10 Wonder Woman Tales Perfect for Inspiring Upcoming DCU Films

Wonder Woman is DC Comics' premier heroine and the most well-known female superhero of them all. She was previously played by Gal Gadot in the DC Extended Universe, with her last appearance in the role being 2023's The Flash . Now, the Amazing Amazon is set to be rebooted in the new DC Universe , and there are several potential inspirations for this upcoming movie.

James Gunn's announcement for the DCU Wonder Woman movie has been a pleasant surprise to many fans , but there's no real indication as to which direction the film will take with the character. Given how she was used in the DCEU, the new universe might go in the opposite direction. Even if that's not the case, there are several wonderful comic book runs and story arcs that will help create a wonderful new legacy on the big screen.

Blood and Guts Began the New 52 Wonder Woman Run

Wonder Woman Volume 4 #1-12 by Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins

The New 52 Wonder Woman run by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang was both notable and controversial , namely for how it changed the heroine's central mythology. The biggest example of this was how it revealed that, instead of being crafted from clay by her mother Hippolyta and empowered by the Greek gods, Diana of Themyscira was actually the daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus himself. This put her on a collision course with the other gods and demigods, namely, Zeus' jealous wife, Hera.

The one thing that might keep this from being adapted is the nature of the DCU reboot . The DCEU already used Diana's modern Zeus-based origins, and the new DC Universe might opt to go in a different direction. If that's the case, it's hard to see how Azzarello's run would work in adapted form.

Rise of the Olympian Was Gail Simone's Finest Hour On Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman Volume 3 #26-33 by Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti

Gail Simone had one of the best runs on Wonder Woman , and she brought back a reverence to the character that hadn't been seen in years due to editorial mistreatment. One of the best story arcs in her run was "Rise of the Olympian", which embraced the heroine's mythological nature. It also put the Amazons in the center of the story while featuring villains, new and old.

Adapting "Rise of the Olympian" would see the DCU Wonder Woman movie feature Ares , who was the villain of the first DCEU Wonder Woman movie. He could be kept in the background as a secondary antagonist, however, with the real threat being Genocide. Along with this monstrous warrior being a polar opposite of Diana, her interactions with the gods would make the movie a mostly supernatural fantasy story instead of a generic superhero movie.

The Hiketeia Remains a Hallmark Wonder Woman Story

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia by Greg Rucka and J.G. Jones

One year before he became the writer for her comic book, Greg Rucka first made his mark on Princess Diana with Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia . This one-shot graphic novel saw Wonder Woman as the ambassador of Themyscira, and she takes a young woman named Danielle under her wing by virtue of an ancient Greek ritual. Unfortunately, Danielle's history is incredibly murky, with this seeing Batman of all people tussling with the Amazing Amazon to bring about his own form of justice.

The Hiketeia might be a seminal Wonder Woman story, but it's not exactly cinematic in its length or scope. One way to change this would be to lengthen the story and show more from Danielle's point of view. Likewise, several fight scenes against villains such as Silver Swan, Giganta and perhaps even Doctor Psycho can be added for more action and a sort of "day in the life" approach. This would go a long way in making the story even better, especially for the big screen.

War of the Gods Capped Off the Best Wonder Woman Run Ever

Wonder Woman #51-57 by George Pérez, Russell Braun, Cynthia Martin, Romeo Tanghal, Pablo Marcos, Vince Giarrano, Scott Hanna, Russell Braun, Alan Kupperberg, Phil Jimenez, Gordon Purcell, Dick Giordano, Frank McLaughlin and Gene D'Angelo

"War of the Gods" was an epic DC Comics crossover centered around Wonder Woman , and it was one of several of the first major post- Crisis on Infinite Earths crossovers. Something of a muddled attempt at a conclusion that was hampered by editorial, it ushered in the end of George Pérez's iconic run on Wonder Woman . Due to the machinations of the evil witch Circe , several pantheons go to outright war with each other, with Wonder Woman and the Amazons caught in the middle.

Adapting "War of the Gods" might involve the scope being truncated a bit to focus mostly on Wonder Woman and not the DC Universe as a whole, but it could also be used to briefly showcase other DC heroes, such as the new DC Universe's Aquaman and Shazam/Captain Marvel. Likewise, it would also be a vehicle for the villainous Circe, who has already debuted in the new DCU through the animated series Creature Commandos .

Gods of Gotham Could Tie Wonder Woman to the Dark Knight

Wonder Woman Volume 2 #164-167 by Phil Jimenez

Phil Jimenez's run on Wonder Woman was a spiritual successor to the one by George Pérez , and in some ways is even a logical conclusion to it, even more so than "War of the Gods." One of the most stand-out stories was "Gods of Gotham", which involved the Greek gods Deimos, Phobos and Eris possessing members of Batman's rogues gallery (including the Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker). As a result, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, Donna Troy and Artemis teamed up with Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Huntress.

Adapting "Gods of Gotham" would be a good way to jump off the popularity of Batman, all while still putting her and her mythos in the center stage. It might work best as a sequel, however, especially if that's the direction for the DCU Batman (whose first film will be the movie The Brave and the Bold ). Likewise, it would establish The Joker in this universe without focusing on him too much, especially after the failure of 2024's Joker: Folie à Deux .

Eric Luke Had the Most Underrated Wonder Woman Run

Wonder Woman Volume 2 #139-159 by Eric Luke

One of the most overlooked Wonder Woman comic book runs was written by Eric Luke , who was mostly a television writer who had worked on cartoons such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . Luke's run emphasized Diana's mythological nature, but in a way that went beyond the Greco-Roman pantheon. As a result, even the Hindu gods got in on the action, with the god Rama even being portrayed as a potential love interest for Diana.

Erik Luke's run also introduced Devastation, who was the mythological Titans' equivalent to the gods' champion in Wonder Woman. Instead of a woman, however, Devastation was an errant child, creating a far different dichotomy. Adapting this run's main beats could see a true "war of the gods" while implementing a somewhat minor Wonder Woman foe.

The Challenge of Artemis Introduced a New Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman Volume 2 #94-100 by William Messner-Loebs and Mike Deodato

William Messner-Loebs' run on Wonder Woman both acted as a continuation of the Pérez era while going in a much different direction, and it even introduced a new champion of the Amazons. Due to an attempt to circumvent a misunderstood prophecy, Queen Hippolyta has Artemis (one of the violent Bana-Mighdall Amazons) replace Diana as Wonder Woman. Of course, this doesn't go as planned, especially given Artemis' mentality.

Adapting "The Challenge of Artemis" might be a storyline best told across multiple Wonder Woman movies , but it could work perfectly in a DC Universe built upon a pre-existing legacy. It would also allow underrated foes such as the White Magician and an even more powerful Cheetah. Most importantly, strong character work would perfectly contrast Diana and Artemis.

One Pérez Arc Is Perfect for a Movie

Wonder Woman Volume 2 #29-31 by George Pérez and Chris Marrinan

While it's not an exact story arc with a notable name, one sequence of issues dealt with the introduction of another tribe of Amazons. The Bana-Mighdall storyline saw Wonder Woman hunting for the truth of her aunt's descendants , with the rogue Amazons being true mercenaries. Making matters worse is The Cheetah, whose fiendish form of archaeology decimates the Bana-Mighdall's city.

This story would be perfect for the DCU Wonder Woman movie, as it would feature an adventure focus and scope that is beyond normal superhero stories. Likewise, it could expand the heroine's mythos in a way that feels natural while also featuring one of her most iconic villains. Conversely, it helps that Shim'Tar in this story arc is considered a modernized version of the old-school foe, Doctor Cyber, adding another enemy to the mix.

Paradise Island Lost Featured a War of the Amazons

Wonder Woman Volume 2 #168-169 by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez

"Paradise Island Lost" was Phil Jimenez's second Wonder Woman arc in his run , and it was even co-written by former series scribe George Pérez. Central to the story was a conflict between Wonder Woman and Queen Hippolyta, the latter of whom had actually joined the Justice Society of America. Also pitted against each other were the Amazons and the Bana-Mighdall, with a vengeful Amazon from the past orchestrating this.

Adapting this story arc would make the DCU Wonder Woman movie a perfect follow-up to the DCU TV show, Paradise Lost . Likewise, it would put the post- Crisis Amazon mythos firmly on display and perhaps use it to connect to other franchises, including the story of Aquaman. These societal and fantasy elements would make Wonder Woman stand out, separating her adventures from the DCU version of Superman and other heroes.

Down to Earth Began the Best Wonder Woman Arc Ever

Wonder Woman Volume #195-200 by Greg Rucka and Drew Johnson

Perhaps the most acclaimed Wonder Woman run of all time was the Greg Rucka run, and more than any other, it truly grounded her into a tangible role within the DC Universe while keeping her and her mythos larger than life. This run began with the "Down to Earth" story arc, which saw Diana embracing her role as the Themysciran ambassador. Unfortunately, the gods, old foes such as Silver Swan , and even new enemies such as Veronica Cale make her life increasingly difficult, especially in the media.

Adapting "Down to Earth" could result in Wonder Woman's equivalent to James Gunn's Superman movie , seeing the Amazing Amazon spread a message of peace and love to a world that's not always receptive. Likewise, it would feature the gods in the background (including the evil Ares), all while foes such as Veronica Cale, Doctor Psycho and Silver Swan are the real threats. The story would firmly establish the DCU Wonder Woman and her lack of a secret identity, all the while setting the stage for adapting other classic tales.