MovieChat Forums > Wonder Woman (1975) Discussion > What If...

What If...

posted 13 years ago by jon7057
9 replies | jump to latest

Ok, so there isn't going to be a new TV series, which is probably a good thing given all the bad press that came out of the David E. Kelly pilot. And there isn't going to be a new movie anytime soon because for some reason Warner Bros can't churn out good screenplays for superheroes (Batman not withstanding) while Marvel has an assembly line of high quality products. So here's my question: Either what would like to see or what should have been done with the character of Wonder Woman? If you had the money or a time machine or both, what live action rendition of the character would you like to have seen?

My personal favorite 'What If' is the MAJORLY missed opportunity of having Lynda Carter and Christopher Reeve in the same film. It really blows my mind that given the times when these two properties coincided that this didn't happen or wasn't even entertained. I've done some researching on the web and its really strange that there was never even a discussion of either a WW feature film with Carter or some sort of cross over. Superman was a box office hit in December 1978 and WW was still high in the ratings and one year from cancellation. Even after, Superman II in 1980, when WW was only a year off the air, the momentum was there for a possible cross over. The later you get into the mid 80's the further both Reeve and Carter moved away from their characters and wanted to do other things.

So my fantasy project: Its early 1981 and Superman II is tearing up the box office around the world. Bolstered by this, WB announces that they want to bring together two of their most successful properties. The screenplay is going to examine exploring Diana's mythological roots while introducing a new Superman villain. I always thought that some of the stronger stories in the series dealt with Diana and Paradise Island.

Something like in 1979 when Diana moved to LA, Druscilla comes to get Diana's help to fight Ares on Paradise Island. Ares, the God of War, has grown tired of initiating petty skirmishes around the world and wants to return the "good ole days" of World War. He feeds off the anger and raw emotions that war creates. He and the other gods are aliens who came to earth. They ruled for a time but returned to their home world and now and again keep tabs on Earth. The Amazons were part their creation, part human who are left behind as sentinels to introduce humanity to the gods once they are technologically ready and also to keep evil gods like Ares and Hades in check.

Ares instigates war after war through the ages influencing like minded humans to do his bidding but has been thwarted by Diana and her sisters numerous times. He thinks that by getting rid of the Amazons he can have the humans to himself so he decides to lay waste to Paradise Island. Paradise Island and Queen Hippolyta are captured and Druscilla mounts a guerrilla type war of resistance against Ares' forces. Diana and family are able to fight off and defeat Ares and retake the island. Ares returns to his layer to sulk in defeat and plot his next move while the Amazons spend the next year rebuilding their homeland. Diana ponders between staying to defend the island or taking the fight to Ares. The movie depicts this as background and moves to "present day".

Ares hopes of revenge are bolstered as three super aliens take over Earth in swift order. Ares plans on contacting them but he sees that are soon defeated by one of their own, Superman. Having no influence or power to match Superman, Ares know he needs something that will destroy him and the Amazons so he can have the world for himself. Diana and Druscilla only briefly hear about the goings on in the outside world and the appearance of this man with incredible abilities. Ares decides that brute force, while fun, isn't going to win against a strong opponent and turns to technology to provide the needed edge. In his research, he finds that an alien supercomputer and android by the name of Brainiac can provide him with resources. Perhaps there can be some tie in with Brainiac and targeting Earth or getting something for working with Ares - striking the deal for conquest. The two new partners dream up new age weaponry to use against Superman and Wonder Woman.

Diana knows that they need assistance to stop Ares and his new ally. She travels to Metropolis to find Superman while Druscilla and the other Amazons attempt keep tabs on Ares and his plans. In the guise of IADC agent Diana Prince she makes contact at the Daily Planet with Lois Lane as the only person who has been known to contact Superman. The IADC must speak with Superman on a matter of National Security. This obviously gets Clark Kent's attention and the two meet for the first time as their alter egos. Some emergency occurs they both have to save the day and meet in their true identities. Diana brings Clark up to speed about the dire situation and they have to stop Ares and Brainiac.

In the middle part of the movie, she takes him to Paradise Island to show him the history of Ares and her people. This doesn't sit too well with her mother and Druscilla but desperate times call for desperate measures. This both sparks Clark's curiosity and amusement at their reaction to having a man on the island. Diana tells him of the reason for their reactions and then Clark talks about the more egalitarian society that existed on Krypton. The two warm up to each other past the business at hand and they also compare notes on being superbeings among humans. They tell each other how lonely they are and relish that they have a peer to converse with. Clark divulges the romantic liaison with Lois and Diana laments never having time to pursue anything with Steve or his father back in WWII. A mutual admiration/romantic spark is started as they work together which is played up for sexual tension but not pursued totally in the film. When they return to Metropolis, this new relationship gets Lois' ire up seeing Superman with Wonder Woman. Perhaps there can be a side thing with bringing Steve Trevor where he and Lois have to work together to assist the superheroes in determining what Ares and Brainiac are up to. You have a parallel plot where Steve and Lois lament not being able to pursue romantic relations with their respective superhero.

In short order, the master plan is found out, Clark and Diana go to take out their villans. The climatic fights between Clark and Brainiac ensue and Diana and Ares resulting is Brainiac being supposedly destroyed and Ares imprisoned on the home planet of the Greek Gods. The world is saved and Clark and Diana meet to see where their relationship will go. The two share a long kiss but they know that they have their mutual corners of the world to guard and they'll be in touch. This leaving things open for more adventures.

Obviously, there's a lot that would need to be filled in and its a rough outline but figured its an interesting take on getting these two icons together with substantial enemies and tying in a lot of their live action backstories.

What sort of "What ifs" would you have like to have seen with WW?

[–] FlyboyLA 13 years ago

I think it's awesome that you took so much time and effort to come up with the idea of a Superman/Wonder Woman crossover film. Today, I think it would be a great opportunity for WB and DC comics. I'm sure TPTB at Warner Brothers would never have been brave enough to take such an amazing opportunity and use it on film. Superheroines were only good enough for television series in the 1970s and abruptly cancelled by the early 1980s. Shows like Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman, and The Secrets of Isis only lasted until the late 1970s. Charlie's Angels, even though they're not superhuman, was the last female action adventure to last until 1981. Also, I don't think that they would've embraced Wonder Woman's true origins and foes back then. Heck, outside of the Baroness Von Gunther, no other Wonder Woman villain from the comics ever made an appearance on the television show.

That being said, I wish that Lynda Carter would've participated in making several Wonder Woman television movies during the 1980s. CBS was open to it, as they filmed a few Incredible Hulk tv-movies during the 80s. Also, Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers also got tv reunions. And, as I recall, CBS was all over reunion movies with the likes of "I Dream Of Jeannie," "Green Acres," "The Andy Griffith Show," and "The Brady Bunch," just to mention a few. I'm sure Wonder Woman would've made for some great follow up television films throughout the 1980s. But, apparently, Lynda was ready to finally move on from Wonder Woman by the time there was any interest in pursuing a reunion movie.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (28686785) 13 years ago

Any chance you would or have written this as a fanfiction...it is a brilliant idea.

I have issues, but my health insurance won't cover them

[–] dpcole7 12 years ago

I'm not much into crossovers, but given the definitive nature of Christopher Reeve and Lynda Carter, I would have happily seen such a film if it were made back in the day...

[–] richard.fuller1 11 years ago

It would have just been nice now to have had Lynda Carter and Christopher Reeve appear together in something.

I think by the time he was doing these tv movies with Jaclyn Smith and Meredith Baxter, she was content being Mrs. Robert Altman.

They both probably avoided working together to prevent 'Superman and Wonder Woman' statements, tho he realized what it meant to kids to meet Superman and I think she has finally softened to how much people enjoyed her show.

[–] SWLinPHX-2 11 years ago

For a seventh grade school movie project in 1980 I wrote a screenplay for "Super Rendezvous" and filmed it all with costumes very similar to both the series of the times. It was about Diana Prince running into Clark Kent and neither knowing who each other was until toward the end. They actually went on a date before the discovery. Both featured action sequences with them as their superhero alter egos. I was only 12 but worked on that for weeks, day and night! During recent school reunions and reconnections on Facebook I'm still reminded of how fanatical I was about the production and what I put all the classmates thru in their roles.

[–] crockett_john 9 years ago

I can relate to that story. We had a guy do something a little similar to what you did, also in the seventh grade, but for a school project. We had an assignment in English class to write a story that could be adapted to a film. You could either write one on your own or work with a group. I wrote one of my own, but we didn't film that one. We ended up filming two of the stories. One was from the group I participated in and the other was from this guy named BillEd. He was a huge fan of James Bond and Indiana Jones and this was the year that "For Your Eyes Only" came out. He wrote a story about a secret agent similar to 007, but not him. I had a part in the film as a henchman that worked for the main villain, so all my scenes were pretty much fighting the protagonist for a few seconds. It was a lot of fun. We did it on the school's stage without costumes and with minimal props. A few years ago, I reconnected with BillEd (among other former classmates). When I brought up this film, BillEd didn't want to talk about it and instead, he blasted me with Bible verses, which really didn't appeal to me, so we haven't spoken in years. I still think it's neat, probably not as good of a production as the one you made, but still a lot of fun.

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I'm just expressing my opinion.

You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.

[–] SWLinPHX-2 11 years ago

I like it. It has the same subtle romantic undertones as the screenplay I made for my seventh grade project and filmed as a Super 8 movie. It is more like what I would have suggested as an adult. Would have loved to see Reeve and Carter, both in their most-appealing prime years, portray these two characters together.

Does anyone know if Carter and Reeve ever met or became friends or discussed their roles in the 1970's or 80's?

[–] jefgg 10 years ago

In 2013 Warner Bros. announced that Israeli actress Gal Gadot would portray Wonder Woman in the 2016 film "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", marking the character's feature film debut after over seventy years of history.

[–] jon7057 9 years ago

Yes, it will be the first time that WW will appear on the big screen, however, its a shame no one had the vision at the time to put these two titans or with Michael Keaton. I'd love to see a DC trinity movie with Reeve, Keaton and Carter than Batman v Superman.