Wonder Woman has been a part of the movie and TV scene for decades. Which of her adventures shine the brightest and which ones missed the mark?
Wonder Woman has been a staple of comic books for over seven decades. Introduced into DC Comics in 1941, quickly became a regular part of the DC landscape and she is now one of the most recognizable superheroes of all time.
Known for her signature red, white, and gold uniform, Wonder Woman is an Amazon from Paradise Island, a.k.a. Themyscira. Diana, daughter of Queen Hippolyta, takes it upon herself to fight for peace, democracy, truth, and justice. And speaking of justice, she is also a founding member of the Justice League.
Diana Prince has also been a regular of the small screen for decades, but she has headlined her fair share of movies (both on the big screen and on television) as well. Her future in the DC Universe is uncertain right now, with James Gunn and Peter Safran’s takeover of DC Studios throwing the already established DCEU into question.
As we wait and see whether Wonder Woman 3 will happen, let’s take a look back at Diana’s live-action films and rank them. Which classics hold up really well, and which new ones were dead-on-arrival? Here’s Wonder Woman’s movies ranked from worst to best.
7. Justice League
Of course Justice League was going to come last in our list of Wonder Woman movies. The theatrical cut, overseen by Joss Whedon, is easily the most disappointing comic book movie ever made. And this isn’t a case of “we’re not mad, we’re just disappointed”, because we are mad. Very mad.
The 2017 disaster attempted to bring the DCEU’s heroes together in the same way that The Avengers did for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but what should have been the end of an exciting first chapter for the DCEU was the nail in the coffin for any hope of success the universe had.
The out-of-place and outdated humor doesn’t work well in the previously established grim world that Zack Snyder created, and the movie fails to spotlight Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman in any kind of meaningful way.
Justice League is a failure on many levels. It’s box office disappointment was just a reflection of that. But it goes much deeper than that, as it highlighted how disillusioned fans had become with the relatively-new DCEU and the reactions to the movie was just one disappointment too far. But again, even then, it was just a bad movie.
Thank goodness Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally showed us how this story should come together.
6. Wonder Woman (1974)
Before ABC successfully launched the Lynda Carter-led Wonder Woman TV series in 1975, they produced a TV movie centred around a more “modern” version of the character. Airing in 1974, the TV movie starred Cathy Lee Crosby in the title role and was intended to serve as the pilot for a TV series but its ratings, while respectable, weren’t the monster numbers the network was hoping for. As a result, it was redeveloped into the more comic-accurate Lynda Carter series the very next year.
Looking back at the movie, there are some indicators as to why it didn’t really work. This version of Wonder Woman was based on the 1970s comics, where the character renounced her super-powers and became a James Bond-like superspy. While the pilot episode didn’t feature that exact backstory, all we knew was that Wonder Woman didn’t have super-powers. There were no references to her being a super-powered hero at any point in time. And she didn’t wear her signature uniform either, opting for a more covered-up look that maintained her signature color scheme of red, white, and blue.
Cathy Lee Crosby is convincing in the role, but the material doesn’t do her justice. It’s not a bad movie, it just isn’t Wonder Woman.
5. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Even now, close to a decade later, it still bewilders me that I’m putting a movie named Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on a list of Wonder Woman movies, but that’s superhero shared universes for you.
Gal Gadot makes her official debut as the Amazonian Warrior in the clash of DC’s Titans and the irony is that she’s actually the best part of the movie. While Batman v Superman features plenty of stunning visuals, jaw-dropping sequences, and all-around beautiful direction, its story is where it struggles, because it just feels like its forcing the epic clash when a conversation could literally have solved all of Batsy and Supes’ issues with each other (if one word could end the fight, imagine what multiple could have done!).
But we’re not here to talk about them, we’re to appreciate the epic arrival of Diana in the DCEU. Sure, she’s mostly underutilized in the first half of the movie, coming off as mysterious and suspicious through her interactions with Bruce Wayne, but it makes the finale worthwhile – because when Wonder Woman shows up to help Batman and Superman fight Doomsday, you sit up and pay attention.
She arrives with purpose, and in doing so, gives Batman v Superman much more purpose than it had beforehand.
4. Zack Snyder’s Justice League
After years of campaigning, Zack Snyder fans finally got their wish when Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released on HBO Max in 2021. The long-awaited “Snyder Cut” restored Snyder’s vision for the DCEU’s long-teased team-up, giving audiences the version of Justice League they were initially supposed to see in 2017. And even though its four-hour runtime received criticism, its widely regarded as a superior movie to its theatrical cut.
But Zack Snyder’s Justice League isn’t just a superior film, it’s a superior Wonder Woman film, showcasing the powerful warrior that the Amazonian princess is. Through her multiple altercations with Steppenwolf, she’s portrayed as the formidable and godly presence the previous movies established her as. The near-unstoppable villain takes her seriously, craving battle with a worthy adversary, just as she takes him seriously as well.
Wonder Woman feels like one of the main players in a movie that she always should have been, and she’s not even the hero who benefits from the director’s cut of the movie the most. That just highlights the many issues with the theatrical version.
It’s not the DCEU’s strongest example of Wonder Woman, but it’s one of its best. This is the Justice League we should have seen in the movie theaters.
3. Wonder Woman 1984
Wonder Woman 1984 is widely regarded as inferior to its predecessor and I’m not here to change your mind on that. It is inferior to its predecessor in so many ways, but even so, it’s still an entertaining Wonder Woman adventure that offered up some much-needed light-heartedness to an otherwise grim DCEU.
Set decades after the first movie, it takes its cues from the second and third seasons of the 1970s TV series (skipping past the wartime setting to tell a less-timeless story, adhering to the tropes of its time period) it’s definitely more colorful and gimmicky than Wonder Woman. It’s not a bad thing as it tries something different and sets the stage for Diana to take on her biggest archenemy in live-action for the very first time.
That villain is the Cheetah, who comes about after Barbara Minerva wishes to be something more. And that essentially drives the movie, as the characters understand the good and the bad of their wishes in a movie that is surprisingly poignant in its storytelling.
There are issues, and the plot does occasionally stall, but its an entertaining ride that feels like a Wonder Woman comic book come to life, and it features a stellar supporting cast in Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, and Pedro Pascal.
2. The New, Original Wonder Woman
Technically “The New, Original Wonder Woman” is the pilot episode of the hugely successful 1970s Wonder Woman TV series, but as it aired as a super-sized special so far ahead of the actual first season, it is considered a TV movie. And we’re very happy about that, as it means we get to gush about how great it is.
After the previous attempt at a Wonder Woman series didn’t land how they wanted it to, ABC and Warner Bros. decided to redevelop a more comic-accurate take on the character. With that came the Lynda Carter, which has gone down in history as one of the most pivotal shows in comic book TV history.
It all started with the bumper-length pilot episode, which saw Diana Prince leave her home of Paradise Island to take the wounded soldier Steve Trevor back to the US. While there, she becomes the hero Wonder Woman, and helps Steve and the US War Department defeat the Nazis, starting with Steve’s own girlfriend Marcia.
With the exception of the Invisible Plane, the pilot episode still holds up incredibly well to this day, highlighting just how timeless Wonder Woman is. It’s endearing seeing Diana learn so much about humanity throughout as she becomes their champion and you can see how it influenced the 2017 movie. And, most of all, Lynda Carter is nothing short of radiant in the role, showcasing why she’ll always be our new, original Wonder Woman.
A legendary start to a legendary TV series.
1. Wonder Woman (2017)
Hopes were high for 2017’s Wonder Woman. It was the cinematic solo adventure debut for the iconic Amazon warrior and Gal Gadot’s portrayal of her proved to be a bright light in a very grim Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. That light shone brighter than ever when the movie arrived in theaters.
Set during the first World War, it sees Diana become a beacon of hope during a hopeless time for humanity. A warrior from Themyscira determined to help the world find peace, she accompanies Steve Trevor across the battlefield in the hopes of ending the war. For her, that means battling the Ares, the God of War. Though Steve doesn’t fully believe Ares is responsible, what follows is a poignant tale about the complexity of humanity that both characters learn a great deal from.
Wonder Woman isn’t just the DCEU’s best movie, it’s one of the greatest comic book movies ever made. It’s compelling and beautiful, uplifting but tragic, and a rare example of a modern movie with a timeless feel. Just like the stunning “No Man’s Land” scene, it is, without question, a masterpiece.
Which Wonder Woman movies are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!