Actor Chris Pine has confirmed what we have previously believed: Wonder Woman will be set during World War I, at least in part. This isn’t surprising news, as previously released set photos and videos only aided the brewing rumor. Now Pine, who plays Steve Trevor in the film, has settled the speculation, and revealed more about his character.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun (via THR) for his upcoming role in Disney's seafaring action film The Finest Hours, Pine offered some insight into the prequel, of sorts, to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where Wonder Woman will first be introduced. According to Pine:

"It’s a period we don’t see often; it’s usually World War II. Our costume design is incredible. We have scenes with, like, 500 extras all in period dress. I’d never been on a film with extras casting as beautifully done as it is here."

That’s a lot of extras. The previous looks provided into filming had the setting in London, with soldiers and anti-war protesters among other regular citizens. So that 500 may be made up just of them. But perhaps they aren’t just contained to the United Kingdom.


Image via Warner Bros.[/caption]

In terms of how Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, can appear during World War I and then reappear in the modern Batman v Superman, THR offered two possible scenarios based on the comic books: 1) Wonder Woman time travels to the past in order to offer her services in the fight, or 2) As the descendant of a mythical god, perhaps she simply is able to live far longer and age much more slowly.

Beyond the setting, Pine offered some insight into his character Steve Trevor, who he describes as “worldly” and “charming”:

"Steve Trevor is a roguish, cynical realist who’s seen the awful brutish nature of modern civilization."

Sounds charming indeed. Joking aside, perhaps Pine’s character is a man who has fought in the war, which would help explain how he is "worldly" and why he is a "cynical realist" with insight into the "brutish nature of modern civilization." World War I is seen as the first modern war, with the first use of machine guns, tanks, aerial bombardment, and chemical warfare. That’s enough to make anyone cynical.

Pine also delves into the film’s thematic elements, saying:

“There are some incredibly deep, interesting and morally relevant themes. Patty [Jenkins] is just directing the daylights out of it. It’s shot beautifully, feels so wonderfully period, but also has this wonderful pop sensibility."


Image via Warner Bros.[/caption]

"Pop sensibility" is an interesting inclusion. Of course, one notable aspect of the film is that unlike all the other comic book movies coming out, this one is specifically focused on a female protagonist. That coupled with the fact that the film is taking place during a time when women were denied basic rights and equality (including the right to vote), could make for interesting commentary. And as there still is discussion around such equality, perhaps the film will highlight how far society has come while recognizing the need to continue the work.

Wonder Woman is scheduled to open June 23, 2017. For more on the film, check out some of our recent coverage at the following links: