If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the man behind Wonder Woman, you’re in luck: his story is going to be told in an upcoming movie currently titled Professor Marston & The Wonder Women.
Actor Luke Evans, who you might be familiar from films like The Hobbit trilogy and the much-anticipated Beauty and the Beast live-action adaptation, is going to be playing William Moulton Marston, who is best known for creating the iconic Amazonian superhero in 1941. In addition to his work in comics, Marston was also recognized for his efforts in psychology and his invention of the lie detector.
Much of Marston’s inspiration for the character of Wonder Woman came from the two prominent women in his life: his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and his partner Olive Byrne–although uncredited, both Elizabeth and Olive also contributed significantly to Wonder Woman’s origins. Olive is often cited as being the woman who Marston based the physical look of Wonder Woman on–though Marston himself claimed that only Olive’s bracelets, which she wore frequently, served as the basis for Wonder Woman’s indestructible versions. Elizabeth, meanwhile, has been credited by several sources with the idea to make Wonder Woman a female superhero to begin with.
Actress Rebecca Hall has been cast in the role of Marston’s wife Elizabeth, while actress Bella Heathcote will be playing Marston’s partner Olive. The three lived together for many years in a long-term relationship. While Elizabeth was more of a career woman, Olive was the homemaker–each of the women had two children with Marston, and Olive’s kids were eventually legally adopted by the Marstons.
Professor Marston & The Wonder Woman will be written and directed by Angela Robinson, who also directed and wrote the film D.E.B.S. and worked as a writer on HBO’s True Blood. While principal photography began last month, no official release date has been set–so in the meantime, if you’re looking for a primer on Marston, you should check out The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore, which delves into his life and the women who inspired him and contributed to the creation of one of the most iconic superheroes of comic book history.
(via Variety)
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