Technology 6 min read

How 'Wonder Woman' Brought AR to Film

Sarunyu L | Shutterstock.com

Sarunyu L | Shutterstock.com

Last year, Pokémon Go introduced most of us to AR. This year, Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore are expanding AR capabilities in the palms of millions of hands.

Now, Warner Brothers is harnessing AR to launch the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of one of the biggest movies of the Summer: Wonder Woman.

While Edgy Labs is hopeful that Tron 3 will be the first major VR film and companies like Google are promising VR leaps and bounds, a project like this isn’t just up to movie producers and filmmakers.

It’s an infrastructure question.

In order to enjoy a VR experience whether game or film (fingers crossed for the near future) we’re forced to invest in expensive equipment and extra accessories like sensors.

Even after a pretty hefty investment, we still aren’t able to enjoy it on the go. What’s more, very few games are like Sony’s Farpoint, which offers co-op functions to share the fun with friends.

Unlike VR, AR, on the other hand, offers users the ability to enjoy high-quality, immersive and sharable experiences anywhere they choose–all without needing to invest in extra equipment. Because AR technology leverages tech that is basic to smartphones (like the camera), there’s no need to invest in sensors, headsets or dreaded cable monsters.

As Pokémon Go showed us, if you have a smartphone and can download an app, then you have an AR experience in the palm of your hand. In short, AR is easier to experience no matter where you are.

InkHunter lets you “test drive” any tattoo idea any time. Spectrek lets you ghostbust on your down time. You can even utilize Google Translate in AR to translate text in real time.

Of course, if you’re a Walking Dead, Area 51, or George Romero fan, Zombie GO might be the AR app for you.

Or, you could always test out your interior design skills with Amikasa.

One legendary filmhouse, one Dallas-based AR company, and one gorgeous warrior have recognized the power that AR has.

This team came together with AR to not only deliver added value to both brands and their fans but to also drive engagement online and anywhere those fans choose.

From Comic Con to the Big Screen

As a result of her 75th anniversary, DC Comics wanted to commemorate the creativity, art, and revolutionary storytelling of Wonder Woman.

They went to NEXREF Technologies.

With its proprietary technologies and easy-to-use approach, NEXREF is proving itself to be an AR industry trendsetter by helping to create unique and personalized AR experiences for a variety of brands.

For instance, NEXREF worked with DC Comics to create a smash-hit Wonder Woman AR experience at the 2016 New York Comic Con to give fans an immersive encounter with their favorite heroine.

Amid hundreds of booths bursting with content and comics, the Wonder Woman AR experience was met with gleeful smiles, excited disbelief, and even tears of joy.

Mirroring Wonder Woman’s up-close-and-personal style, strength and beauty, one woman’s reaction was to say that “it’s only fitting that they [NEXREF] did it with Wonder Woman.”

Just like she totally kicked Batman’s butt, the Wonder Woman film beat out her Summer superhero competitors as one of the highest grossing Summer releases in North America.

This also means that the film is also one of the most anticipated DVD releases heading into the Fall.

AR can Engage Fans in new Ways

After the overwhelmingly positive response that the Wonder Woman AR experience garnered at NY Comic Con and proliferation of AR technology in just one year across countless industries, Warner Bros., Walmart, and other national retailers teamed up with NEXREF to create a two-part AR experience for the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of the Wonder Woman blockbuster film.

She’s a dynamic character with fully developed emotions just like real women. Even more, Wonder Woman helps bridge the gaps young girls see in everyday life.

With these interactive AR experiences, now fans can do more than just admire her from afar.

In fact, there are two ways to see Wonder Woman whenever you want: a larger-than-life cutout Wonder Woman display found exclusively at Walmart or using the DVD or Blu-Ray jacket.

Use your smartphone to scan the jacket and a scene from “No Man’s Land” comes into view with an immersive AR experience where you see her come to life.

Then, users can choose an accessory.

From her fabled sword to the Lasso of Truth to her iconic shield, fans can then customize both the scene and their weapon of choice to find the perfect pic-worthy moment standing next to Wonder Women.

If you head down to Walmart to purchase the film, just scan the display with your smartphone and Wonder Woman springs to life with cinematic AR content.

She confidently struts over to the nearest person visualized on your smartphone screen so you can snap a photo for Instagram just like that.

Wonder Woman is the Future

The experience that NEXREF helped to create lets fans scan the DVD or Blu-Ray film cover to unlock Wonder Woman whenever and wherever they want. That’s the kind of accessibility and behind-the-scenes experience that AR is helping make more and more available to fans everywhere.

Wonder Woman, a.k.a. Diana Prince of Themyscira, debuted in October of 1941 in All Star Comics #8.

She is among the few singular female superheroes of the DC universe in that she has her own IP that isn’t tied to a male superhero (like Supergirl). Having gained popularity as portrayed by Lynda Carter in the 80s tv show, Wonder Woman has stood as a beacon of hope and a fFeminist icon for more than 70 years.

But in true Wonder Woman fashion, she won’t stop there.

Wonder Woman is undoubtedly a role model, but she’s also proving to be a trendsetter.

She’s jumped off the page, dominated the small screen, and now she’s conquered the big screen. For the future, she’s partnering with the newest and most dynamic technologies to bridge the gap between passive entertainment and interactive, on-demand mixed reality experiences.

Brands are looking to drive engagement and interact with fans in new ways. Fans are looking to get more out of their purchases and get behind the scenes. AR-enabled content like the Wonder Woman experiences NEXREF helped to create do both, and we’re looking forward to seeing a lot more of them in the near, mixed-reality future.

Stay tuned for our coverage of other ways AR is popping up in pop culture, from sports stadiums to concerts stages.

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Juliet Childers

Content Specialist and EDGY OG with a (mostly) healthy obsession with video games. She covers Industry buzz including VR/AR, content marketing, cybersecurity, AI, and many more.

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