Wonder Woman Returning To TV As Series Written And Produced By David E. Kelley
This has to be the highest-profile effort to bring Wonder Woman to television: One of TV's best-known creators, The Practice's David E. Kelley, has come on board to write and produce a new series project about the female superhero. The project, from Warner Bros. Television where Kelley is based, and Warner Bros.' DC Entertainment, will be taken out to the networks shortly. Kelley, who has created several female-centered shows, most notably Ally McBeal, had been interested in tackling a contemporary take on the World War II-era Amazon. He recently met with the DC team who also have been looking for ways to launch a new Wonder Woman TV franchise. Details on the reboot are being kept under wraps, and it is not clear if the new Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince will keep her signature powers and weapons, including her Lasso of Truth, her indestructible bracelets, her tiara and her invisible airplane. In the comic books, the Wonder Woman character has evolved significantly since she first appeared in a 1941 issue of All Star Comics and recently underwent a controversial makeover.
Warner Bros. TV has brought DC characters to the small screen before, most recently with the CW's Superman-themed Smallville, which is in its 10th and final season, and Fox's Human Target, which returned for a second season. But Wonder Woman has presented a challenge both for feature and TV creators. That's probably because she is the most famous female superhero in the testosterone-dominated comic world. And because she also is a big feminist icon. (Reps for Warner Bros. TV and Kelley declined to comment for this story.)
The most successful screen adaptation of the Wonder Woman comic books was the TV series The New Adventures of Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter in the title role, which aired from 1975-1979, first on ABC and then on CBS. Carter has since become synonymous with the character. That will certainly present a challenge in casting the role if the project goes to pilot. A notable recent effort to launch a new Wonder Woman series came a decade ago with Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman creator Deborah Joy LeVine as the writer.
On the feature side, a Wonder Woman film has been in development hell for a decade at Warner Bros., with Joss Whedon at one point attached to write and direct for producer Joel Silver. In May, Warner chairman and CEO Barry Meyer confirmed that a new Wonder Woman feature is in development. There has been a concerted effort on part of Time Warner lately to better mine the DC properties across different platforms. The film division is expected to announce a slate of DC movies by the end of the year that would probably include Wonder Woman.
Given the producer's fondness for courtroom scenes, I'd think She-Hulk would be more his style.
_________________ The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls who, when he found an especially costly one, sold everything he had to buy it.
Some woman from an unknown amazon tribe showing up during World War II is not nearly as big a stretch as some woman from an unknown amazon tribe showing up today.
_________________ Because life is a treasure. —Dave Powell
Some woman from an unknown amazon tribe showing up during World War II is not nearly as big a stretch as some woman from an unknown amazon tribe showing up today.
Not to mention the differences between a woman's place in 1940's America and her place in today's world.
But a hottie running around in a onesie makes more sense today.
I'd love for it to be a period piece: World War II with a few "super villains" using futuristic tech, you know, circa the 1970s. Wonder Woman should be about 16. Steve Trevor should be as young as possible that makes sense for him to be a pilot and an intelligence officer.
They really should try for winning a young crowd. This Wonder Woman/Girl should be inspirational, strong, and very capable, though still fairly inexperienced. Make her book smart and well versed in classical literature, music, and art, but, perhaps, a inexperienced when it comes to other people and cultures, people telling lies, and so on. She doesn't need to "grow up," but she needs to see how the rest of the world works, and how it's radically different than on Paradise Island. This can include stories of slum districts, racial conflicts, concentration camps, sexism, etc.
I think it could be a good way to speak of such things using a young Wonder Woman than it would be to use a modern day, more adult Wonder Woman speaking of the same issues. Modern problems but period setting.
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