Wonder Woman (film)

***Wonder Woman*** is a 2008 superhero film, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is the third installment in the DC Shared Film Universe and the third installment of Phase One.

It was directed by Patty Jenkins and stars Morena Baccarin, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Kim Basinger, Katy Mixon, Toby Kebbell, Kevin Hart, Michael Shannon, Samuel L. Jackson, and Tom Cruise. The film spawned two sequels: *Wonder Woman: Cold War* in 2012 and *Wonder Woman: New Gods* in 2015. The film was released on May 23, 2008 to gross $786.6 million on a $185 million budget. The film ran 119 minutes. The film also received generally positive reviews.

## Synopsis

Diana is the Princess of the Amazons on the island of Themyscira. Her mother, Hippolyta, rules the all-women race as the Queen of Themyscira. Diana was made from magical clay that her mother brought to life. However, American fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, crash lands on Themyscira, revealing to them World War II is going on beyond their hidden shores. Diana goes with Steve back to America to help them win the war and stop Ares, the God of War, posing as a German general.

## Plot

5,000 years ago, Hippolyta escapes Mount Olympus and returns to Themyscira. After meeting with her generals, she gives birth to a baby girl. She reveals to her five highest generals that the baby is Zeus's. However, the baby cannot know her true father, so Hippolyta comes up with the lie that she was given magical clay by Zeus and created a girl out of it and named her Diana. The rest of the island will also be told that. Hippolyta meets with Zeus and reveals the lie to him, telling her he cannot see his daughter due to the war between the Gods and the Amazons. However, Zeus wants to keep his daughter safe, so he shields Themyscira from the rest of the world, hiding it so no man can step foot on it's borders. Hippolyta says goodbye and Zeus creates the shield. In 1944, Diana is 5,000 years old, though she looks only 30 due to her slowed aging. Diana believes the lie and has become an excellent fighter. However, one day a fighter jet flies past the shield and crash lands on the beach.

Diana saves the pilot from drowning and discovers he is Steve Trevor, an American soldier flying a fighter jet across the ocean. Steve reveals to Hippolyta, Diana, and the others about the World War going on and Hippolyta decides to send Steve home on an Amazonian boat, with one of them accompanying him. Diana begs to go with Steve, wanting to see the world. Hippolyta reluctantly allows her to go, and she gets her mother's shield, Zeus's sword, and a Lasso that can force people to tell the truth. Diana also has indestructible bracelets, super-strength, super-speed, can heal faster than ordinary, and she can fly. Diana takes her armor and then leaves with Steve. Over the night on the boat, Diana reveals the Amazonian history with Steve. Zeus saw the ways that mankind was destroying itself with war and famine and created the Amazons, an all-female race of warriors that could protect men. However, after the Gods began warring with themselves, Zeus was forced to protect his race of warriors by shutting them out from the world, protecting them from the Gods, but forcing them to stay hidden from men, and were soon forgotten by mankind. They arrive in America, where Steve takes Diana to Washington D.C.

The two arrive at the A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, a government-run secret agency that is helping fight in the war. Steve was the leader of a unit of agents in the war, with Jacob Langston, Owen Gunn, John Michaels, and Michael Waller. Etta Candy guides them from the base. Steve introduces Diana to the team, including General Colin Sera, who Diana is suspicious of. Sera sends the team back out with Diana to help. However, once they land in Normandy to invade, Diana realizes Sera is actually Ares, the God of War. Steve tries to tell her she is wrong, but Diana tells him that in the stories, Ares always planned to attack the humans, which is why Zeus was so cautious about shutting off the Amazons. Steve and Diana lead the team into Normandy and attack. Steve gets Diana to believe that Ares is a German general. During battle, Diana realizes she is the only woman on the battlefield. Steve reveals that women don't usually participate in the war. Diana uses this to her advantage, tricking a German general into believing she is an injured woman that he helps. However, once inside his tent, she knocks him unconscious. The invasion of Normandy is successfull and Steve and the team return home.

Diana lives with Steve, much to chagrin of his wife, and grows increasingly suspicious of Sera. Steve eventually realizes Sera is Ares backwards and confronts him with Diana. Sera blows the base in an explosion and Steve, the team, Etta, and several other A.R.G.U.S. agents move to New York City to start a new A.R.G.U.S. HQ. The team returns overseas to Leyte in the Philippines to invade against Japan. Diana and Steve have sex, making the latter feel guilty due to being married. However, Sera returns, still posing as an American general and leads the Americans into battle. Diana confronts him alone and the two fight. Ares reveals the two are half-siblings, both fathered by Zeus. Diana refuses to believe her mother had lied to her for 5,000 years. However, Ares finally gets her to believe it and gets into his warsuit. Diana discovers the true purpose of her sword, to kill a God. Diana and Ares fight and she stabs him, killing him. However, the Japanese attack the Americans' beachfront and, though most are shot down, they still kill several soldiers, including Steve. Diana returns just in time to say goodbye to Steve and she returns to America afterward.

11 months later on September 2, 1945, the war is officially ended, the Allies winning. Diana is gald to see her side won and has gotten her own job and house. The team returns home and become permanent A.R.G.U.S. agents. Diana meets with Steve's wife and son and gives them enough money to survive for a while, having gotten the money from Themyscira's vault of gold. Diana stays in New York City and decides to continue to use her armor and powers to save regular people in America, being called Wonder Woman. In a mid-credits scene, in 2008, Bruce Wayne finds Diana and tells her he knows about her past and her powers. Diana pretends to have no idea what he is talking about and leaves.

## Cast

* Morena Baccarin as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
* Freddie Prinze, Jr. as Steve Trevor
* Kim Basinger as Hippolyta
* Katy Mixon as Etta Candy
* Toby Kebbell as Jacob Langston
* Kevin Hart as Owen Gunn
* Michael Shannon as John Michaels
* Samuel L. Jackson as Michael Waller
* Tom Cruise as Colin Sera/Ares

## Appearances

### Locations

* Mount Olympus
* Themyscira
	+ War Room
	+ Beach
	+ Tower of the Gods
* Washington D.C., United States of America
	+ A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters
	+ Steve Trevor's House
* New York City, United States of America
	+ A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters
	+ Diana Prince's Apartment
* Normandy, France
* Leyte, Philippines

### Events

* World War II
	+ Normandy landings
	+ Invasion of Normandy
	+ Battle of Leyte

### Organizations

* A.R.G.U.S.
* Allies of World War II
* Axis powers