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Wonder Woman’s heart is key to film’s success
The Amazon princess finally comes to the big screen
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman with Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman in ‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ The film opens March 25. (Photo courtesy Warner Bros.)
Wonder Woman has finally made it to the big screen.
The Amazon princess, who debuted in comic book form in 1941, makes her silver screen debut in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the estimated $250-million spectacle from director Zack Snyder with Henry Cavill reprising his role as Superman, Ben Affleck debuting as Batman and Gal Gadot (“The Fast and the Furious”) as Wonder Woman.
The movie, which opens March 25 on an estimated 30,000 screens in 61 markets around the globe, is part of the D.C. Extended Universe series that launched with “Man of Steel,” a 2013 Superman reboot. “Suicide Squad,” featuring the D.C. Comics anti-hero team, is slated for an August release. Wonder Woman will finally get her own film with an eponymous release slated for June 2017 in which Gadot will star.
For many Generation X gays, the 1975-1979 TV show “Wonder Woman” starring Lynda Carter, who has enjoyed decades of adoration because of the role, is beyond iconic. She performs her concert “Long-Legged Woman” at the Kennedy Center at 7 p.m. on April 2.
Carter does not have cameos in either “Dawn of Justice” or next year’s film and has focused on her singing in recent years. A resident of D.C. suburb Potomac, Md., she has appeared at LGBT events such as AIDS Walk Washington in 2010 and the Capital Pride parade in 2013, where she was grand marshal. She performs annually at the Kennedy Center and has earned acclaim for songs she recorded for the video game “Fallout 4.”
Lynda Carter was grand marshal in the Capital Pride parade in 2013. She says she understands filmmakers wanting their own platform for the new films. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
But for many, she’ll always be known as Wonder Woman. Her performance was so indelible that merchandise featuring her likeness continues to be churned out with items such as the “Wonder Woman ’77” comic series, a Hallmark ornament of her as the character and more.
She told superfan Mike Pingel, author of “The Q Guide to Wonder Woman” (2008) and “Channel Surfing: Wonder Woman” (2012), in a Frontiers interview published last week that she’s honored by the attention.
“It’s a thrill to have my Wonder Woman image resurrected after all these years,” she said. “In life, you carry around these memories. Then you meet people who share their memories and you end up experiencing it all over again through their eyes. It’s great to have a big resurgence of relevance, not just being in the past but something happening right now.”
So if the character is so perennially popular, why did it take so long to bring her to the silver screen when male superhero films have been made about even lesser-known characters like “Iron Man” (2008), “Jonah Hex” (2010), “Thor: the Dark World” (2013) and more? The Wonder Woman movie has languished in development limbo since the mid-‘90s. A 2011 pilot for a possible NBC series was not picked up. The CW abandoned another TV project in 2014.
Lynda Carter with author Mike Pingel. (Photo courtesy Pingel)
“Honestly I think it could be that they just didn’t know what to do with her,” says Pingel, who’s gay and is now working on books about “The Bionic Woman” and “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”
“Hollywood is so male-dominated, sometimes I think men don’t know what to do with her. They have a woman director, though, now [Patty Jenkins] and hopefully she’ll be able to bring the heart and soul back to Wonder Woman that they had on the TV show. The show they tried in 2011 was just horrific. They didn’t understand the essence of who she was, her quality in helping the underdogs. … She was so mad and so angry and they couldn’t find the heart of the character. It wasn’t the actress’s fault. Even though she’s changed a lot in the comics, too, she’s always standing up for the rights of people who can’t do it for themselves. … That’s really the basis of why she does it — the heart, not the glory.”
Washington resident Walter Forbes says the ‘70s show and Carter are special to him because he watched the show growing up with his mother, who died of cancer in 1999. He first met Carter 10 years to the day after his mother died.
“I always saw her as kind of a mother, nurturing-type figure,” Forbes, 37, says of Carter. “When I met her, she was all that and more. Just like I’d hoped she would be.”
Forbes, who’s gay and says his boyfriend does not mind his Wonder Woman obsession, thinks finding the right level of toughness versus vulnerability was a lot of the delay.
Walter Forbes with his Wonder Woman collection. He owns replicas of Wonder Woman’s bracelets and tiara and has several photos and items signed by Lynda Carter. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
“When people hear the word Amazon, most people think of Xena or almost like a Red Sonja-type of character. She’s a woman but they want her to be almost like a man. Lynda didn’t look like a man, she wasn’t built like a man, but at the same time she wasn’t too prissy or sexy or anything like that. I think a lot of the directors have wanted to take that role and turn her into something she wasn’t and they got hints from the fans that they weren’t going with that.”
He agrees with Pingel that the failed TV pilot was a good indication of how bad a bad Wonder Woman could be.
“It sucked,” he says. “They had her going around choking people, it was so violent, everybody knew her identity. I’m like, ‘OK, what is this show about? You’ve just stripped everything away.’ Even in the comic books, she was a loving person. She didn’t parade around like some barbarian. … That just wasn’t the essence of who Wonder Woman was.”
Carter said in a 2010 Blade interview that although she loved doing the role and has enjoyed the fans over the years, she’s moved on.
“I really love her and I really think she’s great and I particularly love the idea of her,” Carter said. “There’s so many things I like about it, but I’m busy living my life now, so I don’t think about it a lot. It’s a little like something really outstanding in your life that everybody talks about and that is wonderful and you loved doing it … but you’re busy doing other things so you really only think about it when somebody else brings it up.”
Despite fan speculation, Carter told Pingel a cameo didn’t happen because of scheduling conflicts.
“I had some nice conversations with Patty Jenkins, and we couldn’t get my schedule and their schedule to meet up. It didn’t work out, but I wish them well. Understandably they want a platform that is uniquely their own. I believe it’s an homage to the original in regards to the heart of the character. That is what matters.”
Wonder Woman memorabilia (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Forbes says it would have been an insult if Carter had been offered just a brief appearance.
“I don’t want to see her in just some walk-by role,” Forbes says. “Like Lynda Carter just happens to be in Starbucks or something. I think that’s kinda tacky. Like when Lou Ferrigno was in one of the Hulk movies and he was a security guard or something. I was like, ‘Are you serious? He brought this character to life and now he’s at the front desk?’ … If all they gave her was a walk-by role, it wouldn’t be worth her time. It would be an insult.”
Forbes says even if Wonder Woman only has a small role in “Dawn of Justice” — as of press time, the extent of her part is largely unknown — and her own film bombs, it will not diminish what Carter accomplished.
“I’ll definitely see it and support it and I’m open to giving Gal Gadot a chance to feel the role,” he says. “I’m just glad to see this character back. … The fans need to give it a chance, too. Already, online people are saying, ‘Oh, they changed the uniform, it’s too dark, it looks like Xena,’ and so on. I mean, come on, give it a chance. The uniform changed in the comic books, why wouldn’t they change it for the movie? … I’m excited about this new franchise.”
A 2015 Wonder Woman Christmas tree ornament in Lynda Carter’s likeness could be found at Hallmark. (Washington Blade photo by Joey DiGuglielmo)
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D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale
Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions
A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.
The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.
He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”
“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.
“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”
It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”
“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.
Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.
News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets
In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.
The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.
The sales brochure can be accessed here.
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Alexander Skarsgård describes ‘Pillion’ in 3 words: lube, sweat, leather
Highly anticipated film a refreshingly loving look at Dom-sub life
Whether you’ve seen him in popular HBO series like “True Blood,” “Succession,” or “Big Little Lies,” the dynamic Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård has that smoldering gaze that immediately draws viewers in.
Following in the footsteps of his father Stellan, (who just won the Golden Globe for “Sentimental Value”) the Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG winner Skarsgård continues to be an actor who is fearless in the roles he takes on.
That courageousness is evident in Skarsgård’s latest film, the BDSM black comedy “Pillion,”which he also executive produces. He plays Ray, the handsome, hyper-dominant leader of a gay bike gang. The film was written and directed by Harry Lighton, and is based on the 2020 novel “Box Hill,” by Adam Mars-Jones.
“This was a small film by a first time filmmaker and it wasn’t financed when I read it,” Skarsgård told journalists at a recent awards news conference. “And I felt that, if I could help in any small way of getting it financed, I wanted to, because I thought it was such an incredible screenplay and I believe in Harry Lighton so much as a filmmaker. And it felt tonally unlike anything I’d ever read. It was such an exciting, surprising read.”
Skarsgård was blown away by the quality of the unconventional script. “When I heard BDSM relationship, biker culture, I expected something very different. I didn’t expect it to have so much sweetness and tenderness and awkwardness.”
For the sex scenes and nudity with co-star, Harry Melling — who excels in his portrayal as Ray’s submissive Colin — Skarsgård talked very early on with Lighton about how he wanted to shoot those scenes, and why they were in the film.
“I often find sex scenes quite boring in movies because a lot of the tension is in the drama leading up to two people hooking up, or several people hooking up, as in our movie. But what I really enjoyed about these scenes — they are all pivotal moments in Colin’s journey and his development. It’s the first time he gets a blowjob. It’s the first time he has sex. It’s the first time he has an orgasm. And these are pivotal moments for him, so they mean a lot. And that made those scenes impactful and important.”
Skarsgård was happy that Lighton’s script didn’t have gratuitous scenes that shock for the sake of just shocking. “I really appreciated that because I find that when this subculture is portrayed, it’s often dangerous and crazy and wild and something like transgressive.”
He continued: “I really love that Harry wanted it to feel real. It can be sexy and intense, but also quite loving and sweet. And you can have an orgy in the woods, rub up against a Sunday roast with the family. And that kind of feels real.”
One of the obstacles Skarsgård had to work with was Ray’s emotionally distant personality.
“Ray is so enigmatic throughout the film and you obviously never find out anything about him, his past. He doesn’t reveal much. He doesn’t expose himself. And that was a challenge to try to make the character interesting, because that could easily feel quite flat…That was something that I thought quite a lot about in pre production…there are no big dramatic shifts in his arc.”
For the film, Lighton consulted the GMBCC, the UK’s largest LGBT+ biker club, attending their annual meetup at which 80 riders were present.
“Working with these guys was extraordinary and it brought so much texture and richness to the film to have them present,” said Skarsgård. “They were incredibly sweet and guiding with us — I can’t imagine making this movie without them. I’d go on a road trip with them anytime.”
Added Skarsgård: “To sum up ‘Pillion’ in three words: lube, sweat, and leather. I hope people will connect with Colin and his journey, and come to understand the nuance and complexity of his bond with Ray.”
This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Skarsgård. “Pillion” premieres in select cities on Feb. 6 and then moves into wide release on Feb. 20. After that for Skarsgård is a role in queer ally Charli XCX’s mockumentary, “The Moment,” which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. HIs sci-fi comedy series, Apple TV’s “Murderbot,” which he also executive produces, will begin filming its second season. And this weekend, he hosts “Saturday Night Live.”
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MISTR’s Tristan Schukraft on evolution of HIV prevention
From ACT UP to apps, embracing stigma-free care
It was not too long ago that an HIV diagnosis was read as a death sentence. In its earlier decades, the HIV/AIDS crisis was synonymous with fear and loss, steeped in stigma. Over recent years, open conversation and science have come together to combat this stigma while proactively paving the way for life-saving treatments and preventive measures like PrEP. Now, in 2026, with discreet and modern platforms that meet people where they’re at in their lives, HIV prevention has evolved from hushed words of warning into something far more sex-positive and accessible. Game-changing services like MISTR are a testament to this shift, showing our community that healthcare doesn’t have to feel clinical or shaming to work. It can be empowering and, dare I say, celebratory.
Few people embody this evolution quite like Tristan Schukraft, founder of MISTR. With one hand in healthcare and the other high-fiving through queer nightlife, Schukraft gets that, from the bar to the bedroom and beyond, prevention happens in person and in real life. His approach has helped turn PrEP, DoxyPEP, and testing into normalized parts of our daily queer life, reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the US.
In our conversation, Schukraft shares candidly about stigma, policy, and why the future of sexual health depends on keeping it real.
BLADE: You have one hand in healthcare and the other in nightlife and queer spaces. Can you share with us how these two spheres impact and inform each other? How do they impact and inform you?
SCHUKRAFT: Honestly, for me, they’ve never been separate. Nightlife and queer spaces are where people meet, date, hook up, fall in love, and make friends. That’s real life. Being in queer spaces all the time keeps me grounded and reminds me who we’re building MISTR for.
BLADE: MISTR markets sexual health in a sex-positive, stigma-free fashion. Can you share with us how you measure the impact of this approach?
SCHUKRAFT: This year, we held the first-ever National PrEP Day. Dua Lipa performed, and Cardi B was there. After the event, Cardi B went on her Instagram live to encourage people to sign up for PrEP.
When you make sexual health stigma-free and sex positive, people talk about it. We see it in how people use the platform. When 700,000 people are willing to sign up, get tested, start PrEP, and add things like DoxyPEP, that tells us we’ve made it feel safe and normal instead of scary or awkward. And then we see it in the results. Since we expanded DoxyPEP, STI positivity among our patients dropped by half.
BLADE: How have you seen the conversation of sexual health in our LGBTQ+ community change in mainstream culture in recent years?
SCHUKRAFT: Ten years ago, nobody was casually talking about PrEP, and if they did, it likely referenced one being a Truvada whore. Now it’s part of the culture. Popstars like Troye Sivan post pictures of their daily PrEP pill on social media. Cardi B goes on Instagram Live telling people to get on PrEP.
For many sexually active gay men, taking PrEP is simply part of the gay experience. For people in more remote areas, it might not be as talked about. Particularly in rural or more conservative places, MISTR can be a life-changing option. No awkward visits to the family doctor or the local pharmacy where everybody knows your business. It’s all done discreetly online and shipped straight to your door.
BLADE: You have publicly argued that cuts to government HIV prevention funding are of high risk. Would you please elaborate for us on what those budget decisions mean on an individual level?
SCHUKRAFT: It means real people fall through the cracks. Someone doesn’t get tested. Someone waits too long to start PrEP. Someone finds out they’re HIV-positive later than they should have. Community clinics will be the hardest hit, especially those in underserved communities. The good news is that MISTR is ready to help people who might lose their access to care. All you need to do is sign up at mistr.com, and it’s totally free with or without insurance.
BLADE: From your (and MISTR’s) perspective, how do these funding cuts threaten ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic?
SCHUKRAFT: For the first time, we have all the tools to end HIV. If everybody who is HIV negative is taking PrEP and everyone HIV+ is virally suppressed, we can end all new HIV transmissions in the United States. We have everything we need today. All we need is to get more people on PrEP. Cutting funding risks losing that momentum. Ending HIV requires scale and consistency. Every time funding gets cut, you lose momentum, trust, and infrastructure, and rebuilding that takes years.
HIV transmissions don’t pause because budgets change.
BLADE: In our current climate of decreased federal investment, what role do you feel private healthcare and business should play in sexual health?
SCHUKRAFT: With reports that the current administration is considering cuts to HIV and prevention funding, we face a moment of reckoning. At the same time, some employers are seeking to exclude PrEP and HIV prevention from their coverage on religious freedom grounds. If these challenges succeed, and if federal funding is slashed, the consequences for public health will be devastating. But this is where the private sector must step up to fill the gap, bridge divides, and deliver results.
Businesses have the power and platform to normalize HIV prevention and drive measurable outcomes. At MISTR, we see firsthand what’s possible: since introducing DoxyPEP, STI positivity rates among our patients have been cut in half. But it’s not just about medication. It’s about messaging.
Our sex-positive, stigma-free marketing speaks directly to our community, making sexual health part of everyday life. No awkward doctor visits, no needles, no paperwork — just free online PrEP and STI testing, prescribed by real physicians and delivered to your door. That kind of impact could grow exponentially if more employers embraced this approach and made HIV prevention part of their employee wellness programs.
Employers, this is your call to action. Start by making sure your health plans cover PrEP and DoxyPEP. Partner with platforms like MISTR to give employees private, stigma-free access to care. Offer on-site testing. Talk openly about sexual health, not just during Pride, but every day of the year. This is not political — this is about protecting lives, strengthening communities, and building a healthier, more productive workforce. Because healthy employees aren’t just good for public health — they’re good for business.
When the private sector steps up, outcomes improve. And when businesses align with platforms like MISTR, scaling impact isn’t just possible — it’s happening.
BLADE: Has MISTR experienced any direct effects from these recent shifts in public health funding?
SCHUKRAFT: MISTR’s unique model is totally free for patients with or without insurance, and we don’t cost the government or taxpayers a penny. We are scaling up our efforts to reach people who might be losing their access or care.
BLADE: What would be your message to policymakers who are considering further cuts to HIV/AIDS programs?
SCHUKRAFT: During his first term, President Donald Trump committed unprecedented resources to the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative here at home. Bipartisan support has shown what’s possible when bold leadership meets smart strategy. To policymakers: I urge you to reconsider any cuts to HIV prevention funding. This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to push forward. Ending HIV is within reach — but only if government, private industry, and community organizations stand together.
BLADE: What is one perhaps overlooked win from last year that impacted you on a personal level?
SCHUKRAFT: Seeing our STI positivity rate drop by half after expanding DoxyPEP.
BLADE: Looking at the year ahead, what are MISTR’s most significant priorities for sexual health in 2026?
SCHUKRAFT: Expanding access, especially in the South and in communities that still get left out. Rolling out injectable PrEP. And just continuing to make sexual healthcare easier and more normal.
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