The first Wonder Woman trailer debuted at this year's San Diego Comic Con. And to call it the best trailer from the entire DCEU is a major understatement. It is beautiful, with all its colors, the careful way in which it was edited, the lines chosen to set a backstory for the superheroine, and so on and so forth.
But maybe it was so awesome because it is not Zack Snyder-y. There. I said it, maybe just like many other fans of comic book movies. The comedy isn't forced in this one. The colors actually express hope, even if the story is set in one of the worst timeframes of the 20th century. The characters smile - THEY SMILE GENUINELY! This shouldn't be something worthy of being mentioned, but it is.
And it is more than weird once you realize it and actually say it.
So what else can be said about the Wonder Woman trailer? What are the most important things that everybody should look for? This list is all about that. So check it out!
But be careful - watch out for spoilers. Consider yourself warned!
Origin story
While Wonder Woman is more than 5,000 years old in the DCEU continuity, we still get to see her origin story. How did she get out of Themyscira, and how did she become a superheroine for the entire world?
Thus, the opening shot of the trailer reveals the beginning of this path - meeting Steve Trevor. Just like in the comics, he becomes stranded on the island. Apparently, he is a pilot – but just apparently, as it is revealed later on in the trailer.
The big question, at this moment, is how he ended up on the island in the first place. Isn't the island shielded/hidden from the outside world? I can bet that those rock formations in the background have something to do with Themyscira remaining a haven just for the Amazonians.
And this is the first time that Diana sees a man - to Trevor's surprise. Which once again sets the movie well before the Batman v Superman events (we already knew that, but this reminds us of this detail from the start - which is a nice touch, speaking about the heroine's naivete and purity).
We are then introduced to what seems to be the throne room of Themyscira. It isn't a room at all, though - but it is beautiful. It is most likely here that it will be decided whether Diana should accompany Steve Trevor into the world of man or not.
Also - in the beginning, take a look at the well-hidden medal on Trevor's chest. It might return later on in the trailer and reveal why he isn't just a simple soldier.
The World of Man
Obviously, the Amazonians decide to send Diana into the world of man. Even if Hippolyta says that mankind doesn't deserve her. And, as we all see, Hippolyta wears the same crown Diana will don much later on.
As it appears, they go to England, to the same well-known railway station featured in the Harry Potter films. A nice introduction. However, we then quickly move on and see Diana wearing a beautiful blue dress (which reminds us of the blue skies of Themyscira), in a ballroom where the people wear muted colors. Which is yet another great contrast between the Amazonians and the world of Man.
And Diana is there for a reason - is she an assassin at this moment? She may be, although I doubt it. And her target is no mere mortal - it is the character played by Danny Huston, who wears German/villain symbols all over him. And I say that he is no mere mortal because of Diana's sword. She wouldn't need a magical weapon to defeat him if he were just a man.
Who is Danny Huston?
It may be that he is just a leader of the German army and Diana, inexperienced as she is, goes for the overkill. However, I do believe that they know each other. While Diana knows him as her target, the way he looks at her suggests that he knows why she is there.
And just as Diana reaches for her sword, hiding her arm, Danny Houston does the same thing. One of his arms is hidden. We don't know at this point whether he also has a concealed weapon or not. But I can bet that he is aware of the existence of the Amazonians, as the trailer will later reveal (I believe).
Thus, this leads me to believe that he is Ares. And the God of War has all the reasons to be behind the first major conflagration in humankind's history. Don't you agree?
And he must know about Themyscira. Because later on in the trailer we see the awesome fight between the Amazonians and the human soldiers. Who told them about the island? Furthermore, I do believe that these aren't mere soldiers, and that they have been imbued with special powers by Ares. Otherwise, I don't see the reason why the Amazonians will go for the overkill - why would Robin Wright use multiple arrows in order to kill a simple mortal?
There is also that woman wearing the creepy prosthetic mask - who is that? I can bet that she is also an Amazonian, one that has switched sides.
Diana's father
What I love about the DCEU (with all its flaws) is that it doesn't shy away from introducing real Gods - just like in the comics. And the first true hint is Diana's ancestry. When asked about her father, she says that she was brought to life by Zeus. Which once again falls in line with the comics, and particularly with the new 52 comics.
Thus, if originally she was made out of clay, with various superpowers bestowed on her, she later became the daughter of Zeus. Which is, again, great!
And not just because we have real gods in this shared universe, but also because Darkseid's origin will be kept. And it is very important, since in this way it will be connected in some way to Wonder Woman - who, as we all know, has fought monsters from other worlds before.
Steve Trevor - the spy
There is another interesting shot, which might very well take place in the beginning of the film, prior to the introduction of Diana. And this shot features Steve Trevor, disguised as a German pilot. He steals one of the planes, and wreaks havoc afterwards.
Thus, he is not the character from the comics. And thus, a new arc is described here - we find out how he ended on Themyscira in the first place. Most likely, he is shot down. And, most likely, we will see some very awesome dogfights over the island.
Which will lead Hippolyta to say that the humans don't deserve Diana.
This is just speculation at this point. However, the trailer does suggest this. And there is also another scene, resembling the one in the bar in Inglorious Basterds, in which Wonder Woman easily (and, actually, as if she were bored) dispatches her enemies.
If I were to bet on something, I'd bet that Trevor is a spy.
No Man's Land
And then there is another interesting scene. After crashing the party in her beautiful blue dress, Wonder Woman is seen riding in a forest. This is not the scene - the trailer then cuts to the trenches, with soldiers preparing to storm the battlefield.
They are all Germans.
On the other side, only Wonder Woman is seen emerging. Which is extremely interesting, since the battlefield is No Man's Land, in the sense that everybody who comes out of the trenches is a target (and No Man’s Land is an actual term from WWI). Here, Man doesn't have a gender - it refers to everybody.
However, when Wonder Woman emerges, No Man's Land has another connotation - only a superheroine like Diana of Themyscira can survive on the battlefield. Many compare this particular scene to the first Captain America, saying that Warner Bros. decided to set Wonder Woman in WWI just because another superhero flick was set in WWII.
However, the symbolism is far stronger in this movie. In WWI, there were no females on the battlefield. So, yeah - the trailer is perfectly cut!
And another thing - this isn't her shield she uses. Could it be that it gets destroyed in some way? It may be - especially if Ares is the one she goes up against.
Steve Trevor and Diana
Their relationship is not at all settled. Steve Trevor is seen teaching Diana how to dance - something that comes in handy later on. And, as all men do, he believes that he is the one leading. Surprise! He isn't! When he doesn't agree with Diana's plans, she simply tells him that he has no say in it. She has already decided.
And this is more than just empowering. Wonder Woman is the strong female able to walk in the No Man's Land, and she is also the strong female who positions herself at the same level (or even higher) as the man. She takes the lead on, as well as off, the battlefield.
And she sets an example, which is even more obvious in the scene featuring Etta Candy, Trevor's secretary - or rather, slave, according to Diana.
This movie will kick all sorts of ass when it arrives!
The fight scenes
The trailer also features some pretty awesome fight scenes. Besides the battlefield and the fight on Themyscira, we see Wonder Woman taking on a bunch of soldiers. Are they mere mortals? They may be - although I doubt it, since they are also pretty fast. Obviously, the scenes are in slow motion. But they are still able to see Wonder Woman moving and at least try to get out of her way.
Oh, and the lasso looks AWESOME!
And the most impressive move she makes is also a symbolic one - she simply breaks a gun using her hips. Take what you want from it - but this shot is tremendous on so many levels!
So what do I have to say, in the end, about this trailer? It was the best thing about this year's Comic Con. It works from any angle I look at it. It is beautifully cut. It tells a story in its own, without actually revealing anything.
And it once again shows that Gal Gadot is the perfect Wonder Woman.
What do you think?
All pics in this list are screenshots from the trailer.
