Like any major blockbuster, “Wonder Woman” has landed a series of cross-promotion deals to build buzz ahead of its June 2 release date. But one deal has a faction of fans of the DC heroine irritated.
That deal is a tie-in with diet protein bar company thinkThin, which is offering a discount toward a ticket for the film. It’s a marketing move that feminists pointed out was something that would have been unheard of for male heroes like Batman and Superman. Indeed, the tie-ins for those two heroes’ big clash in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” included more male-oriented brands like Jeep and Doritos.
“This cross-promotion is full of the mixed messages of unrealistic standards women have forced upon them their whole lives,” wrote Vivian Kane of The Mary Sue. “We’re supposed to be as strong as Wonder Woman but also expected to ‘think thin,’ to keep our bodies small and unimposing, preferably to the point of having no body at all.”
It’s not the first time body image issues have crossed paths with this incarnation of the Amazonian superheroine, also known as Diana Prince. When actress Gal Gadot was cast in the role in 2013 for “Batman v Superman,” some criticized her for being too thin or not muscular enough to play the woman warrior character. Some critics even said that the Wonder Woman in the comics had larger breasts. Gadot shut down the criticism repeatedly, saying that she would “represent the Wonder Woman of the new world.”
“Breasts… anyone can buy for 9,000 shekels and everything is fine,” the actress said in an interview on the Israeli TV show “Good Evening with Gai Pines.” “By the way, Wonder Woman is Amazonian, and historically accurate Amazonian women actually had only one breast. So, if I’d really go ‘by the book,’ it’d be problematic.”
Warner Bros. declined to comment.