Wonder Woman is one character that has stayed constant throughout her several iterations. Serving as the equilibrium force of the Justice League, her character has become iconic for several different reasons. Being one of the first female superheroes to become prominent in mainstream media, she became a cultural icon for many. Wonder Woman has inspired several similar characters and has also brought female readers and viewers into the genre.
Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the character seems to have become just as iconic, doing an excellent job as Princess Diana. While her version of the character does stand out in more ways than one, it would seem that her story could have been a lot different had it not been for another version of her.
Was the backstory of the iconic character in the 2017 film inspired by the 2001 animated series, Justice League?
Wonder Woman Drew Inspiration From The DCAU
The one thing that seemed to have stayed constant through the many versions of Princess Diana is her origin story. A man comes to her home island, shows her the flaws in his ways, and makes her want to leave to spread the message of the Amazons.
Since one cannot simply leave Themyscira, Diana proves her capabilities by winning a fight against her peers. Afterward, she is allowed to leave, lasso in hand, and gifted the armor that earns her the name Wonder Woman in the Man’s World.
While this series of events is followed in almost every version of the story, there are two that stray away from it, the one in the animated series, Justice League, and in Gal Gadot’s 2017 film. In these two variants, Diana’s character is not allowed to leave after her mother, Queen Hippolyta, tells her that she cannot go.
Ultimately, she steals the armor and makes a run for it, leaving her old life behind in a cloud of deception.
Did The Similarities Help In The Film’s Success?
First being done in the 2001 Justice League, the resemblance in the stories of these two projects is uncanny. It may not be too far-fetched to assume that the creators of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman were inspired by the animated series considering just how much source material is consumed when live-action adaptations are being made.
Following crowds and patterns is only natural for society and human nature. You see something working out properly and you follow it without thinking. The same was the case of Diana’s story for many iterations as well. However, for 2001’s Justice League, the path became different. Such a path also became the vision for Gadot’s film. If something that stands out becomes more iconic, it is only natural for that to be followed as well.
At the same time, if Patty Jenkins’ movie went with the original idea of Diana’s story, then there was a high chance to give the audience a sense of repetition. The same story being told again and again.
So in a way, standing out was not just important for Justice League, but Wonder Woman as well. The film and its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 ended up making over $984 million, according to The Numbers.
