Fan Elseworlds: What Would You Have Done Differently?

[ComicChick]

maybe they didn't include the contest because they didn't want it to be an exact live-action of the animated film

i kinda like the way they did it; most of the Amazons had no interest in getting involved in worldly affairs, and i think it made Diana and Steve's conversation in the fountains more important. Especially when he spoke of his Grandfather and deciding to act, or not to

 

[metaphysician]

It is strange that they couldn't come up with a way to explain ntegrate the contest into things. I am not quite certain what the issue with it would be exactly outside of:

A. Purely time constraints.

B. Diana's powers an origins being such plot points that showcasing her abilities in the contest would step on the third act reveals?

C. Despite Jenkins' public statements... She or the Snyder's thought it was "cheesy"?

Its probably a little of some or all of those, but. . . I think the bigger issue is one of fundamental premise. For there to be a contest implies two things: that Themiscyra intends to intervene, and that anyone could be sent as their envoy. This is just not really compatible with the "Hidden Goddess" origin angle. One or the other has to go.

 

[Primal Slayer]

It is strange that they couldn't come up with a way to explain ntegrate the contest into things. I am not quite certain what the issue with it would be exactly outside of:

A. Purely time constraints.

B. Diana's powers an origins being such plot points that showcasing her abilities in the contest would step on the third act reveals?

C. Despite Jenkins' public statements... She or the Snyder's thought it was "cheesy"?

I fear that aspect of Dianas origin is all but dead forr the time being.

I think with Diana being made to be special in an all around sense, it also kind of robbed the Amazons from still caring about the outside world to a degree.

But it would've been great to see paired with Dianas training to see just how good she has become

 

[Panacea]

Not so much what I would change... but I'm just wondering how you replicate this Wonder Woman moving forward. To me the most endearing and compelling parts about the character - Gal Gadot's wonky acting aside - were her innocent/ignorance of the outside world and her relationship with Chris Pine's character... both of which will be gone come Justice League. Hard to see how we don't just go back to the same Wonder Woman we got in BvS after this.

 

[hawkflame]

THree things I would change, two of which are SUPER minor.

1) Have Steve refer to Diana at least once as "Angel" or "like an Angel". It's just a Steve Trevor tradition, like Mary Jane calling Peter Parker "Tiger".

2) Confirm that Sammy and others in the crew were Members of Blackhawk, something I believe was rumored earlier prior to release. Just a bit of extra connective tissue to the greater DC universe, plus it gives some distance from the "Howling Commandos ripoff" accusations by making it clearly based on a pre-existing DC thing

3) The look of Ares. Did not like that it was just basically Professor Lupin in armor. David THewlis was a fine choice to play Ares in his British Diplomat persona, but once he went full on God of War he looked and sounded kind of silly. The helmet with the glowing red eyes would have sufficed, and you can even keep the actor, just digitally manipulate the voice to make it sound more menacing.

 

[Dark Raven]

I would've had Diana discovering her powers some time before she saw Steve Trevor's plane crashing into the sea. There should've been a sequence similar to Superman the movie or Spider-Man where she's testing them out and we feel the thrill and exhilaration she experiences of finding out she's gifted. That would be the biggest change for me. I think that sequence would've added a lot and wouldn't just seem as if she takes it for granted that she has super strength etc. That dive off the cliff shouldn't have just been something she could do like that straight away. How did she know she could do that?

I would also have liked the contest. That was a classic part of the origin. It would've been cool to see that.

I think I would also have tightened it up in a few places to prevent it from dragging in parts of Act 2.

And the final battle would've been in a more interesting location and perhaps also in the daytime. I don't like these dark CGI sequences.

Those would be the 4 main changes to the movie. Anything else would be just small things here and there.

 

[Dark Raven]

maybe they didn't include the contest because they didn't want it to be an exact live-action of the animated film

i kinda like the way they did it; most of the Amazons had no interest in getting involved in worldly affairs, and i think it made Diana and Steve's conversation in the fountains more important. Especially when he spoke of his Grandfather and deciding to act, or not to

I don't think even with including the contest it would've felt like an exact live-action version of the animated movie. The live action film feels worlds apart in terms of tone and characterisation. Jenkins's movie is so much better and Gal's Diana is miles ahead of Keri Russell's version. And there is no comparison between Chris Pine and Nathan Fillion when it comes to Steve Trevor.

It would be the difference between Gal's Diana tasting ice cream for the first time and the version of that scene in Justice League War where it's played completely differently. It's essentially the same event but the two couldn't be further apart in every way.

 

[2kt09]

There is a character arc, from idealistic but naive Diana to one who recognizes that everything is not black and white that can be solved by one person. People have both good and bad instincts in them. Killing one person will not solve the problem. Which is shown in the scene where she spares the life of Dr. Poison. (Diana who lived on Themyscira wouldn't have done that.)

She has to trust goodness in other people while continuing her mission to help humanity in whatever way she can.

The problem not being solved was shown directly after killing Ludendorf.
When Ares reveals everything, the movie becomes even more cut-and-dry than it already was.
Poison could have been the one. There was an opening to show that there's more to her long before facing down a tank yielding a tank.

Another aspect I would have preferred is Diana doesn't put on the suit to show how she's been helping out.
She's fought for this brighter future through normal means.

 

[Bren]

I liked Thewlis up until he transformed. At that point he was a little off imo. Spoke/raged/ranted a bit much after the transformation too.

 

[markjoedelonge]

I would have made Batman fight Wonder Woman.

 

[Dark Raven]

I would have made Batman fight Wonder Woman.

You would've made a turd then.

 

[Osiris-Rex]

And the final battle would've been in a more interesting location and perhaps also in the daytime. I don't like these dark CGI sequences.
.

Fighting at night and then the sun rising after the fight was sort of a metaphor. The darkness Ares inspired in man was lifted and it was a new dawn for mankind, for a while anyway.
It was also why the Armistice celebration in London was colorful bright and sunny where London had been gray and gloomy during the war. Just like Themyscira was green and beautiful
and bright while London and Belgium were gray and ugly. It was really a brilliant use of lighting to set the moods. Fighting Ares during the day wouldn't have been as powerful.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Fighting at night and then the sun rising after the fight was sort of a metaphor. The darkness Ares inspired in man was lifted and it was a new dawn for mankind, for a while anyway.
It was also why the Armistice celebration in London was colorful bright and sunny where London had been gray and gloomy during the war. Just like Themyscira was green and beautiful
and bright while London and Belgium were gray and ugly. It was really a brilliant use of lighting to set the moods. Fighting Ares during the day wouldn't have been as powerful.

Nice. This was an interesting read. Transition from hopelessness to optimism through use of different time settings and color grading. Jenkins knew what she was doing.

Sunshine and happiness of Themiscyra:

The Murky and gray Wartime:

The Darkness:

The Dawn:

London Celebration:

 

[metaphysician]

It also nicely helped to keep the budget under control. Its no coincidence that the portion with the highest thematic darkness, is also the place with the biggest amount of CGI.

I do hope for a better lit final battle in the sequel, but I think doing things the way they did this time is a virtue that should be encouraged. Not every movie should have a budget of 200M+.