After her successful co-directorial debut on Superman Doomsday, Lauren Montgomery takes full command of the helm for Wonder Woman, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 films. Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new film on March 3, 2009, distributed by Warner Home Video. The animated original movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, March 3, 2009.

Montgomery has directed an origin story for Wonder Woman that remains true to the title characters various incarnations while setting the tale in more modern times to allow greater accessibility for a wider audience. Working alongside producer Bruce Timm, Montgomery has brought to life Michael Jelenics entertaining script with an impressive balance of explosive action and well-timed humor. A talented artist with a lifetime of experience devoted to drawing and animation, Montgomery is proud to give Wonder Woman her first feature film treatment.

Montgomery, who is already involved in other super hero films, took a few minutes to discuss the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, her love of drawing, artistic influences on her style, lessons from Bruce Timm, and Cheetaras lonely place among female heroes.

Without further do, the Q&A with Wonder Woman director Lauren Montgomery

Question:
Youve gone from directing one-third of Superman Doomsday to helming the entirety of Wonder Woman. Whats that progression been like for you?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
Its mostly in scale of responsibility. On Doomsday, it was all about my one section of the film. Now, its everything from background design and color to character design and camera angles, helping select the voices for the cast and approving every storyboard for the entire film. So (she laughs) it was all a lot harder. Its been an incredible learning experience, it’s probably the most hands-on I’ve ever been on anything, and its really prepared me for more of those responsibilities in the future.

Question:
What were the driving factors behind the final design of Wonder Woman?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
We kept the designs simple enough for animation, but we wanted to give them a slightly more detailed, less cartoony look for the PG-13 content. Wonder Woman went through a lot of different versions. Gradually, and for the betterment of the film, we determined that she should look strong and athletic without being manly. Shes an Amazon, so I wanted her to be able to be taken seriously. We wanted her to look like she worked out, and not just make her a curvy, busty pinup. So I tried to give her slightly slimmer hips versus the hourglass figure, and I think it makes her more believable and engaging in a lot of action.

Question:
Did you utilize a different color palette from previous DC Universe films?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
We wanted the film to be vibrant, but we also needed our characters to fit into their settings. Our color stylist, Craig Cuqro, used colored filters to set the characters into their backgrounds, and our overseas studio Moi added a lot of diffusion, which gives the characters a really nice kind of glowing look especially during the scenes in Themyscira. The soft diffusion throughout the scenes in Themyscira makes everything seem much nicer, like a paradise. The style adds a lot of quality to the overall look of the film.

Question:
Are you a mythology aficionado?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
I always liked epic stories, and Greek mythology was a subject that kept my attention in school. The characters were larger than life they were gods and each had their own nuances and specialties. Being an artist, I could really visualize those characters and that made their stories that much more interesting. Wonder Woman is based in mythology, but it doesn’t follow it to a T by any means. I really just had to bone up on my Wonder Woman version of mythology, so I could make sure that we pleased the fans. We wanted to stay true to the legend but we did eliminate or underplay some of the sillier aspects of that mythology.

Question:
Like the fact that the Amazons have an invisible jet, but they with fight swords and dont appear to have indoor plumbing?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
There are a few things in the movie that we opted against really explaining because, honestly, the explanations were more convoluted than not explaining it at all. You dont need to break down the minor details. If we tell you exactly where the invisible jet came from, then thats time and energy that wouldve taken away from our core story.

Question:
How did Michael Jelenics script complement your approach to direction?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
Michael Jelenic has really strong, entertaining ideas in his scripts. Seeing his first drafts really inspired me because there was a lot of action that showed her true strength. He told a story that captivated me the entire way. Beyond the action, Michael is good at interjecting a lot of humor Steve Trevors sense of humor echoes Michaels in many ways. He also likes to write a lot of director-embellished action scenes, which didnt always make it easier on me. That’s the one thing Id like to punch him for. But otherwise, he did a great job.

Question:
Whats your depth of love for comics and/or super heroes?

I was always more a fan of animation than comics. I just didnt realize until I was a little older that you could actually make a living making cartoons. And once I discovered that career path, I knew exactly what I was going to do when I grew up.

My love of super heroes didn’t really start until Batman: The Animated Series that series just took everything to a higher level. It didn’t speak down to people, it made you think more, it had really serious stories, and it went about telling those stories in a way that didn’t put the violence right out there for you to see. It kind of undertoned it. It was more sophisticated storytelling and that drew me to the Superman and Justice League series, and then I ended up working on Justice League. So most of my experience with super heroes are through animation, not actually through the comic books themselves.

Question:
You said Batman: The Animated Series was your awakening to super heroes and a career in action animation, and now youre directing the next generation of that genre of entertainment. Whats it like to live your dreams?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
It was surreal at first, but now it’s just another day of work. I’ve kind of adapted to it. But every once in a while when I sit back and think about it, it’s like, Here I am doing what I’ve been waiting my whole life to do. And thats cool. Even on the days where it’s hectic and there’s intense schedules and the deadlines are looming, and I might be pulling my hair out, I know theres no other job that I would be happier doing.

Question:
Along those same lines, you now work side-by-side with Bruce Timm on DC Universe films. Whats it like to go from fan to colleague?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
Working with Bruce is extremely interesting, and not in a bad way (she laughs). This is going to greatly understate it, but he knows what he’s doing. Its always a really good learning experience just to sit back and watch him, to see how he works, because Bruce definitely has his own way of doing things. Pretty much all the calls he makes are the right calls its obvious in the body of work that he’s produced. When he makes a call, even if I don’t 100 percent agree with it, I usually just let it go because I know the film is going to be better for it.

A lot of filmmaking is finessing, and I’ve learned a lot of that art from Bruce. He knows the little tricks to make things a lot better. Certain things to avoid, simple camera moves, and ways to not draw attention to the camera. And hes an amazing editor he has a way of looking at a film and being able to identify the important parts and really hammer them home. I’m still kind of focused on the storyboards, planning everything out so it plays the way I want it. I don’t really think about cutting around or rearranging scenes because I already did that in the storyboards. But Bruce can look at that footage and know immediately how to rearrange the scenes to make things that much better and that much smoother. Thats what Im trying to learn from him now.

Question:
Has drawing always been a passion?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
In my younger years I drew a lot and I wasn’t quite as social. When I came home after school, I would finish my homework, and then sit in my room and draw. And that’s all I did, because I knew thats what I wanted to do. I would save my money and buy books like The Art Of Pocahontas and The Art Of Hunchback whatever Disney art book was out that year. I would take it home and look at it, and I would think, okay, now my drawings aren’t anywhere near as good as these drawings, so Id better get to work to make them as good. I figured the more I practiced, the sooner I would get that good, so I drew as much as I possibly could.

Question:
Who are your influences artistically today?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
I don’t have specific artists exactly, but I was definitely influenced by the Disney films. Those were the drawings I was tracing and sketching during my early years. I would study each and every one of the princesses and draw them until I had them all down by heart. My facial features are still influenced somewhat by Disney characters. As I got older, I was definitely influenced by Bruce’s style in Batman, and I started getting into anime, and some of the more subtle styles in anime drawing. The clothing is a little more detailed than the typical American animation its more believable, yet still simplified. Its the way they draw bodies and cloth that I kind of incorporate into my drawings, as well as certain aspects of how they would draw hair. So Id say I have a few different influences in my art style.

Question:
Youre one of the very few women directing action animation today. Does that factor have any resonance within your career?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
I never focus on the one of the only women aspect of my job I just always liked action and wanted to work in this genre. I never realized how few women there were in super hero animation. I just thought, I like to draw, surely all the other girls like to draw, too. I guess I just didn’t realize how different I was. So I dont think Ive got any special trick that makes me a successful woman in action animation. I worked hard and it has paid off.

Question:
Do you have a preference between male and female super heroes?

Lauren Montgomery answers:
I definitely prefer female leads because I feel they’re just easier to direct their acting. Theyre allowed to show a much wider range of emotions. A woman can be feminine and tomboyish, and she can hit all the same poses that a man can hit. But if you start putting a man in a feminine pose, especially a super hero man, it doesn’t fly. So when you’re dealing with the male super heroes, you have a much, much more restricted range of acting. Its not just a challenge, its more of a limitation in general. You can do more with a woman character and its still acceptable. So it’s a lot more enjoyable for me. Plus, on a personal level, I think its good to give girl fans more options. When I was a girl, I would watch Thundercats and all I really had to choose from was Cheetara (she laughs). I always wanted more female heroes to choose from and I never really got them. Hopefully well be able to explore more of them in these DVDs.

Please visit the films official website at www.wonderwomanmovie.com.

“Wonder Woman” (c) Warner Bros. Ent Inc. “Wonder Woman” and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

The direct-to-video Wonder Woman animated features hits DVD and Blu-ray on March 3rd, 2009.

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The Wonder Woman 2-Disc DVD release will feature premium packaging with a lenticular “O” sleeve and packaging artwork slated to include work by legendary comic book and animation artist Adam Hughes. The Blu-ray is also expected to feature a premium packaging similar to the 2-Disc DVD release of Wonder Woman. The single disc Wonder Woman DVD release will feature different package art. Please note the above details come from the studio, but have not been confirmed.

However, the World’s Finest can confirm the preview of the next “DC Universe Animated Original Movie” title, included on both the Wonder Woman DVD and Blu-ray releases, will be a first look at the upcoming Green Lantern direct-to-video animated feature.

Wonder Woman arrives on DVD and Blu-ray on March 3rd, 2009. To read the Wonder Woman press release, click here. Click here to view four new images from the upcoming direct-to-video animated feature, and click here to view the trailer.

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Click on the thumbnails below for a closer look.

The direct-to-video Wonder Woman animated features hits DVD and Blu-ray on March 3rd, 2009.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Click here to discuss the story!

Press Release:

Embark on a journey of untold beauty, grace and strength as Princess Diana uses her remarkable gifts and evolves into Wonder Woman, the worlds most renowned female super hero. Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new animated original movie Wonder Woman on March 3, 2009, distributed by Warner Home Video. Wonder Woman will be available as a Single Disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP), 2 Disc Special Edition DVD for $29.98 (SRP) and Blu-ray Disc for $34.99 (SRP). Order due date for all versions is January 20, 2009. The animated original movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, March 3, 2009.

Produced by the multiple Emmy Award winning animation legend Bruce Timm, Wonder Woman is an origin– story and features a stellar celebrity voice cast including Keri Russell (Waitress, Felicity), Nathan Fillion (Desperate Housewives), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Rosario Dawson (Sin City), Oliver Platt (The West Wing) and David McCallum (NCIS).

Wonder Woman begins on the mystical island of Themyscira, where a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons resides. They have raised Princess Diana, a daughter of stunning beauty, extraordinary strength and incredible fighting prowess. Diana possesses a host of super human powers granted to her by the gods and goddesses of Olympus and her strength and stamina are unparalleled. When Air Force fighter pilot Steve Trevor crash lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares (the God of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazons and has decided to exact his revenge by starting a world war that will destroy them all. It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world by using her gifts to become the ultimate Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman: 2 Disc Special Edition and Blu-Ray versions will feature collectible packaging as well as 185 minutes of incredible bonus features such as:

–Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream– She is one of the pillars of DC Comics. We examine why Wonder Woman is important in the grand scheme of the DC Super Heroes and how her raw strength and power helped define a new generation of empowered women, who realized that their gifts of intellect and strength were just as powerful as their male counterparts.
–Wonder Woman The Daughters of Myth The riveting documentary historically defines the meaning of the Amazons and how this links in with the evolution of the Wonder Woman character from comics to screen.
-Audio Commentary: featuring commentary by Gregory Noveck (Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs, DC Comics), Bruce Timm (Producer), Lauren Montgomery (Director) and Michael Jelenic (Screenplay).
– Bruce Timms Top Picks: Popular episodes from the Warner Bros. archive of Justice League/Justice League Unlimited animation featuring Wonder Woman; all personally selected by Bruce Timm, producer of this Wonder Woman feature film. All formats include To Another Shore and Hawk and Dove, exclusive additions for the Blu-Ray and 2-Disc formats: Paradise Lost, Parts 1 & 2.
-Digital Copy Download Warner Bros. is including a Digital Copy of Wonder Woman on the DVD which will provide fans a legitimate means to enjoy their favorite action hero anywhere they want on their portable video device. Formats supported include: iTunes, Windows Media Player. Restrictions apply. Consult product packaging for details.
-Sneak Peak: The next DCU Animated Original Movie.
–Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess This featurette includes both a thumbnail history of the character of Wonder Woman featuring interviews with DC Comics creators and artists (Paul Levitz, Dan DiDio), and behind the scenes footage of the upcoming made-for-DVD release punctuated with interviews from the production staff and voice talent behind the film (Keri Russell, Alfred Molina, etc.)
-Widescreen (1.78:1)

There is so much enthusiasm and passion from the fans for Wonder Woman, that it was an obvious next step in the DC character pantheon for Warner Premiere to bring to the screen, says Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere. Inre-telling this origin story and putting a new spin on it, we think that we have all of the action and emotion that existing fans crave, and the ability to bring in a whole new set of fans with great super hero storytelling.

Woman Wonder is one of most iconic figures in pop culture. This movie succeeds in reinforcing her image as a female role model while firmly planting her flag as an epic action adventure heroine, says Gregory Noveck, Senior VP Creative Affairs, DC Comics, I think audiences will love this modern take on a classic character.

“Wonder Woman is an exciting representation of the talent within Warner Bros. Animation, combining Lauren Montgomery’s dramatic, intense direction and Michael Jelenic’s action-packed, funny script to produce another impressive addition to this division’s growing slate of films,” explains Sam Register, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Animation.

Warner Home Video is thrilled to be releasing this fantastic animated feature film, said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. Wonder Woman has been an inspiration to women for generations and her physical and mental prowess is sure to impress an entirely new crop of fans in this action-packed original movie.

Marketing Support
Wonder Woman will be supported by a massive media campaign including primetime TV spots, national print and online coverage. Marketing support will also include strong promotion support, a dedicated website (www.wonderwomanmovie.com), as well as explosive online promotional stunts. Finally, cross-trailering on targeted DVD releases will generate millions of impressions.

DC UNIVERSE ORIGINAL MOVIES
DC Comics, Warner Premiere, Warner Home Video (WHV) and Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) began the production and distribution of DC Universe, a series of original, animated PG-13 movies in July 2006. This original made for DVD movie is part of the DC Universe series of animated PG-13 films written and directed by acclaimed comic book creators and animators and featuring recognizable talent. WHV will be the exclusive worldwide home entertainment distributor for all DC Universe movies, which will include a slate of 2-3 action-packed films per year. Superman Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier and Batman: Gotham Knight were the first DC Universe original animated movies. Other DC properties with films in development include Batman, Superman, Justice League, Green Lantern and Flash.

BASICS
Wonder Woman Single Disc
Street Date: March 3, 2009
Order Due Date: January, 20 2009
Languages: English and Spanish
Audio: Dolby Surround Stereo
Rating: PG-13
Runtimes: Estimated 75 min.
Price: $19.98 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 883929014453

Wonder Woman: 2-Disc Special Edition
Street Date: March 3, 2009
Order Due Date: January, 20 2009
Languages: English and Spanish
Audio: Dolby Surround Stereo
Rating: PG-13
Runtimes: Disc 1 75 mins.
Special Features 185 mins (Total runtime 260)
Price: $29.98 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 883929020027

Wonder Woman Blu Ray
Street Date: March 3, 2009
Order Due Date: January, 20 2009
Languages: English and Spanish
Audio: Dolby Surround Stereo
Rating: PG-13
Runtimes: Disc 1 75 mins.
Special Features 185 mins (Total runtime 260)
Price: $34.99 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 883929020775

About Warner Premiere:
Warner Premiere is Warner Bros. Entertainments new direct-to-consumer production company focused on the development, production and marketing of feature-length content, as well as short form digital content for the growing home entertainment market. Warner Premiere is committed to being at the creative forefront in the evolution of quality product in the direct-to-DVD business and the digital space, creating material that exemplifies the commitment to story, production and brand equity for which Warner Bros. is known.

About Warner Home Video:
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

About DC Comics:
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.

WONDER WOMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and DC Comics.

About Warner Bros. Animation:
Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, Sinkin’ in the Bathtub. Since then, Warner Bros. Animations characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home entertainment and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studios rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation also oversees the creative use of, and production of animated programming based on classic animated characters from the Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics libraries. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of six Academy Awards, 35 Emmy Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

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