8 Fictional Movie Villains Inspired By Real People

5. Ludendorff (Wonder Woman) - Erich Ludendorff

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Wonder Woman was by far the most successful DCEU movie to date, in large part due to its more grounded central conflict (videogame boss battle notwithstanding).

At its heart, it's a war movie about a beacon of hope leading the charge against an evil German threat, a battle with deep roots in real-world history - roots that go much, much deeper than you might have thought.

This is because one of Wonder Woman's villains, Erich Ludendorff (played by Danny Huston), was actually inspired by a real-life man of the same name, who was the spearhead of Germany's World War I effort.

Real-world Ludendorff had much success during the war, much like the movie's fictionalized version of him: both men were obsessed with winning and obsessed with war, but both were ultimately foiled. In the movie, the character was killed by Wonder Woman, and in reality, Ludendorff was forced out of his position after a failed offensive strike in 1918.

Wonder Woman is the first time a version of Ludendorff has appeared in a major motion picture, and as he was a symbol of war, he was the perfect villain for Wonder Woman - a symbol of peace - to go up against.

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WhoCulture Channel Manager/Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture. Can confirm that bow ties are cool.