WONDER WOMAN TAKES US BACK TO THE 1980S

Those who love nothing more than sitting in a cool movie theatre munching on popcorn are probably waiting with baited breath for one of the big releases of the year: Wonder Woman 1984, which takes us right back to the decade of big hair, brightly hued clothing, and hits by Duran Duran and Michael Jackson.

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

The original release date was June, but the arrival of the health crisis has delayed it to a later date – one in which cinemas would once again be a safe haven. Lead actor Gal Gadot announced the U.S. release date on her Twitter account: “In these dark and scary times, I am looking forward to a brighter future ahead. Where we can share the power of cinema together again. Excited to re-date our WW84 film to August 14, 2020. I hope everyone is safe. Sending my love to you all.”

WHY 1984?

The reason why the producers of Wonder Woman chose such an iconic decade in which to set the new film is the fun factor. The choice indicates that Diana will be able to travel through time, which makes sense. Although the first film she appeared in was set in the 1910s, she popped up in Batman v Superman, which was set in current times. In 1984, she will continue to do n her ageless persona. In the first Wonder Woman, Diana fell in love with handsome Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), who heroically sacrificed his life for his lady love and the rest of humanity. ‘Will she fall in love with someone new and big-haired (after all, it will be in the 1980s)’, you may ask. The answer is no. How do we know this? Well, Pine appears in the trailer for the new film and he isn’t looking a day older either, despite the fact that over 70 years separate the events in both films.

THE CAST

Wonder Woman 1984 will once again boast a star-studded cast that includes Pedro Pascal (the handsome Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones) and Kristin Wiig (the American comedian who has appeared in everything from Saturday Night Life to Ben Stiller films). Word is these two will be playing baddies so it’s look like we will be enjoying a bit of a giggle until our heroine pulverises them by the end of the film. Wiig plays Cheetah – a seemingly well-meaning scientist who gains a cheetahlike appearance and magical abilities from a mysterious curse. Pascal plays Maxwell Lord – a 1980s businessman and TV salesman who is also king of the tele.

THE SETTING

Director, Patty Jenkins thought that it was about time that a Wonder Woman film should take place in the U.S. The upbeat vibe of the 1980s, she feels, makes an ideal backdrop for Diana to

experience romance to its full. Jenkins told NME, “It’s got great fun from the start and great big superhero presence from the start, and is funny and a great love story again, and a couple of new unbelievable characters who I’m so excited about, who are very different than were in the last movie.”

OPEN YOUR MIND

The key to making sense of the seemingly implausible time jumps, says Patty Jenkins, is to see the film as an independent story; a bit like the James Bond series, which jumps through times, actors, and locations at the flick of a switch. Superhero films are aimed at comic lovers anyway and if you follow any Justice League comics, then you know that characters and eras, are often in line with the artist’s style.

It also looks like Wonder Woman will be significantly more independent than the characters in the Marvel series, who tend to unite more often and battle a common enemy. “We all feel like we’ve turned a corner now. We’re playing by the DC playbook, which is very different than the Marvel playbook,” said Warner Bros chairman Toby Emmerich. “We are far less focused on a shared universe. We take it one movie at a time.”