Amid all of the changes currently taking place on the DCEU slate, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 2 remains a constant. The first film proved itself to be an undeniable hit, and Wonder Woman 2 is now in development, hoping to recapture that magic for its 2019 release. Gal Gadot and Jenkins have both signed on to return, and now the film has officially landed its villain with the confirmation of Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig as Cheetah. Jenkins tweeted:
It looks like the cat is out of the bag, now. Recent rumors had suggested that Kristen Wiig was the frontrunner to portray Cheetah in Wonder Woman 2, and now Patty Jenkins has officially confirmed her for the role. We still don't know much else about the overarching Wonder Woman 2 story (other than the fact that it's rumored to take place in the 1980s), but the introduction of Cheetah shows that DC wants to continue embracing Diana Prince's classic rogues after the inclusion of Ares (David Thewlis) in the first film.
For those of you who are less familiar with Cheetah, she's one of Wonder Woman's most beloved bad guys. Her real name is Barbara Minerva (there have been numerous Cheetahs, but Minerva is arguably the most iconic), and she is typically portrayed as a thief who finds herself magically transformed into a human-cheetah hybrid by a mysterious artifact. Her origins have become increasingly tragic over the years, with several stories framing her as a friend of Diana Prince. True to the animalistic nature of her transformation, Cheetah is fast, strong, and can comfortably hold her own in a brawl with the Amazonian member of the Justice League ensemble.
Patty Jenkins' announcement of Kristen Wiig as Cheetah also leaves us wondering about the direction that they intend to take the character. Given her work on shows like Saturday Night Live and films like the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, there's little doubt that Wiig has developed a reputation as more of a comedic actress than an action star. That seems particularly interesting and could potentially suggest that the folks behind Wonder Woman 2 want to craft a Cheetah with a more human and tragic personality, rather than merely offer up a villain who can go toe-to-toe with Diana in a fight.
Now that Kristen Wiig has officially signed on as a member of the Wonder Woman 2 ensemble, we will have to keep our eyes peeled for the first official look at her in her feline form. Wonder Woman 2 debuts on November 1, 2019, but in 2018, make sure to watch out for James Wan's Aquaman when it debuts in theaters on December 21.
