NBC Orders Wonder Woman Pilot

  • 80 Comments
 
NBC Orders <i>Wonder Woman</i> Pilot  

Just two weeks ago it looked like Warner Bros. Television’s planned Wonder Woman revival had stalled after David E. Kelley’s script failed to find a home at a network. But tonight Deadline reports the surprise news that NBC has picked up the pilot.

Announced in October, the modern-day reboot would return the DC Comics character to live-action TV for the first time since 1979, when she was famously portrayed by Lynda Carter.

Following some unease in December, when Kelley — the award-winning creator of such TV series as Ally McBeal, The Practice and Picket Fences — revealed he hadn’t “necessarily committed” to the superhero project, the pilot script was shopped around early this month. According to Deadline, NBC passed at the time because it was awaiting the arrival of new president of programming Bob Greenblatt, and “couldn’t commit to the type of license fee that the studio was seeking in order to do the show Kelley had envisioned.” With Greenblatt now at the helm, and Kelley’s new comedy-drama Harry’s Law debuting strong, the network snapped up the pilot. (Apparently Kelley knew what he was talking about last week when he said he was “optimistic” the project would make it to TV by next year.)

However, Wonder Woman fans still may have cause for concern. If Deadline’s information is correct, Kelley’s take on the nearly 70-year-old superheroine will differ dramatically from her portrayals in the comic books or the ’70s TV series: Here she’ll be Diana Prince, a vigilante crimefighter and successful corporate executive in Los Angeles who tries to “balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life.”

  • kalorama

    Does the word “Smallville” ring any bells?

  • Osmium

    Conservative, eh? Thanks to your comrades, moderate is the new liberal, liberal the new socialist, socialist the new terrorist.

    By your teabagger movement’s own warped reality, “conservative” is the new Ku Klultz Klan.

  • Anonymous

    It really is amazing that they just can’t give her a freaking movie. Batman’s on his third film this generation with Superman on his second. Green Lantern has a movie this year and Flash is in the works and they really can’t make a freaking movie?

    Checkmate should be on TV. Wonder Woman deserves the same treatment that every other major member of the Justice League is getting.

  • Philip A Moore

    Am I the only on willing to give David E Kelly the chance to do some thing great sure his take may be slightly different the the comic but so was the incredibal Hulk and thats a classic the orgenal wonder woman didn’t follow the comic either going from the forties to the seventies in such away as to be jaring one season Natzi’s are invading paridise Island next she is working on domestic cases with the I.A.D.C . I think this could be very good if given the cahnce

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NAUPBTFMRHQECAR3EFYN5C5UD4 Mr. Wonderful

    The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, this new re-boot promises to be even more New-e-er than the New Adventures of Wonder Woman in 1975!

  • Anonymous

    If she doesn’t have the iconic star-spangled look, invisible jet, and magical transformation, I’m thinking folks are less likely to recognize the character and will likely quickly turn their backs from the show.They also need to cast someone rather sensational in looks and personality, like Megan Gale as well as to cast Lynda Carter as the Queen.

  • Zor-El of Argo

    Nothing saying she isn’t still from Paradise Island. If they change Diana Prince’s life to better suit mainstream audiences, thay’s fine with me. As long as she’s still from Themiscira(don’t care why she leaves the island) and fights crime in an outfit recognizeable as a Wonder Woman costume. She doesn’t have to be as strong as Superman, the original WW wasn’t any stronger than Spider-man.
    And get Kelly Monaco(Dancing With The Stars, General Hospital) to play her. I look forward to seeing what David Kelley does with her.

  • http://twitter.com/MichaelSacal Michael Sacal

    Dude, Batman Inc is a rehash of the Batmen of Many Nations, another way to pander to the 60s.

    The whole thing is ill-conceived. Bruce outing himself as Batman? That’s bs.

  • samuel

    The “successful corporate exec” is okay like the Amazon’s are attempting to seed their way into “man’s world” instead of ripping of Batman or even Superman why not embrance Wonder Woman’s world with the greek gods and useage of other patheons.

    Make like a mash-up of Xena: the warrior princess and ally Mcbeal embrace the supernatural instead making her a rip off of Superman and Batman look at wonder woman the animated movie it kicked all types of ass and properly embraces the character

  • filmfan2000

    This “vigilante and corporate executive synopsis” sounds bad compared to the cotemporary version of the character that we are familiar with, but lets face it comics Wonder Woman is kind of fake. Comic’s creators took Wonder Woman in a direction that may make her difficult to swallow in the real world. There no benefits or medical plan associated with being a full-time diplomat and super hero. If you think most people will tune in each week to see her spend her allowance from Paradise Island I think you have more faith than I do about the viewing public. Let’s not forget she’s supposed to be a real life person who happens to be a super heroine. It sounds like Kelley is trying to make her into someone who male and female audiences can relate to.

    We should be glad to receive a newly relevant and revitalized Diana Prince, and let’s see how long it takes before DC comics follow the show’s lead if the show is successful. This character goes through a major make over every three or so years and she might be overdue for a reboot right now.

    Fortunately the Comics version is ahead of this reboot because it has by proposed a plausible uniform this time.

  • Mou101

    It never ceases to amaze me how so many comic book fans piss and moan about other-media adaptations of comic book characters after they read the first eight- or ten-sentence paragraph announcing them. Maybe, just maybe, David E. Kelley’s “Wonder Woman” will be good. We won’t know ’til the first episode airs.

    That said, where are all these complainers when the comic book series needs readers?

  • nailsin

    Because they’ve been burned so many times.
    And I do read Wonder Woman.

  • Mou101

    Everyone who likes anything has been burned so many times—comic book fans are no different from fans of any other genre. They’re just louder and poorer dressers, it seems.

    I’ve been reading Wonder Woman since 1971, and I’m hoping for the best here. If it goes south, it goes south and I’ll move on.

  • http://twitter.com/earth1941 Flying Tiger

    You’re making several errors of logic. I despise wonder woman and hope to see the character disappear completely. I also despise the “genius” work of the tv producer named. It’s pathetic trash all round and a marriage truly made in hell.

    Warner comics will be a mercy killing when they finally go the way of the king syndicate characters.

  • lead sharp

    Warner Brothers today official declared!

    “We don’t know where the door handle to the bathroom is and our shoes are too big!”

  • Kelly

    Sure you will.
    In case you haven’t noticed Wonder Woman doesn’t belong to you.
    And until you see what David brings to the screen, why don’t you reign in your imagination?
    Heaven forbid Wonder Woman has a day job like the rest of us. It’s the end of the world.
    Perhaps you prefer she sling chimichangas at the local Taco Whiz?

  • Kelly

    There’s nothing “gritty” about being a vigilante. EVERYONE who operates outside recognized law enforcement is a vigilante. If you’re not deputized, you’re a vigilante. It’s as true for Superman and Wonder Woman as it is for Batman and Batwoman.

  • Kelly

    The original WW was 100x stronger than Spider-man.

  • kalorama

    And aside from having a female lead, what does “Bionic Woman” have to do with Wonder Woman?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SGH5H62GK25F35HMFBY5XOQUZY notcrnl

    This is actually unfortunate. I admit I might be bitter and have little trust after: The Bionic Woman, Heros, Stargate Universe, Caprica… NBC Universal Comcast is not exactly big for Sci-Fi [or] Superhero franchises. The problem might be this is a potential vehicle for WWE Divas to get extra camera time. I do not make that threat lightly, When things go bad in the expected ratings with Comcast they go REALLY bad. Think about how they killed two great niche channels: TechTV and G4TV.

  • Alonzo

    0.

    You want me to reign in my imagination about a comic book character…seriously?

    BTW: At one point Diana did work at a hamburger joint. As long as she still has her Greek based myth history and powers I could care less about her having a daytime job.

  • Alonzo

    Duh that’s what I said!

  • Monkeypants2230

    Well she’s fricking Batwoman now isn’t she?

    Are you people ashamed about WW? The day you stop feeling ashamed of you heroes and embrace why they were created, and why they have longevity and not water them down, then you might start seeing respect for them. Look at what they did to Catwoman on the big scree, It’s just taking the property’s name and saying it is her when it clearly is not.

  • thesnappysneezer

    G4 is gone? Never cared for it as I loved TechTV which was superior and more popular and I could not understand why G4 came out dominant in the merger. I would miss XPlay a bit but oh well haven’t watched it in ages.

    HOpefully the corporate thing is the only real change in her secret identity.If the classic costume and something of her origins are intact I will be happy. It would be nice if the golden age origin is intact but she stayed in man’s world, built a corporate empire, is posing as her grand daughter and all of a sudden the need to return to the Wonder Woman persona is called upon her.Otherwise, if e are at a point fter her entrance into man’s world, perhaps her corporation is a way to provide for Paradise Island’s needs after some catastrophe that affects their environment or maybe they set up the corporation as a means to provide a cover for Wonder Woman. there are many options, this is not hopeless yet.

  • Yanks5179

    Bruce DIDN’T out himself as Batman. He outed himself as having been financing Batman but has never said he was Batman. If you’re going to hate on a story, at least know the facts of it first…

  • Sijo

    Hey, REBOOT was an awesome show!! ;)

    Kidding aside, while I dislike what I’m hearing about the premise, a new WW TV show might still give her much-needed exposure, not to mention that it could slowly be retooled into a more proper version. Getting a foot in is always the hardest part.

  • http://twitter.com/MichaelSacal Michael Sacal

    If I cared one bit about anything Morrison does, I might, but since there’s no point in reading his work since it’ll be erased as soon as he leaves, I don’t bother with it.

  • Mr B

    having heard the pitch, it’s actually a lot better than they describe it in this article.

  • Tlrenfro

    When is it suppose to premier?

  • Analizramos

    I think for this rol would it been perfect to use Percy Jackson & Olympians actress Alexandra Daddario….. She looks like her!!!!