But long before the DC extended universe reached its current disjointed state Zack Snyder was creating an expansive, highly visual mythology. One of its most curious rumors was a seemingly “1850’s” rendition dubbed ‘Wonder Woman 1854′, which would have seen a Diana Prince as a soldier in the Crimean War. Then recently, Snyder brought up the old black-and-white photo and the conversation shifted from being a mere fond look back at the forgotten story to a larger one: what the DC film universe could have been.
The composition of the image is very subtle. The picture was shared on social media with the caption: “Shot this during the Wonder Woman Crimea shoot with my Leica Monochrom, an original story being portrayed through the lens, and these are her soldiers.” The image depicts a scene of men in varied battle attire, with some wearing helmets, shields, and armor, standing in a group and gazing at one another, possibly in a state of silence or contemplation, as if they are preparing for an action.The image appears to be a group of men standing together, each wearing a different type of battle gear, possibly helmets, shields, and armor, with some of them gazing at each other, possibly in a state of contemplation or silence, as if preparing for action. No color, no superstar pose, just a raw frame from a documentary-style photograph of war, as opposed to a comic book movie set. That’s what made it ring true.
The image symbolizes a part of a larger tapestry that has not been completely captured. Snyder had posted another photo of the same unactualized project on another account back in 2021. The previous photo showed Gal Gadot in the center of a desert with a group of warriors around her, one of them being a Native American, one a Japanese soldier, and the other a Sikh warrior with a turban. In fact, this seems to be not a random cast of extras at all, as the same Sikh warrior is also present in the image just posted. Snyder appeared to be developing a story of Diana forming a world-renowned, multicultural group of warriors before today’s Justice League was even in existence.
The ramifications were picked up instantly by fans. The following note to the post said, ““Imagine how much better the world would be if Warner had decided to make THIS movie instead of bringing down the DCEU with WW84.” This was echoed on several threads. A few others commented on why the scene was not included in the final cut: “Show warriors from different cultures in the film, I would have liked to see this story explored.” The road not taken seemed to be the source of frustration, not only for what was yet to come but also for what was not.
It’s interesting to watch this debate unfold, from a storytelling point of view, because of the timing. ‘Wonder Woman 1984′ was a very different film, steeped in ‘mall culture’, invisible jets and wish-fulfillment logic. It was witty, fun and polarizing. The snippets of ‘Wonder Woman 1854′ on the other hand, feel more gritty and historical, more rooted in the real-world of a conflict. This setting of the Crimean War would provide a unique backdrop for a superhero story, in which there are no cartoonish villains but a lot of ethical no-mans-land and murky waters to navigate. If he had included soldiers of other religions and other continents, it would have become an exploration of unity and survival, themes which are even more pertinent today.
Snyder’s take on this material was quite unique just in terms of the craft. He was shooting with a Leica Monochrom, which only takes black and white photos, indicating that he was not concerned with the typical superhero circus. In franchise filmmaking, the artistic impulse is usually put on the back burner when notes from the studios and release dates come into play. While he may or may not be a big fan of Snyder’s grand vision for DC, there’s no denying his unused footage often gets more conversation than a lot of finished films.
There’s a more subdued aspect to everything here, too. The whole thing with ‘Wonder Woman 1854′ is not so much about a single film. It’s about the general turmoil of the DC film universe on the heels of Snyder. These behind-the-scenes looks have made some fans believe that these plans were too quickly scrapped for a more coherent, more ambitious vision. Others say that a handful of good photographs isn’t a great movie, and that nostalgia is a form of glorification of that which was never. Both viewpoints are valid. What can’t be denied is that the talk is always around again, every year, with every new picture Snyder provides.
The advantages of a superhero origin movie set in a different era and featuring a myriad of different warrior characters, and a tone that might have set it apart from other origin stories, are all easily seen. The dangers are very real. The price for period pieces is high and the logistics are challenging. It takes a lot of writing to balance multiple cultures and multiple languages without getting confused or stuck into the stereotype trap. The darker, more serious look may have lost its way with some of its audience that had hoped for more in the vein of the first ‘Wonder Woman’ movie. It’s hard to make a statement and there are no simple solutions, just compromises.
