In Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins, the World War I superhero epic became the DCEU's first undisputed hit.
Consequently, expectations were high for Wonder Woman 1984. Set decades after the original (but before linking up with Bruce and Clark), Diana's return pits the Amazonian against Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, but the sequel has failed to pull the same ionate praise as its predecessor. Despite Wonder Woman 1984's review woes, there's still no questioning Gal Gadot's performance or suitability for the role. The actress has encomed Diana perfectly in the DCEU, and that remains the case even amidst the misfortunes of her latest release.
But as well as cementing her own character, Wonder Woman 1984 also sees Diana accept the burden of her fellow DCEU superheroes. Previously, Justice League) or as part of a wider narrative (Wonder Woman). Now, the DCEU's resident Amazonian is spreading her shiny gold wings to represent the entire trinity alone.
Batman & Superman's DCEU Futures Are Uncertain
There's little argument that the DCEU's future is brimming with excitement and potential, but most of the names involved are second-tier heroes (Aquaman, Flash, Shazam), brand new additions (Black Adam) or guest stars (Star Wars is over. The DCEU futures of the Dark Knight and the Last Son of Krypton are far less apparent.
After the furor caused by Joss Whedon's Justice League and the facial hair controversy that followed, it's not known when Henry Cavill will return to the DCEU, outside of the Snyder cut. In 2018, widespread reports claimed Cavill had departed the role. These were subsequently denied, but his next appearance still hasn't been announced. Further rumors suggest Cavill has signed on for further movies, but it's not yet clear whether these are glorified cameos, something more, or nothing at all. As fans continue to campaign for a Superman's DCEU future remains firmly up in the air.
Batman's situation is a little clearer, but not by much. Following Justice League, Ben Affleck was lined up for The Batman - a project that has since been overhauled with a new star in Robert Pattinson, a new director in Matt Reeves, and an entirely new plot based around The Riddler instead of Deathstroke. Affleck left the DCEU for health reasons, but returned in 2020, and will feature alongside Michael Keaton in The Flash. It remains to be seen whether either version of the Caped Crusader will be a regular fixture moving forward.
Wonder Woman Is The Center Of The DCEU Now
With so many question marks surrounding Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent in the DCEU, Diana Prince automatically becomes the franchise's starring attraction. The trio of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman have long represented the three most popular weapons in DC's arsenal, and even with an exciting slate ahead, it's Gal Gadot's character bringing the most star power to the DCEU at present. ing the Amazonian's case as a leading act, Wonder Woman stands tall as the most powerful superhero in the franchise now that Cavill's Superman is taking a sabbatical.
Gal Gadot's excellent performances as Wonder Woman have further consolidated her position as the epicenter of the DCEU. Her 2017 solo venture was the franchise's first proper success story, elevating Diana above her DC peers, and Wonder Woman naturally assumed a leadership position in both Batman V Superman and Justice League. Without Bruce or Kal-El to share command, there's little doubt who Aquaman, Cyborg and Flash will be taking their orders from if the band ever get back together.
The DCEU has been in a near-constant state of upheaval since 2016 - the post-Batman V Superman reshuffle, the Snyder cut debacle, the ever-changing Flash movie, etc. In an inherently chaotic movie franchise, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman has been the only consistent presence at both a solo and team-up level, and her future is assured thanks to an early Wonder Woman 3 announcement. Even with the iffy response to Wonder Woman 1984, Diana is a rare reliable thread running through the DCEU's center.
Wonder Woman's Story Better Represents Their Ideals
As Batman and Superman take a back seat in the DCEU, Wonder Woman has stepped into the breach, and this becomes evident in Wonder Woman 1984. Despite the abundance of love for Henry Cavill's Superman, the DCEU Man of Steel has attracted criticism for being dark, bleak and brooding. Clark kills General Zod in his 2013 solo effort, feuds with Bruce Wayne in Batman V Superman, and then wakes up on the wrong side of bed in Justice League. Whether or not you're a fan of DCEU Supes, the character represents a departure from Clark Kent's traditional guise of a hopeful, optimistic beacon that humanity can aspire towards.
But that description perfectly fits DCEU Wonder Woman, especially in Wonder Woman 1984, which is upbeat to a fault. Diana smiles and winks as she saves young children from dastardly criminals, she attempts to reform her enemies rather than snapping their necks, and in the final conflict, Wonder Woman defeats Maxwell Lord by encouraging humanity to save itself. In of the philosophical and thematic qualities Superman is known for in the DC comics, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is a far better advocate than Henry Cavill's Superman. And that's without mentioning Diana's new power of flight, and subsequent infringement upon Clark's trademark single-arm pose.
DCEU Wonder Woman shares fewer parallels with Batman, but still borrows some recognizable Dark Knight traits during her 1980s escapade. The clearest example is Diana's staunch aversion to guns and killing, declaring her hatred of firearms in the opening sequence and later making sure Steve Trevor doesn't kill any innocent guards. While DC's comic Wonder Woman isn't exactly known for packing an AK-47, Wonder Woman 1984's "no guns rule" is more often associated with Batman. In the DCEU, Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne has been less scrupulous about shooting folks so, as with Superman, Diana is representing those traditional ideals far more effectively.
Why Wonder Woman Is So Important To DC's Future
The Black Adam currently in limbo and The Suicide Squad likely to kill off most of its extensive cast, the DCEU's future is short on new additions, and this makes Wonder Woman's continued presence all the more vital.
Until the DCEU can build new stars, the responsibility falls upon Diana to carry the movie series forward, tying together the past, present and future, and maintaining a semblance of continuity as a new era begins. The addition of the multiverse will breed many exciting opportunities for DC movies, with any character liable to pop up at any given time. In such an unpredictable, chaotic landscape, the continued presence of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman will be the anchor that grounds DC's multiverse to its DCEU roots, giving the audience a recognizable foothold... even after a less than buoyant response to Wonder Woman 1984.
