After Wonder Woman became the first true hit in the DC Extended Universe (fourth time’s the charm!), it was a no-brainer to fast-track a sequel. Gal Gadot became universally beloved in the title role and moviegoers look forward to seeing a lot more of her in the future.

The original movie’s director Patty Jenkins is back behind the cameras, too. The sequel was set to be released this November, but it’s been pushed back to summer 2020. Gal Gadot has called the new release date “its rightful home,” so hopefully it’ll be worth the wait. Here is Everything We Already Know About Wonder Woman 1984.

Steve Trevor is alive!

Somehow, by the grace of God, Steve Trevor is still alive in Wonder Woman 1984. After he was killed in Wonder Woman, he was presumed to have been killed, but apparently that’s not the case. And not only that, the promotional images show Chris Pine looking exactly the same age in the ‘80s as he did in World War I in the 1910s.

So, naturally, fans have a lot of questions. Patty Jenkins has promised, “It’s all incredibly important to the story. It makes perfect sense, that’s all I can tell you.” Whatever way they explain it, many fans will just be glad to have him back.

It’s set during the Cold War

Captain America: The First Avenger showed us what a World War II superhero movie might look like, and Wonder Woman is just filling in the gaps with other wars. It went back to show us a World War I superhero movie with the first one and, with the sequel, we’ll be seeing a Cold War superhero movie.

The title Wonder Woman 1984 is a reference to the year in which the movie is set – but it could also be a reference to George Orwell’s seminal novel set in a dystopian future governed by a totalitarian state. That’s what the Cold War almost got us.

Diana and Steve’s relationship is totally different

Chris Pine has teased that his character Steve Trevor’s relationship with Diana Prince is completely different in the second movie than it was in the first movie. He said, “This one is a little different for me, tonally. The tables are turned, and I’m more of the deer in the headlights.”

This could be a reference to the fact that in the first movie, Steve had been fighting in the Great War for a long time before Diana suddenly joined him and had to learn about the world outside Themyscira while it was at war, so she was a fish out of water. Now, Steve suddenly finds himself in the ‘80s and Diana’s the one who knows what she’s doing, so he’s the new fish out of water – or, as Pine puts it, “the deer in the headlights.”

Patty Jenkins contributed to the script this time

While 2017’s Wonder Woman was directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins, all its writing credits were men. The screenplay was written by Allan Heinberg from a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder, and Jason Fuchs.

For the sequel, Jenkins was determined to be involved in the writing process, so before it was even confirmed, she had started writing a treatment for a follow-up with Geoff Johns, who was then the CCO of DC Entertainment. Jenkins and Johns then wrote the script with Godzilla and The Expendables writer David Callaham. So, this time around, Jenkins has been involved in the process from the very beginning.

Cheetah will be the villain

Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig has signed on to play the villainous role of Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984. In the comics, Cheetah is originally a British archeologist named Barbara Ann Minerva who stumbles into an ages-old ritual in the ancient city of Urzkartaga and becomes bonded with the Cheetah goddess, eventually clashing with Wonder Woman.

Wiig is a surprising choice for the role, since she is typically known for her comedic performances, but surely Patty Jenkins knows what she’s doing. If Wiig is as good at playing supervillains as she is at playing comedy characters, then we have nothing to worry about.

The release date changed to avoid competition with other movies

When Warner Bros. moved Wonder Woman 1984’s release date from November 2019 to June 2020, they cited a “changing competitive landscape” as the reason. In November, the sequel would face competition from Terminator: Dark Fate, the Charlie’s Angels reboot, Kingsman: The Great Game, Sonic the Hedgehog, and scariest of all, Frozen 2.

The only competition in June 2020 (so far) is Top Gun: Maverick and an untitled Judd Apatow movie starring Pete Davidson, so it’s expected that the Wonder Woman sequel will have better chances there. Either way, though, it’s fair to say the movie will be a box office hit whenever it’s released.

It’s the second part of a trilogy

Patty Jenkins already has plans for a third Wonder Woman movie, and the character’s arc across all three has been planned very carefully, much like Christopher Nolan did with The Dark Knight trilogy. The Wonder Woman sequel isn’t a standalone piece, but rather a stepping stone between the first and third movies, as it takes Diana Prince from the beginning of her journey to the end of it.

Jenkins said, “I have pretty clear plans for Wonder Woman 3. Whether I [direct] it or not, I see how her arc should end in my incarnation of Wonder Woman. I have great passion for that.”

Pedro Pascal has been cast in a mysterious role

Pedro Pascal has been cast in Wonder Woman 1984, although his character has yet to be disclosed. The actor is best known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Narcos, and he has been cast as the title character in Disney+’s upcoming Star Wars series The Mandalorian.

Funnily enough, he previously played Ed Indelicato in a pilot based on the Wonder Woman comics starring Adrianne Palicki that was ultimately not picked up by NBC after it was produced in 2011. Now, Pedro Pascal is getting a second chance to be a part of Wonder Woman’s story on the screen.

Patty Jenkins already has a favorite scene

Patty Jenkins has teased a scene in Wonder Woman 1984 that she’s really excited about. She says it’s this movie’s No Man’s Land sequence. While it won’t be a repeat of that scene, it will match its intensity, she promises. “I have a scene that is in this movie that is totally different, but it’s my No Man’s Land scene, where it is that there’s one scene that I am so excited about…It won’t be the same scene, but there are some moments I’m really excited about.”

The No Man’s Land sequence in the first movie was a visceral, cinematic experience with engaging editing and gorgeous visuals – not to mention one woman doing what a whole platoon of men failed to do.

Robin Wright is back as Antiope

While Robin Wright’s Antiope gave her life valiantly in the first Wonder Woman movie, there are reports that she will return in the sequel – in a flashback sequence. It’s not clear yet what this scene will entail, but fans won’t complain about any excuse to bring back the House of Cards star.

Wright couldn’t be more excited about returning: “It’s going to be an iconic time: a little Wonder Woman in the vortex of this movement. And what Wonder Woman, who was created in the ‘40s, what does she symbolize? Justice and equality and speaking the truth. So, to be a part of that enhancement, as Wonder Woman’s general, it’s so great.” Apparently, the flashback scene will also include Connie Nielsen returning as Hippolyta, Diana’s mother and the queen of Themyscira.

  • Wonder Woman 2 Release Date: 2020-12-25