Thanks to the Patty Jenkins-directed blockbuster, everyone knows that Wonder Woman was born as Diana of Themyscira and lived and trained on the island before leaving her Amazonian sisters to help defend the world from the forces of evil. In the upcoming film Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, we learn about the man who created the iconic superhero, and how his feminist ideals, which were far ahead of their time, helped shape the most notable female superhero in the world.
During their visit to New York Comic Con, members of the cast Luke Evans and Rebecca Hall joined writer and director Angela Robinson to discuss the film, and the unconventional relationship Marston shared with the two women in his life, both of whom influenced him when creating the heroine.
"I do think that there's something incredibly radical about the storytelling in this movie, and it's certainly what drew me to it," said Hall. "I think to tell a story about an unconventional love relationship and not make it the central focus of the story or make it the problem of their relationship... it's not detached or alienated, it takes you along on the ride and says love these people and accept that they are in a real loving relationship."
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Robinson was excited to tell the story of a queer relationship ahead of its time, especially in 2017 when the vocabulary surrounding such a relationship has expanded and it's better understood. "The exploration of their sexuality in the film is more about being liberated of their true selves in this fantasy world that links to Wonder Woman as opposed to sex, necessarily," she said. "The history of shooting any sort of poly or kink relationship on film is pretty dismal. I made an across the board directorial decision that I didn't want to 'otherise' their experience - nothing like, 'oh, aren't they weird,' - I didn't want to treat that at all."
During the panel, Robinson singled out misogyny as the sole reason it took 75 years form Wonder Woman's inception for the hero to get her own standalone film. "How many times do I have to watch Batman's parents die in an alley," she asked, bringing up the endless reboots and reimaginings of male superheroes before Wonder Woman had a chance to stand out from the crowd. Watch the newest trailer for Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, out October 13, below.
