Wonder Woman: First Look At Superhero's Birthplace
Welcome to Themyscira.
After making a much heralded appearance inBatman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is not only set to
have a substantial role in the upcoming Justice League movies but she’s also at
the centre of her own eponymous film.
And now we have our first glimpse of her
home world, Themyscira.
According to comic book lore, the hidden island wherethe Greek woman of Amazon have lived in for centuries in a society free of maleinfluence.
Speaking toEntertainment Weekly, director
Patty Jenkins has been talking of Wonder Woman’s origins and the movies focus
on her transformation from young Princess Diana into the greatest female
warrior of all time.
However, she won’t be making that journeyalone. Preparing her for a world of men are three regal women: Diana’s mother,
Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), and her two military aunts – General Antiope
(Robin Wright) and Antiope’s lieutenant, Menalippe (Lisa Loven Kongsli). This
trio of immortals is responsible for both raising and training Diana — the only
child on this estrogen heavy isle — but they don’t always agree. Hippolyta, a
revolutionary leader, longs to shelter her beloved daughter from the outside
world, but Antiope, the Amazon responsible for Diana’s training, wants to
prepare her.
“She is the only child they raised
together,” says Jenkins, calling from outside London, where she is deep into
the film’s production. “And their love for her manifests in a different way for
each of them.”
To bring the isle to life, Jenkins and her
team used exotic islands off the coasts of Italy and southern China to enhance
the otherworldliness of scenes filmed on Italy’s Amalfi coast.
However, behind every decision made by
Jenkins was a key question: “How would I want to live that’s badass?”
Adds producer Charles Roven, “Themyscira isinfluenced by the Greek but it’s clearly more than that,” he says. “It’s a
place that has the ‘you’ve never been to’ kind of feel. But once you’re there
you’re not so sure you really want to leave so fast.”
That other worldliness extends to the lookof the Amazons too.
“To me, they shouldn’t be dressed in armor
like men,” Jenkins says of the women’s battle wear. “It should be different. It
should be authentic and real – and appealing to women.”
Jenkins and her costume designer, Lindy Hemming (The Dark Knight) crafted a look designed to show strengthfrom ripped shoulders and toned legs, in outfits that look both practical and
in keeping with the tropes of the comic book – in particular wrist braces and,
yes, high heels.
“It’s total wish-fulfillment,” she says,
adding that the warriors have flats for heavy fighting.
“I, as a woman, want Wonder Woman to be hot as hell, fight badass, and look great at the same time –the same way men want Superman to have huge pecs and an impractically big body.
That makes them feel like the hero they want to be. And my hero, in my head,
has really long legs.”
Wonder Woman is set to hit cinemas June 23,2017.