One might have expected a movie featuring three of the biggest superheroes in the world uniting for the first time on the big screen to be a happy occasion, but Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice proved to be anything but that.
Joyless, bleak and devoid of color, much has been written about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's numerous problems, chiefly among them the film's depressing tone and unnecessary level of grit. Critics and fans alike slammed the film because of it, but if this new poster for the upcoming Wonder Woman film is any indication, perhaps Warner Bros. has finally figured out how to put the DC Cinematic Universe back on track.
The poster, revealed by Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot on Twitter, is everything Batman v Superman isn't. It's colorful. Vibrant. Even the tagline is perfect. "Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder."
Wisdom and wonder were two traits sorely missing in Zack Snyder's superhero film. Neither of the world's top heroes (namely, Batman and Superman) seemed particularly intelligent, finding themselves fighting for the flimsiest of reasons. Rather than inspire those around them, Batman and Superman mostly seemed to scare the crap out of people. Superman is regarded as a monster, while Batman literally brands criminals with a Bat symbol.
That doesn't look like it will be the case with Wonder Woman. The film will be an origin story for the character, showing how she left the home of her Amazon sisters and first ventured into the world of men to battle injustice. Wonder Woman proved to be one of the few high points of Batman v Superman, so there's a lot of hope riding on her upcoming solo film.
All that being said, the poster isn't necessarily an indication of what the final movie will look like. For example, Wonder Woman's costume in particular appears far brighter in the poster than it does in the various stills released for the film.
However, it's a definite step in the right direction. With any luck, next month's Suicide Squad and next summer's Wonder Woman will show that the DC Universe doesn't have to be all bleak and serious all the time. There can be colors other than rust brown and dark gray while still treating the characters and the world in which they live seriously. Superheroes can (gasp!) be heroic. It looks like Wonder Woman might just be the DC Comics hero to prove it.
