Amidst the slew of the first DCU projects revealed by James Gunn, one of the best signs for the rebooted franchise is the upcoming HBO Max seriesParadise Lost, promised by Gunn to be like HBO’s hallmark fantasy epicGame of Thrones, where we will see the origins and history of Wonder Woman’s homeland, Themyscira, without Wonder Woman herself.
The prequel series will not feature actress Gal Gadot as the legendary Amazonian wonder, or the character Diana Prince at all. It will instead follow the generations of women in the mythical archipelago of Themyscira and the origins, drama, and politics of a women-only society.Paradise Lostis simply perfect for the new DCU, as we see that Gunn will be leading us intoa new type of superhero universe, exploring the unknown, breaking the mold, and, most importantly, having a plan with this perfect addition to the DCU.
Starting the Exploration of the DC Universe
One of the greatest faults of the old DCU was moving too fast, trying to set up its most famous heroes before properly setting up the universe. By doing away with Diana Prince,Paradise Lostcan really delve deep into the story of Themyscira and take its time setting up Wonder Woman for the DCU, instead of repeating the mistake of trying to push out all major characters as fast as possible.
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We haven’t seen much of Themyscira and the ancient civilization composed entirely of women in the secret Paradise Islands from Patty Jenkins’Wonder Womanfilms, which means that we have much to explore even without Diana Prince. Being titledParadise Lost, we can assume that we will delve deep into DC lore, and we’ll become enthralled by this mythical land, and when we do care about Themyscira, we’ll lose it. This kind of focus and commitment to what is really just the background of Wonder Woman sets a good precedent. The new DCU will take its time anddevelop a great superhero universethat feels real.
Confidently Breaks the Mold
Of all the DCU projects that Gunn has lined up,Paradise Lostis the most unexpected and the most unconventional. To have a superhero series without the herois the biggest riskthat a superhero show has taken since Marvel’s genre-bendingWandaVision. This allows the series to go wherever it wants as it does not have to center solely on a titular character, breaking free of all restrictions and expectations, and if good writers and actors are included, sets up the perfect ground for a wonderful show, that will create itself for itself, and not just as a cog in Gunn’s new machine.
Related:DCU’s Paradise Lost: Characters We Want to See In the Series
The show’s basic storyline itself is breaking as well; tasked with developing a realistic mythical society composed exclusively of women is more than theWonder Womanfilms or comics ever did.Paradise Lostbreaks the mold of standard television and has the opportunity to become something extraordinary.
Proves that Gunn Has a Plan for DC
Gunn revealed the full slate of the DCU Chapter 1 — Gods and Monsters, andParadise Lostfits very neatly into this title. The Amazon women were granted immortalityby the ancient Greek gods, so this is a world full of mythological wonders; Wonder Woman is called the Godkiller after killing Ares, the God of War. So this series likely will set up much of the DCU’s opening chapter.
Another flaw of the old DC U was not having a clear plan, never having an overarching arc or connective tissue and never thinking ahead to the next movie release.Paradise Lostis the third attempt to get a Wonder Woman prequel off the ground, and Gunn must understand after the critical and commercial disappointment ofWonder Woman 1984andJenkins' walkout fromWonder Woman 3, careful planning must be taken even for the smaller projects in the DCU. Gunn can easily gear this show to the overarching apparent theme of Chapter 1, and use it to set up a firm foundation for the new universe going forward.
It’s not clear whether Jenkins or Gadot will be returning to help out withParadise Lost,or any details about the upcoming series, but it’s clear that Gunn is utilizing this one perfect series addition to set up his new DCU.
