** Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment requests we note that it provided a free copy of both of the titles featured below. The opinions I share are my own.**
Available now are two films from DC/Warner Brothers celebrating mega girl power:
Out just in time to wet fans’ appetites for the live-action Wonder Woman film hitting theaters this Friday (Thursday in select cities), the feature-length animated film Wonder Woman is available in a commemorative edition DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. The film tells the story of Diana, an Amazonian princess who leaves the sanctuary of the idyllic man-free island Themyscira to chase after Ares, the God of War, bent on creating world chaos and eventual extinction. With the help of U.S. fighter pilot Steve Trevor, Diana must navigate the modern world in an attempt to save her own from destruction. The awards-laden cast includes Golden Globe winner Keri Russell (The Americans, Waitress, Felicity) as Diana/Wonder Woman, People’s Choice winner Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly) as Steve Trevor, Tony Award nominee Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Chocolat) as Ares, Rosario Dawson (Daredevil, Sin City) as Artemis, Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Candyman) as Hippolyta, David McCallum (NCIS, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) as Zeus, Emmy winner Marg Helgenberger (CSI, China Beach) as Hera, Oliver Platt (X-Men: First Class, Chicago Med) as Hades, and Vicki Lewis (NewsRadio, Godzilla) as Persephone.
Released direct to DVD in 2009 (the fourth in the line of DC Universe Animated Original Movies released by Warner Premiere and Warner Brothers Animation), the film was hailed by fans and critics alike. The original Blu-ray release included a few extras which have been mostly repeated on the commemorative edition with a couple of changes: the 2009 release included commentary from producers Bruce Timm and Gregory Noveck, screenwriter Michael Jelenice, and director Lauren Montgomery along with the featurettes “Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream” and “Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth”; these three extras appear on the new release along with a new featurette “What Makes a Wonder Woman” (a discussion from fans and creators on the 75-year history and development of the Wonder Woman character into a cultural icon) and a sneak peek at the next DV Universe Original Movie, Batman and Harley Quinn, set to debut this August.
The DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack are currently available on Amazon for $19.98 and $24.98, respectively. It’s not available on Netflix or Amazon Prime, but you can get it digitally on Amazon for rent ($3.99) or purchase ($17.99) or purchase on iTunes for $9.99.
For a dose of girl power aimed at tweens, you can check out the recently created DC Super Hero Girls franchise, where we see younger versions of favorite DC heroes navigating the ups and downs of attending Super Hero High School while also dealing with the challenges of adolescence. Even though it started in 2015 as a merchandising partnership with Mattel, Warner Brothers/DC says that DC Super Hero Girls “encourages young girls,ages 6-12, to explore their own powers and strengths through original content, including all-new films, webisodes and TV specials. The franchise offers young fans inspiration and encourages teamwork, friendship and empowerment.” In the second film of the direct-to-video series, DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games, Batgirl (voiced by Mae Whitman), Bumblebee (voiced by Teala Dunn), Harley Quinn (voiced by Tara Strong), Katana (voiced by Stephanie Sheh), Poison Ivy (voiced by Tara Strong), Supergirl (voiced by Anais Fairweather), and Wonder “Wondy” Woman (voiced by Grey Griffin) are set to go up against their rivals from Korugar Academy in the Intergalactic Games, but run into problems when Lena Luthor (voiced by Romi Dames) uses the Games as an opportunity to move forward with a dastardly plan to steal the team’s battlebots for her own nefarious intentions. Using their unique gifts, the Supers must work together to fight Luthor and protect their school.
The film is now out on DVD and also includes seven short cartoons (“New Beginnings,” “Hero of the Month: Supergirl,” “Batgirl vs. Supergirl,” “Quinn-tessential Harley,” “Double Trouble,” “Franken-Ivy,” and “Dude, Where’s My Jet?”) along with a music video of “That’s My Girl” by girl group Fifth Harmony. The DVD is currently available on Amazon for $12.96 or you have the option to rent ($4.99) or buy ($14.99) digitally.
