For some people, superhero movies are just like any other movie; you watch them to be entertained for a few hours, and then you go on with your day. But for others, superhero movies are incredibly meaningful, particularly with younger fans. Case in point, this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, a girl dressed as Wonder Woman went to get an autograph from Gal Gadot at the Justice League signing, and it resulted in an incredibly touching moment between the child and the actress currently portraying Diana of Themyscira.
It's hard to hear what was said between Gal Gadot and the girl due to the multitude of voices in that packed room, but just looking at the way Gal was closely listening to the little Wonder Woman cosplayer and the way she held her hands shows that they were sharing a moment. Their conversation, captured by Variety, soon drew the attention of Gadot's fellow Justice League stars, including Ben Affleck, who commented "Sweet kid." By the time Gadot pulled out her pen to scrawl her autograph, Ezra Miller complimented the young girl on her warrior look and told her to join the Justice League when she's older.
Superhero movies can be incredibly inspiring for younger fans, and often times the actors playing these heroes subsequently are given the responsibility of being role models, both in and out of costume. There's no question that Wonder Woman exemplified that this summer. Not only has it been incredibly critically and commercially successful (it ranks at 92% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed nearly $780 million worldwide), but in a genre where female-led movies are rare, Diana of Themyscira has become a shining protagonist for a new generation to appreciate, especially girls.
In the same way that Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman was a pop culture icon in the 1970s and beyond, now Gal Gadot's iteration of the Amazon princess is one of the leading superheroines in the golden age of superhero movies, and we can see just how impactful the movie has been. Even if that little girl in the video wasn't able to watch Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman in theaters, the fact that there's another live action superheroine she can look up to is important, especially when the DCEU only has one of those right now (although that will soon change with Batgirl, Mera in Aquaman, etc). Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson summarized it best.
Wonder Woman is still playing in theaters, and Diana of Themyscira will return in Justice League on November 17. Wonder Woman 2 is also in development, but there's no word yet on when that will be released.
