Connie Nielsen

With all eyes on the next entry in the DC Cinematic Universe, it’s hard to say what is under more pressure: Wonder Woman, the World War II-era superhero and savior of the modern world, or Wonder Woman, the first female-directed movie in the modern blockbuster era and a stab at social relevance for the beleaguered executives at Warner Bros. The first Wonder Woman trailer that debuted at Comic-Con hit all the right notes for an exciting and female-driven superhero movie; would additional trailers walk back that promise or deliver more of the same?

With Justice League looming ever closer by the day, the cast list has been gathering previously seen members of the DC cinematic universe back for another go at it. Not only will Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the rest appear in the movie, but they’ll also be joined by more secondary characters from other films in the series. Previously, Jesse Eisenberg confirmed that his Lex Luthor would be returning for the new film, and he’ll be joined by Connie Nielsen’s Hippolyta from next year’s Wonder Woman solo run.

Though critics so far have not been kind to Batman vs. Superman (currently at 32% on Rotten Tomatoes), one of the bright spots for the film has been the reception to Wonder Woman who, despite her minimal screen time, has earned highly positive reviews. Perhaps looking to capitalize on that word of mouth, Warner Bros. has wisely decided to reveal the first official photo from the upcoming Wonder Woman movie, including our first look at Hippolyta, Antiope and Menalippe.

Though Wonder Woman is currently filming in Italy, the upcoming DC Cinematic Universe (DCCU?) film still had one important part to fill. The role of Wonder Woman’s mother, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Some may have assumed that Robin Wright was playing that part, but it turns out she is not and Warner Bros. has just announced who is: Connie Nielsen. The Gladiator actress has joined the cast to film a small, but important part of the Wonder Woman movie. Nielsen joins Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis and Ewen Bremner in the superhero film. Director Patty Jenkins had originally approached Nicole Kidman for the Hippolyta role, but the actress had to back out because of scheduling issues.