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188: Redoing My Life, WonderWoman 2014 pt.1
🕑 Added 2025-04-02 22:19:07 +0000 UTCBOX OFFICE: Iron Man 3 Tracking for $150M+ Opening as Wonder Woman Lags Behind
By Anthony D’Alessandro
Marvel Studios appears to have another massive hit on its hands. Early tracking numbers for Iron Man 3 show the film is on pace for a domestic opening north of $150 million, positioning it to dominate the May 2 weekend.
In contrast, Stardust and DC Studios’ Wonder Woman, set to release the same day, is projected to open to an underwhelming $40 million—raising eyebrows across the industry, given the high-profile nature of the project and the cultural significance the studio has been emphasizing.
Starring Alexandra Daddario and directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, Wonder Woman is the second installment in the DC Cinematic Universe, following the blockbuster and critical success of The Batman last year. While expectations were high for the so-called first female-led superhero film, analysts point to a crowded release window and aggressive competition from Marvel as key challenges.
With a slew of major releases in the coming weeks (Godzilla on May 9 and Maleficent on May 23), Wonder Woman has a narrow window to find its audience—and may need strong word of mouth to survive.
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TEST SCREENINGS HURT Wonder Woman Ahead of Release: Audiences Call Film “Confusing, Flat”
By Justin Kroll
Stardust may have a problem on its hands with Wonder Woman.
Sources close to the studio have revealed that early test screenings for the upcoming superhero film have returned disappointing results, with audience feedback labeling the film as “tonally inconsistent,” “visually cluttered,” and, most damningly, “lacking heart.”
Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard and starring Alexandra Daddario as Diana of Themyscira, the film is meant to serve as the second major installment in DC’s cinematic universe, bridging the gap between The Batman and the upcoming Superman. While Daddario has been praised for her physicality and commitment to the role, many test viewers felt the story lacked cohesion and emotional grounding. One source noted that “it felt like they were trying to do too much in one movie.”
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OPINION: Wonder Woman’s Release Strategy Was a Mistake — And DC May Pay the Price
By Dominic Patten
There’s no sugar-coating it: Wonder Woman may be in trouble—and it didn’t have to be.
With Iron Man 3 locking in a projected $150 million+ opening weekend, releasing Wonder Woman on the same date has already proven to be a costly gamble. Combine that with lukewarm test screening reactions, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that DC Studios should have shifted the release to a less competitive slot.
To make matters worse, the box office calendar isn’t giving Wonder Woman much breathing room. Godzilla arrives just one week later, and Disney’s Maleficent—already gaining traction with strong family demo interest—hits theaters two weeks after that.
It’s a classic case of too much, too soon. DC was likely hoping to ride the wave of The Batman’s success, but the aggressive timeline and miscalculated release date are creating headwinds the film may not be able to overcome.
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LEAKED Wonder Woman Plot Leaves Fans Disappointed: “Not Even a Superhero Movie”
By Marcus Lin
With just days to go before its theatrical release, DC Studios’ Wonder Woman is already facing online backlash—this time from an alleged leak of the film’s full plot posted on a popular fan forum.
According to a self-proclaimed early screening attendee, the film “misses the mark in almost every way,” calling it “a preachy girl-power movie that barely feels like a superhero film at all.”
The forum post—which has since been taken down—outlines what it claims is the major structure of the Bryce Dallas Howard-directed film, starring Alexandra Daddario as Diana of Themyscira. While the legitimacy of the leak is still being debated, the details seem to align with known information about the production.
“It’s basically Diana walking around telling everyone how the world needs compassion and empathy,” the post reads. “The action is minimal, the villain is underwhelming, and it doesn’t even respect the Wonder Woman comic lore. It’s more interested in being a feminist statement than telling a good story.”
“There’s barely any real conflict, no big villain fight, and the final act is just her giving a speech about love. It’s not exciting. It’s not fun. It’s just… boring.”
“It’s just a boring movie.”
The backlash has been swift among fans, with many expressing concerns about the direction DC is taking, especially after the overwhelming success of The Batman.
“I knew Batman was only good because of Christopher Nolan should have seen this coming.,” said one commentator.
“They may have changed their name but Nebula still going to Nebula” said one commentator referring to Nebula Studios, who owned the DC IP until it merged with Stardust four years ago.
While it’s worth noting that early reactions—especially online leaks—don’t always reflect the final product, the optics here are damaging, particularly with Iron Man 3 expected to dominate the box office the same weekend. Stardust has not officially responded to the alleged leak.
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“Damn… Disney is not pulling punches,” I muttered, eyes still glued to the screen of my laptop.
The others around me, seated around the long glass conference table, wore the same worried expression as I did. I had been reading through what felt like dozens of articles—every headline a variation of the same thing: Wonder Woman struggles, Iron Man 3 dominates, DC’s misstep. The Disney machine was in full swing. It was relentless.
I looked at Dave, who sat next to me at the head of the table, and then at Victor, who sat opposite me to Dave’s right.
“They’re playing dirty. I heard from Regal—Disney’s pushing for 70 percent of showtimes and all the premium screens.”
“They can’t do that,” one of the executives said, stunned.
Victor didn’t even look surprised. “Of course they can. And they do. It’s not new, Marcus. You know that. Hell, we’ve done it ourselves—when we could.”
The room went still.
I looked around at the faces—executives, marketing strategists, analytics guys—and asked, “Well, ladies and gents… how are we going to deal with this?”
A young woman from the marketing team cleared her throat. “Our current campaign is doing well,” she said, flipping her iPad around to show engagement metrics. “Especially with women, teens, and young adults. There’s a lot of interest in Wonder Woman.”
“But Iron Man 3 is a juggernaut. Downey pulls everybody. The hardcore fanbase will see both, but the casual crowd? They’re leaning toward Iron Man. Downey is just too popular.”
I nodded. They were right—this was peak RDJ popularity. If I remember correctly, Iron Man 3 had one of the biggest openings ever. The movie, in my opinion, had always felt a bit disappointing whenever I watched it. It was good, but something felt off. Still, I was sure that Wonder Woman would be able to pull in at least $800 million, even with competition. But there were those in the studio getting cold feet, especially given how Disney was acting.
“…especially after the Super Bowl ad, we found a big increase in interest for the movie,” a man from the marketing team continued.
I tapped the table lightly, interrupting him. “What are the new projections?”
The head of the marketing team exhaled, then said, “Sixty. Maybe sixty-five million opening. Best case.”
One of the execs across the table—Hiddle, old-school, all numbers—immediately cut in. “That’s too low. Batman pulled double—no, triple—that. We need at least near those numbers.”
I turned toward him. “Circumstances have changed, Mr. Hiddle.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “No, this didn’t have to be this way. We shouldn’t have spent so much on this movie—especially with a female lead and an actress who’s unknown…”
“I’m sorry, but audiences—global audiences—won’t like a movie like this. It’s been the case for a long time.”
The room shifted. A few heads turned. A few bristled. Some looked quietly unsure.
“Superman, I believe, will be as big as Batman,” Hiddle continued. “I believe we should spend less on marketing this movie, which is already heading for disaster, and focus on Superman.”
Some executives nodded along. They were really flaking at the first sign of trouble—fickle, very fickle.
“You’re wrong,” I said, getting everyone’s attention. “We have a great movie on our hands. Will this film make as much as Batman? No. I’m not pretending otherwise. We’re up against some heavy hitters, but you’re acting like we aren’t one ourselves.”
Silence.
“Wonder Woman is testing well with women, families, younger audiences.”
Hiddle crossed his arms. “According to one of our projections, it might only make $300 million.”
“That’s the worst of the worst case. Why are you bringing that up?” I interrupted him.
Hiddle continued, “We should cut our losses early. Slash marketing, reduce international spend, and focus on the fall slate. It’s simple math.”
I locked eyes with Victor and Dave, who both looked very annoyed.
“Look,” I said, my voice cutting through the hum of tension in the room, “Wonder Woman, despite what these Disney-planted articles say, has had spectacular test audience screenings.”
I stood, scanning the room—executives, marketers, distribution leads, analysts—all of them watching me.
“You know this,” I continued, locking eyes with each person who had just moments ago been teetering toward doubt. “We should be standing tall, projecting confidence—not cracking under pressure that doesn’t even exist yet.”
There was a pause. A stillness.
I pressed on. “If anything, we should double down. Push the marketing harder. Spend more money. Keep our campaign smart, targeted—and louder than theirs.”
Murmurs began to ripple across the table. I had their attention now.
“I get it. The hype around Iron Man 3 is massive. The machine is in full motion. I’ve got friends on the other side,” I said, watching the flicker of curiosity light in Dave’s eyes, “and some of them are telling me… off the record… that the movie might disappoint some people.”
That got the room.
Dave leaned forward. “That’s new,” he said, surprised, eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re sure?”
“All I’m saying,” I replied, measured, “is that we are heavily underestimating ourselves.”
Dave nodded slowly. Then he turned to face the room.
“Daniel’s right,” he said firmly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hiddle, but I believe we should increase our marketing efforts—spend more money, not reduce it. It’s crazy talk otherwise.”
Hiddle frowned, lips pressed tight, but he didn’t speak.
“Like Daniel said, we can’t break under pressure,” Dave added.
I glanced around. “If the reviews are strong—and I think they will be—and word of mouth spreads, we’re going to exceed expectations. All of this panic? It’s just noise. Let’s not get caught up in it.”
There was a quiet murmur, a low tide of agreement beginning to roll through the room. Nods. Quiet notes being jotted down.
It took another hour of heated discussion, marketing plan adjustments, scheduling debates, and cautious optimism—but eventually, the meeting wrapped. Everyone filtered out, back into their corners of the studio to recalibrate.
That left just Dave, Victor, and me.
I ran a hand over my hair. “Fickle, most of them.”
“A lot of money’s involved, Daniel,” said Victor.
“I will deal with the theater situation. Disney is not getting away with what they’re doing,” I said.
“Good. You do that,” said Dave.
“We need to hit back,” I said.
“Have any ideas?” Dave asked.
“I have a few.”
.
.
.
One month later
Today was the day: the official release of Wonder Woman.
I sat on the couch, laptop balanced on my knees, watching one of the latest press-tour interviews making the rounds online. Alexandra Daddario was seated across from a cheerful morning show host.
“It’s meant the world to me,” she was saying, “to bring Wonder Woman to life. I think a lot of little kids—girls and boys—are going to be inspired by this movie.”
Beside her sat Bryce Dallas Howard, smiling warmly as the interviewer turned her way.
“And Bryce,” the host said, “this is your first time directing a feature this big. I’m sure your father is proud. How did it happen?”
Bryce laughed lightly. “Honestly? I just told Daniel I wanted to do it.”
The interviewer blinked. “That was it?”
She nodded. “That was it. I had met him when my dad was directing 12 Angry Men, and originally Patty Jenkins was supposed to direct, but she couldn’t due to some conflicts. I saw an opportunity and made my pitch, which was basically me telling him I wanted to do it. He accepted on the fly.”
The host chuckled. “I heard he’s in the movie too.”
Bryce played it cool. “Oh, I can’t say anything about that.”
I had to shoot another cameo in the movie since the old one got cut. I felt this new one was better than the Leviathan guard I played the first time.
I smiled faintly and closed the laptop.
The premiere last week had been great. The reviews had started coming out this morning, and they were good—really good.
Sure, the hype around Iron Man 3 was still overwhelming—Downey was at his peak—but I knew that hype would burn white-hot and fast. And Wonder Woman could take advantage of that. We’d just have to wait and see.
“Move, Lydia!” came a loud voice from across the room.
I looked up. Matt was hunched at his desk, playing Skyrim.
I blinked. I was here to discuss the next issue of Invincible. Instead, I was watching him try to shout Lydia off a cliff.
“Matt,” I called, a little annoyed.
He didn’t look up. “Let me finish this fight.”
I stood and walked over. “You’ve played this like a thousand times.”
“Yeah, but I’ve got new mods,” he replied without missing a beat. “New weapons, new armor sets…”
I leaned on the edge of the desk, watching him for a second.
“You know,” he said, eyes still locked on the screen, “with Fallout coming next year, that probably means Elder Scrolls VI won’t drop for like… two, three years minimum. What do you think, Danny?”
I said nothing.
Poor Matt—I pitied him at this moment. So much hope. All for a game that wouldn’t come out even after a decade. It still hadn’t released in 2023 when I got thrown back in time.
“Danny?” Matt called again.
I blinked and shook my head. “What?”
He looked over, confused. “You okay?”
“Yeah, buddy,” I said, pushing off the desk and tapping his shoulder. “Three or four years. I’m sure… I’m sure.”
.
.
189 in a few hours need to redo some parts.
Comments
TyrantGod
So did Cam wake up and say hello to Beyoncé?
Illusiveone
Yeah i kinda rushed to wonderwoman.
Jarod Lane
I feel like the pacing is going much faster suddenly, it feels a bit too fast
