Wonder Woman Director Discusses Diana's Motivation, WWI Setting

CBR

By Meagan Damore

Published Dec 30, 2016

Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins described Diana as 'a god visiting our world for the first time.'

Next June, Diana of Themyscira will enter Man's World at the height of World War I, and what she discovers isn't very pretty. Speaking to Empire, "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins explained why Diana feels compelled to join the war effort and discussed why the WWI setting is vital to Diana's journey.

"What motivates her is philosophical," Jenkins revealed. "She isn't just taking out bad guys or fighting crime. She believes in goodness and love. [She] is fierce and willing to fight, but only to protect a better vision for mankind. Hers is really a coming-of-age story."

Jenkins also described Diana as "a god visiting our world for the first time." That is to say, she "wanted the audience to understand the horrors that a war on this scale makes possible and how shocking that would be to someone who comes with a strong sense of honor and justice. She doesn't realize yet just how senselessly dark the world can be."

The piece also included a new photo of the Amazonian princess in action. In the photo, she wields her signature shield and lasso while wearing her iconic red, blue and gold costume; notably, this is the same costume she wears in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," but with a splash more color. Wonder Woman appears to be in the middle of a battle, likely the same one seen in the trailers for the film.

According to the film's official description,

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

Gal Gadot made her debut as Wonder Woman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." In the film, Batman discovers that Diana has been around since at least WWI when he discovers a photo of her with several soldiers. She joins both Batman and Superman for their final battle against Doomsday and attends Superman's funeral with Bruce Wayne. She will also appear in next year's "Justice League."

Written by Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns from a story by Heinberg and Zack Snyder, “Wonder Woman” stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Lucy Davis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ewen Bremner, Lisa Loven Kongsli and David Thewlis. The film opens June 2, 2017.