a WW show last year too?

Yup... wonder woman does fetish lol

the costume was hideous... the writing was atrocious, and the pilot was one of the worst i've ever had the misfortune of seeing...

i'm quite happy it never got off the ground

M

I saw the Wonder Woman pilot, and the character of Wonder Woman was mischaracterized. With a few tweeks, it would have been a much better vehicle for Power Girl. The attitudes of the character better matched Power Girl, along with the corporate story.

I know they were trying to create a Wonder Woman series, but I think what they created was better suited to Power Girl. They should dust it off and try again with the right heroine.

 

[Greg Cox]

How do you figure that, since they are doing a spinoff series about the Green Arrow called "Arrow" and another spinoff series called "Aquaman" with the same actors reprising the roles that started out in the Smallville series.

An "Aquaman" series? Is this something new, or are you talking about that failed pilot a few years back?

 

[Christopher]

But the fact that Smallville started before Returns was actively planned is a key difference. Also, neither really trod on each other, as the general Superman origin is both well-known and stable. A new, live action budget-friendly WW, on the other hand, could very easily muck things up for her depiction in a JL movie.

Maybe the last point is valid. But I'm wary of any Smallville comparisons. Like I said, it originated in a different era, and its longevity was rather an anomalous thing. It changed a lot over its run as the climate around it changed. So it would be unwise to assume that the circumstances surrounding it would necessarily apply today or to a different series.

How do you figure that, since they are doing a spinoff series about the Green Arrow called "Arrow" and another spinoff series called "Aquaman" with the same actors reprising the roles that started out in the Smallville series.

You're completely incorrect. Arrow has no connection to the Smallville cast or continuity. Justin Hartley played Green Arrow on Smallville; Steven Amell is playing the character in Arrow.

Also, the failed Aquaman pilot Mercy Reef from years ago did not star the same actor who played Aquaman on Smallville; in fact, it starred Hartley as Aquaman, before he then started playing Green Arrow on Smallville.

 

[Greg Cox]

On a related front, apparently a new version of the Huntress will be featured in Arrow. (They're going with the mafia princess scenario, btw, as opposed to the daughter of Batman origin . . . .)

And, no, it's not the same actress from Birds of Prey!

 

[Gaith]

People who come to watch Wonder Woman want to see the Wonder Woman they are familiar with.

If she does appear in the JL movie, it'll be her first major public exposure in nearly forty years, and whatever origins/everday SOP the Carter TV series gave her are so obscure and forgotten even I haven't really gleaned them via cultural osmosis. WW is a nearly blank slate. Unless super-careful and thorough movie coordination is in place, I think it'd make very little sense for a mere CW series to interfere with perhaps the WB's most significant in-development project.

 

[Greg Cox]

People who come to watch Wonder Woman want to see the Wonder Woman they are familiar with.

If she does appear in the JL movie, it'll be her first major public exposure in nearly forty years, and whatever origins/everday SOP the Carter TV series gave her are so obscure and forgotten even I haven't really gleaned them via cultural osmosis..

I mostly agree regarding live-action, but I figure that generations of SUPER FRIENDS and JUSTICE LEAGUE cartoons have probably helped keep her in the public consciousness to some degree, especially since a lot of the people who watched those shows as kids are old enough to buy tickets (or choose the TV channel) now.

 

[JRS]

I mostly agree regarding live-action, but I figure that generations of SUPER FRIENDS and JUSTICE LEAGUE cartoons have probably helped keep her in the public consciousness to some degree, especially since a lot of the people who watched those shows as kids are old enough to buy tickets (or choose the TV channel) now.

Not to mention her own animated film that came out few years ago( that was actually a good movie).
I actually like the Lynda Carter WW series
Its true that the plots are campy and even silly, but I think Carter did very good job in the role.
Plus she looked great doing it, too

I am all for Wonder Woman series and this "young WW" concept sounds interesting( though there is also Wonder Girl they could have used). I just hope they not make the same dreadful mistakes that were made in the recent TV-pilot, that never aired.
This needs to be a well written and cast show, otherwise it will be shot down before it even starts.

 

[Gaith]

^ Maybe, but let's be honest: how many people will decide to attend a JL movie based on whether or not WW appears? That movie's main purpose, apart from setting up a sequel, will be to launch a new Batman, and maybe set a larger context for post-MOS Supermans. If people love its WW, she might get a stand-alone movie, but I'd think a bigger role in a JL2 would be a likelier outcome.

Anyhow, given the massive paucity of actual info we're working with, this seems as good a time as any to revive an old pic:

 

[Greg Cox]

^ Have you read What They Did to Princess Paragon by Richard Rodi? It's a humorous novel about just that!

A fun book, as I recall.

 

[Gaith]

^ Hadn't heard of it, no, but it does indeed sound alright. I'd definitely consider watching a film adaptation of the same...

 

[Nerys Myk]

^ Maybe, but let's be honest: how many people will decide to attend a JL movie based on whether or not WW appears? That movie's main purpose, apart from setting up a sequel, will be to launch a new Batman, and maybe set a larger context for post-MOS Supermans. If people love its WW, she might get a stand-alone movie, but I'd think a bigger role in a JL2 would be a likelier outcome.

Anyhow, given the massive paucity of actual info we're working with, this seems as good a time as any to revive an old pic:

I gotta start billing you.

 

[Methos]

I saw the Wonder Woman pilot, and the character of Wonder Woman was mischaracterized. With a few tweeks, it would have been a much better vehicle for Power Girl. The attitudes of the character better matched Power Girl, along with the corporate story.

*opens and closes mouth silently a few times*

I... i'm actually horrified that I hadn't come to that conclusion before...

You're right... perfectly... with an actress / costume change, that pilot would have been pretty damn perfect for a PowerGirl intro... wow...

Have to rewatch it now, see if i can edit 'power girl' in instead of Wonder Woman using my mind... might actually make it watchable lol

M

 

[Guy Gardener]

12 wrestlers show up for no reason and she breaks legs and kicked the rest of them into walls half a footballfield away.

It was just ridiculous.