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The year 2020 is ending with some serious girl power. A woman is going to be Vice President, and a female-led superhero movie is set to end the notion of terrible sequels. The first Wonder Woman movie brought viewers to Themyscira and introduced Amazonian culture and Princess Diana. Steve Trevor crashed into Themyscira’s shores, bringing the conflict of World War I with him.
A series of events are then set in motion that eventually lead to Diana’s emergence as Wonder Woman. The setup for Wonder Woman 1984 could not be any more different from the 2017 Wonder Woman film. While Wonder Woman was set against the austere backdrop of WWI, Wonder Woman 1984 is set among the opulence of the ’80s.
Furthermore, while the first movie established Diana’s origin story, Wonder Woman 1984 will introduce Wonder Woman’s archenemy, Cheetah. December 25th is right around the corner, so here are six reasons why fans should be excited for the upcoming release of Wonder Woman 1984.
Reason 1: Warner Brothers Ditched the Cash Grab
The ongoing global pandemic has meant an explosive demand for home entertainment and streaming services. One of the most anticipated releases of 2020 was Disney’s live-action version of Mulan. Disney offered Mulan for an additional charge of $30 on top of a Disney+ subscription. According to Brandon Katz of Observer, Disney charged an extra fee because:
“It provides them with 100% of the revenue generated, as opposed to 80% of a traditional PVOD release through a cable company, iTunes, or Amazon”
(( Katz, Brandon. “Why Disney Is Charging $30 for ‘Mulan’ on Disney+,” Observer, Aug 5th, 2020, Accessed Dec 10th, 2020. observer.com/2020/08/mulan-disney-plus-box-office-info-details/. )).
The downside of Disney’s strategy was that many people were price gated out of immediately watching the film. Among my friends, the consensus was that the decision felt like a cash grab benefitting a billion-dollar company rather than the consumer. Warner Brothers has taken a different approach. According to Variety’s Rebecca Rubin, Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theatres and debut on HBO Max at no additional cost to subscribers on December 25th (( Rubin, Rebecca. “‘Wonder Woman 1984’ to Debut Both on HBO Max and in Theaters,” Variety, November 18th, 2020, Accessed December 11th, 2020. variety.com/2020/film/news/wonder-woman-1984-hbo-max-release-1234804411/. )).
Given Wonder Woman’s popularity and Warner Brothers’ track record amongst fans, the decision seems like the smarter long-term move. Personally, it feels easier to trust a company that is not tone-deaf to the economic hardship many currently face.
Reason 2: Diana Prince Is A Hero Girls Can Look Up To
Women make great leaders in times of crisis. From New Zealand’s Jacinda Arden to Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen and Germany’s Angela Merkel, countries with women leaders have fared better during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps it’s because of these women’s compassion and humility (( Zalis, Shelley. “In the COVID-19 era, female leaders are shining — Here’s why,” NBC News, June 9, 2020, Accessed December 11th, 2020. nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/covid-19-era-female-leaders-are-shining-here-s-why-ncna1227931. )). The qualities of great leadership: creativity, decisiveness, collaboration, and transparency aren’t always recognized or celebrated in women (( Beilock, Sian. “Coronavirus: A Case Study In Women’s Effective Leadership,” Forbes, Aug 4, 2020, Accessed Dec 11, 2020. forbes.com/sites/sianbeilock/2020/08/04/coronavirus-a-case-study-in-womens-effective-leadership/?sh=2c39e9074191. )). Regardless, women leaders worldwide have stepped up in a big way, normalizing women’s ideas as effective leaders.
After the first Wonder Woman movie hit theatres, women celebrated the emergence of Diana Prince as a feminist icon. In a Guardian article, Zoe Williams explained the feminist themes present in the first Wonder Woman movie, writing, “…having thighs, actual thighs you can kick things with, not thighs that look like arms, is a feminist act. The whole Diana myth, women, safeguarding the world from male violence not with nurture but with better violence, is a feminist act” (( Williams, Zoe. “Why Wonder Woman is a masterpiece of subversive feminism,” Guardian, June 5, 2017, Accessed December 10th, 2020. theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jun/05/why-wonder-woman-is-a-masterpiece-of-subversive-feminism. )). Life imitates art. Showing empowered women on the silver screen paves the way for young girls and adults to see new possibilities in themselves. Superheroes show us our best selves and what’s possible.
Films like Wonder Woman 1984, with strong female leads, help society move towards a more equitable future. For example, in an article for The Washington Post, Alyssa Rosenberg wrote, “Even when [Diana] does encounter other people’s ideas about gender roles, she doesn’t automatically accept them, and she never lets anyone stop her,” and “Diana is the one who sees clearly. It’s the world around her that is absurd,” (( Rosenberg, Alyssa. “‘Wonder Woman’ is a beautiful reminder of what feminism has to offer women — and men,” Washington Post, June 5, 2017, Accessed December 11th, 2020. washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2017/06/05/wonder-woman-is-a-beautiful-reminder-of-what-feminism-has-to-offer-women-and-men/. )). It is difficult for people to imagine what they’ve never seen. If society’s goal is to dismantle gender norms, then normalizing alternatives in pop culture is the first step towards a different reality.
Reason 3: The Social Commentary
Commentary on men’s violence against women and the unequal burden of war underpins the first Wonder Woman movie. Take, for example, the scene where Steve Trevor crashes into the boundaries of Themyscira, causing the Germans to storm the beaches of Themyscira immediately. Despite the Amazons’ initial nonviolence, the Germans make no attempt to parlay or negotiate for the release of Steve Trevor. Among the ensuing casualties is Diana’s aunt, Antiope. Antiope’s senseless and preventable death is a massive blow for Diana. (( Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins. 2017; Burbank, CA: 2017. Film. )).
The Amazons are violent, but they are not proactive in their violence. In fact, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, explains to Diana that the Amazons inspire humanity to be its best self. It is only in reaction to the Germans’ unprovoked aggression that the Amazons retaliate. Through the beach confrontation and the death of Antiope, the viewer is meant to understand that women are the ones who often bear the brunt of war and the conflicts of men.
Purely based on the trailers, Wonder Woman 1984 looks like it may include underlying commentary on the violence capitalism inflicts against everyone. For example, in the 2019 Wonder Woman 1984 Official Trailer, as the camera pans through a mega mall, Max Lord can be heard saying, “Welcome to the future. Life is good, but it can be better. And why shouldn’t it be? All you need is to want it,” (( Wonder Woman 1984—Official Trailer. Directed by Patty Jenkins. 2020; Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2019. YouTube. )). Additionally, the mall setting of the scene stands in as a paragon of rampant capitalism. Given the way the coronavirus pandemic has underscored the devastating impact of economic inequality, it will be interesting to see if Wonder Woman 1984 will offer commentary on the iconic 80’s phrase “greed is good.”
Furthermore, Max also states that he has “never been one for rules. The answer is always more” (( Wonder Woman 1984—Official Main Trailer. Directed by Patty Jenkins. 2020; Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2020. YouTube. )). Assuming that Max Lord’s character is seen as the embodiment of destructive capitalism, Barbara’s proximity to him would indicate a storyline with themes about capitalism’s corrupting influence.
Reason 4: The Introduction of Cheetah!
Superman needs Lex Luthor.
Batman needs the Joker.
And Wonder Woman needs Cheetah.
If you aren’t excited about Cheetah’s introduction as a viewer, I think you should get your pulse checked.
Reason 5: The Return of Steve Trevor
Be honest. Who didn’t love the awkward flirty scenes between Diana and Steve in the first Wonder Woman movie? First, there was the adorably cringe-worthy boat scene as Diana and Steve leave Themyscira, and they discuss whether or not Steve can “sleep” with Diana. Although the subsequent montage of Diana not understanding and bumbling through 20th century London is intentionally played for laughs; a darker interpretation is that a man (Steve) was needed to explain “civilized society” to the poor, noble savage girl (Diana). (( Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins. 2017; Burbank, CA: 2017. Film. )).
This time around, Wonder Woman 1984 looks to be flipping those roles with the return of Steve Trevor. In the Wonder Woman 1984 Official Trailers, Steve commits various gaffes from admiring a trash can as art to wearing parachute pants and asking, “Does everyone parachute now?” (( Wonder Woman 1984—Official Main Trailer. Directed by Patty Jenkins. 2020; Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Pictures, 2020. YouTube. )). The role reversal in Wonder Woman 1984 from the first movie is a nice change of pace. Twenty-twenty one is just around the corner, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to take office. The portrayal of a woman who is in control, who has power, and who has a strong sense of identity is exactly what audiences need right now.
Reason 6: An Homage To Her Parentage
There’s no game of “Who’s the Daddy?” going on here—audiences are fully aware of the identity of Diana’s parents going into Wonder Woman 1984. (I’m looking at you, Papa Zeus.)
Near the end of the first Wonder Woman movie, Aries blasts Diana with lighting. Rather than cause harm, the lighting appears to caress Diana’s bracers almost lovingly. Diana is, in fact, the daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus, making her a sort of demigod. Therefore, the way lightning behaves around her can be attributed to her parentage. In the Wonder Woman 1984 Official trailers, Diana uses The Lasso of Truth to literally swing from lightning bolts.
Whether this is a form of divine intervention on behalf of her father or merely a thunderstorm, the scene looks absolutely badass! The inclusion of such a small detail shows the amount of dedication pumped into making Wonder Woman 1984 memorable for casual fans and superfans alike. Personally, given Zeus’s involvement in getting rid of Steppenwolf the first go-around, I’m stoked to see another nugget alluding to Diana’s power and backstory.
Hey, Author! You Forgot To Mention…
There are more than six reasons to be excited for Wonder Woman 1984. However, if you have friends or family members who are curious about why they should care about another superhero movie, use these six reasons as evidence of why superhero movies are about more than colorful spandex and capes. Or, if you’re trapped in the middle of an awkward dinner conversation, discussing the release of Wonder Woman 1984 is a great neutral palette cleanser.
(PSA: pretending to wear Diana’s bracers while making wild arm gesticulations and muttering ‘pew, pew’ is not guaranteed to deflect Aunt Janet’s invasive and way too personal questions.)