When Wonder Woman released, it was a smashing success, both critically and at the box office. Plus, it gave us a first good look at what a DCEU had the potential to be. Given the movie's success, a lot is riding on its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, to be another big hit. This is a tall order, considering how often blockbuster sequels tend to stumble.
The temptation with sequels could be to make the sequel a carbon copy of the original, but with slight differences so that it feels a little different. But, it doesn’t sound like that’s a trap director Patty Jenkins is going to fall for. Recently the director explained how Wonder Woman 1984 will be totally different. Here’s what she said:
There was a little period of time where people got very upset, and questioning: ‘Is it not a sequel? Is it a total reboot? It is a sequel, insofar as nothing is contradicted between the two movies. But it’s very important to me that it’s not more of the first movie. It’s a totally different movie. Now, when you see the trailer, you can feel it.
This is good news. From Home Alone 2 to Pacific Rim: Uprising, there’s no shortage in movie sequels that carbon copy the plot of the original, but change it enough so it looks different. Most audiences aren’t fooled and the sequels end up less satisfying than the original.
From her conversation Total Film it sounds like Patty Jenkins feared the temptation to phone it in and make the same movie again. So, she purposefully set out to do something new and unique. I can hear the sigh of relief from all the Wonder Woman fans out there right now. Patty Jenkins also took more time to elaborate on her intentions and saying what was important to her. She said,
It’s a different tone, look, feel, world, and context. That was what important to me. This is its own standalone story that, of course, is also a continuation of our characters and their linear line. It’s just its own movie with its own very different feel.
Despite getting a trailer at the end of last year, there’s very little we know about Wonder Woman 1984’s plot. The studio has been tight-lipped about it. So far, we know Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor is back somehow and Wonder Woman will eventually fight The Cheetah, played by Kristen Wiig.
If all goes well with Wonder Woman 1984, Patty Jenkins already has several other sequel ideas lined up. While she isn’t nailing everything down yet, she said the arc is in place for a spin-off movie and a third Wonder Woman movie.
Wonder Woman 1984 is set to release on August 14, 2020.
