by Herbie J Pilato
Marvel’s recently announced the development of a third entry for the Captain America movie franchise, before it even debuts the second film, Captain America: Winter Soldier.
Now THAT’S faith in the works, if based on something tangible that has already proven its worth.
Case in point: there was a certain genius in the way Marvel introduced Captain America to the mainstream, movie-going audience in 2011.
There was no panic-stricken search for how to make him “relative”; nor was there any need to make him “dark” or “edgy.”
Instead, those in control of the initial Cap motion picture (appropriately titled, Captain America: The First Avenger) kept things brilliantly simple; they remained loyal to the character’s original mythology, and set the first film in the 1940s, right where he belonged.
Cap’s second feature film appearance then transpired within the confines of Marvel’s big-screen blockbuster from 2012, The Avengers, in which it was effortlessly explained (within the confines of science fiction storytelling) how the superhero world’s most patriotic character was brought into the 21st Century.
As a result, everybody was happy, including, hardcore and novice Marvel and general movie fans alike.
Does Warner Bros. and DC Comics understand how exactly the same very thing may transpire with Wonder Woman and any future appearance that she may have in Superman vs. Batman, the Justice League feature, etc.?
Do they understand how simple life can be by breathing life into Diana Prince and her super alter-ego by just sticking to the original game plan – and halting all the nonsense of trying to improve upon the original genius of WW creator Charles Moulton (who introduced her as a Nazi-fighting superior heroine of the 1940s)?
Case in further point: actress Gail Gadot is absolutely beautiful. But she is also absolutely miscast as Wonder Woman for the Superman vs. Batman.
As has been stated to near-exhaustion by countless others, online, on Facebook, via Twitter, and elsewhere, Gadot doesn’t by any means have the look, the body or the presence required to do Wonder Woman…uhm…justice.
First and foremost, she has brown eyes (Wonder Woman’s pupils are blue); she’s thin as a rail; and she has no, well…particularly outstanding “attributes.”
So, while a good portion of the world is “waiting for Gadot” (sorry) to fail, her miscasting just seems to go along with Warner Bros./DC’s poor decision-making all-the-way-around their superhero complex.
For some reason, their inherently hell-bent on NOT giving their direct market and audience what they want.
As such, not even Superman can save Wonder Woman – or Warner Bros. and DC until at least the latter two wise-up and turn from their – ok, sure – “evil” ways.
