The Wonder Woman film has been languishing without a star for too long (Joss Whedon penned a script years ago but it was reportedly “thrown out” despite industry acclaim). Still in early development with a planned 2011 release date, one actress after another has been rumored to be attached to the film without any official confirmation. With the rest of the Justice League making (big and small) screen appearances in recent years, now would be the perfect time for the third corner of the DC Holy Trinity (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman) to make her appearance. So, why hasn’t she? According to a Justice League movie site and IMDb both the Justice League and Wonder Woman films are slated for a 2011 release, set to battle against Marvel‘s The Avengers for moviegoers’ attention. While The Avengers has been pushed back to 2012, it’s still very much a happening thing. So where is DC? Where is our JLA and our WW?
One rumored problem was the lead actress. Megan Fox broke fans’ hearts when, hot off her Transformers success, she dissed the Amazonian princess as a “lame superhero”. Then Jessica Biel (Blade: Trinity) carefully avoided stepping on toes by saying that if the script and the character development was right she’d be “into that kind of thing” but then declined anyway. Australian fashion model turned actress Megan Gale was also “confirmed” by several websites as attached to the role, but in the year and a half since that announcement nothing else has been whispered. So, what’s the problem?
Diana Prince has gone through a lot of changes over the decades. Having been almost continuously in print since her creation in 1941, she’s run the gambit of personas. She’s really toughened up over the last two decades, though, shedding the campy image that dominated the 70s and 80s, due largely to the JLA cartoons. She kicks butt with the best of them now, so whoever gets the role of the Amazon Princess needs to be able to lay down some serious justice.
In reviewing the female action heroes (and actresses who played them in recent years), one unbelievable waif of a girl after another is presented. Wonder Woman needs to be just that — a Woman. A real-life, honest-to-goodness adult woman who has curves and charm, not just some stick-like Hollywood hottie. While actresses such as Mila Jovovich and Jennifer Garner are very believable action heroes, neither would be a good match for Wonder Woman. Talented movie chameleon Charlize Theron might be able to pull it off because she seems to magically become whoever she wants to be, but would she be interested in a role that could lead to sequels?
There is one actress who comes to mind who has both the curves and kicks. In the syndicated action fantasy series Legend of the Seeker, star Bridget Regan has proven that she has the acting and karate chops, as well as the beauty, to pull off the role of Amazon Princess Diana.
Each week, in her role as Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell, we watch Bridget as she kicks, punches and stabs the bad guys, sometimes even from horseback. She’s believable doing it because she really is doing it. She reported in a recent interview that the New Zealand stuntmen encourage her to hit or kick them as hard as she can, and she certainly seems to enjoy herself doing it. She’s gorgeous, talented, looks great in a corset, and can pull off a roundhouse and look mean doing it. On top of her fighting skills and great looks, she’s got charm. One minute she’s casting a glare that could freeze you in your tracks and the next she’s flashing a smile that melts your heart. Fans are so certain that she’s a perfect fit for the role of Wonder Woman, they’ve started a petition at Petition Spot to try to help get her an invitation to audition for the role. The latest rumors are that producers are getting serious about it, and Wonder Woman is supposed to get fast-tracked. Perhaps casting Bridget Regan in the role will be a boon for the production considering how popular Legend of the Seeker is at the moment. I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather see in the role right now so I’m totally rooting for her. Go sign the petition and spread the word.
Good luck, Bridget!