Wonder Woman 3, at least with Patty Jenkins at the helm, will not be happening at Warner Bros. after all. The news comes from a report in The Hollywood Reporter, that claims that the script by Jenkins and Geoff Johns did not line up with whatever new DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have in store for their new DC shared universe. Whether Gal Gadot continues on as the Amazing Amazon remains a question mark. Gunn and Safran might want to give the DCU a total makeover, and recast all the original Snyderverse characters.

2017’s Wonder Woman hit big, both critically and at the box office. However, the 2020 follow-up Wonder Woman 1984 did not receive as much love from fans and critics. It debuted in theaters and on HBO Max at the same time, at the height of the pandemic, which killed its box office prospects (it did receive high viewership on the streaming service, however). Warner Bros. still wanted Jenkins to return for a third film, but it didn’t work out. Patty Jenkins shared some insight into Wonder Woman 3 in a tweet on December 13.

Jenkins states she didn’t kill the movie or walk away. She says she was open to considering anything DC Comics asked of her, but she understands there was nothing she could do to move it forward at this time. Jenkins goes on to wish the future of Wonder Woman at DC well and thank Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot.

The original report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that Henry Cavill might not return as Superman after all, despite his recent comeback. It even goes so far as to suggest that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom might be the end of the road for Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry. Which seems wild, as the first Aquaman made a billion dollars at the box office. Whatever new universe Gunn and Safran cook up creatively, here’s hoping that Gadot, Cavill, and Momoa all stick around. Why throw the super babies out with the bathwater? Especially as they’re so identified with those characters now? We expect this story to take many turns before DC Studios unveils its multi-year plan next year.

Originally published December 7, 2022.

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The folks at Mondo have been killing it with their vinyl soundtracks for DC Comics films lately. Movies like Aquaman, Shazam!, and Justice League have had soundtrack releases recently, featuring some amazing newly created artwork. Now, Diana Prince is joining her heroic colleagues. Mondo is releasing a new vinyl pressing for the Hans Zimmer score of Wonder Woman 1984, along with two new ’80s inspired prints from artist La Boca. Both will be available at MondoShop.com on Wednesday, June 30.

Mondo

The album features incredible artwork by La Boca, housed in a tri-fold jacket with holo-foil elements. It also includes liner notes by writer and director Patty Jenkins. The vinyl pressing is available on 3x 180 Gram Fireworks colored vinyl, limited to 1,000 copies. It is exclusive to Mondo’s webstore. Also coming soon is a 3x 180 Gram Black vinyl, as well as 3x Swirl colored vinyl. The latter is through select independent retailers. The artwork draws inspiration from the iconic ’80s artist Patrick Nagel, whose work is synonymous with the decade. 

Mondo

In a statement, Mondo’s Mo Shafeek said “Hans Zimmer’s score to Wonder Woman 1984 is quite possibly my favorite piece of superhero film scoring since John Williams’ Superman: The Movie and Danny Elfman’s Batman. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but even before our test pressings arrived, it was one of my most-listened-to albums on Spotify of the last 6 months. It’s that good. I can’t wait for you to hear how good it sounds on vinyl out of big speakers.”

The rainbow candy-colored vinyl album cover shows Wonder Woman in her Themysciran armor, once worn by the Amazon Asteria (Lynda Carter). For all kids who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, that candy color scheme will remind you of one specific thing: the Lisa Frank product line. This looks like the crossover between Lisa Frank and Wonder Woman that should have adorned lunchboxes and backpacks back in the day. You can check out images for these stunning posters below.

Wonder Woman 1984 (Version 1)

 Artwork by La Boca / Edition of 200

36″x24″ Screenprint /Printed by Lady Lazarus  / $50

Wonder Woman 1984 (Version 2)

Artwork by La Boca / Edition of 200

36″x24″ Screenprint / Printed by Lady Lazarus / $50

For more information, including a complete track listing, be sure to head on over to Mondoshop.com.

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It looks as though there was much fun to be had on the set of Wonder Woman 1984. Warner Bros has released a gag reel from behind the scenes of last year’s DC Comics epic. The video shows stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, and Pedro Pascal in the throes of blooper after blooper. Present and accounted for are the usual suspects: flubbed lines, uncooperative props, and some good old-fashioned goofing off. Take a look at the video right here, which we first spotted over at Gizmodo.

Pine especially seems prone to veer into joyful chaos at any opportunity. A series of clips that begins around the 3:30 mark shows Pine playfully undermining Gadot’s attempts to nail a take. At one point, he mock-escalates his voice to Albert Brooks levels of agitated rasp. All while his Wonder Woman costar laughs uncontrollably. But then again, who can blame her? The last few years of Chris Pine’s career and celebrity have seemed bent on proving that he’s a real riot.

And as should surprise no one, Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal also seem like purveyors of good vibes on set. A few snippets in the reel feature Wiig stuck in the throes of laughter. (Which is kind of a delight to behold, given how dutifully she fended off breaking during her years on SNL.) And Pascal sure appears to have a penchant for silliness.

Warner Bros.

The above video comes in company with the release of Wonder Woman 1984 on digital platforms. After spending 30 days on HBO Max beginning back in December, the film relinquished its online presence, heading to theaters exclusively for the ensuing period. But now you can purchase the movie digitally at the likes of Google Play, Amazon, and Vudu; and on March 30, it will release on Blu-ray and DVD, no doubt alongside features like the above gag reel.

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The DC Universe is changing. Future State is flinging our heroes out of their time and into… well, the future. As one of DC’s most iconic heroes, Diana Prince is of course playing a vital part. Her story is being told in Immortal Wonder Woman—alongside a brand new Nubia story—from Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Jen Bartel, and Pat Brosseau. We chatted with the team, and have some exclusive art from the issue to boot! So prepare to get mythical with the minds behind Immortal Wonder Woman.

The Vision for Future State: Immortal Wonder Woman

DC Comics

Fan fave artist Bartel crafted Diana’s vibrant technicolor world of Immortal Wonder Woman. Her vision of the Amazon hero is instantly recognizable, but also feels completely authentic to Bartel’s style. “I knew right off the bat that I wanted to preserve Diana’s iconic look as much as possible, especially since there’s so much legacy tied to it,” Bartel told Nerdist. She added, “I knew I wanted to give a nod to Cliff Chiang’s design. I love his work and his WW run so much. So I made sure to incorporate the stars and similar linework into her bodice.”

Bartel continued, “Becky and Michael both had a lot of awesome ideas on how we could quickly communicate to the reader that this was an older Diana. Despite the fact that she’s immortal, the years have taken a bit of a toll on her, even if it is just through a cool white hair streak and a couple extra wrinkles on her face. The design element I knew I had to add in just for me was definitely her ponytail hairstyle though. I love a good ponytail, haha.”

Bartel has accrued an impressive back catalog in both Big Two and indie comics. Still, Immortal Wonder Woman #1 represents a stepping stone for the artist. Although she’s done interior issues of Black Panther before, IWW was a new experience. “This is the first one I’ve done 100% on my own from layouts all the way to colors. I really wanted to challenge myself to try new techniques wherever I had an opportunity to. So there are definitely a lot of little glimpses at my growing pains on these pages.”

A Dream Come True

DC Comics

For all three creators, one thing is clear: this is a dream gig. “Writing Wonder Woman is a bit of a dream really. When we were presented the opportunity to tell a story about her in the deepest future we could imagine, all these bells started going off in my head,” Conrad said. “It felt easy, because this is the kind of thing fans like me have been imagining for years. Being able to actually tell it in Future State with very little interference on the vision has been great.”

DC Comics

Cloonan agreed. “Yeah, Future State really gave us the perfect opportunity to tell the Wonder Woman story of my dreams. We really dig into her character as an immortal, a demigod, and what wielding that kind of power means for someone at the end of time. We requested Jen Bartel really early on too, so we went into this issue being able to imagine exactly what she’d bring to the script. It was a perfect storm, really.”

Bartel shared her team’s enthusiasm. “It’s been really surreal. I never imagined I’d be considered to draw Diana, and I feel incredibly honored to have the opportunity. Working with Becky and Michael on this has been a dream too; it feels like we’ve been on the same wavelength from start to finish!”

Death, Loss, and Immortality

DC Comics

Cloonan and Conrad’s story deals with death, loss, and immortality. So what drew them to such a dark yarn? “When you only have a short amount of pages—in our case, two issues—to tell a full, engaging, emotionally impactful story, it takes a lot of work,” Cloonan shared. “I usually start by thinking of the end of the story, of what I want the reader to feel when they set the book down, and kind of work my way back from there. We were really lucky that we got to be a little poetic and indulge some heavy emotional beats, but also bring in some very big ideas as well! Our goal was to write a story that was not only true to Wonder Woman as a character, but also bring in our own vision of who she is and what makes her so great.”

Her co-writer Conrad expanded on the pair’s process. “Becky once told me that when writing a book, you have to shoot for the definitive story, otherwise it may not be worth taking the job,” Conrad said. “I know what she meant by that was less about competition with other stories, and more about telling the version of your story that is the most true for you as the writer. We pushed each other to refine something that could have been very long into a little diamond. I was worried we wouldn’t have room to tell such a big story, but then I remembered some of the short arcs in comics that have come to define entire characters. I think we did it.”

The Music of Immortal Wonder Woman

DC Comics

In case you enjoy a tailored soundtrack while reading comics, the team shared what they listened to while creating. “I like instrumental stuff while writing, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mogwai, movie soundtracks,” Conrad said. “Right when we wrapped the scripts for Immortal Wonder Woman, this song ‘Lasso’ by Phoenix came on. I’d heard the song before, but I was struck by how perfect the lyrics were for this particular story.”

Cloonan said, “I mostly work in instrumental music too, but for this story it was a lot of Drab Majesty, Messa, Domo…I’ve been on an eternal Type O Negative kick for decades so it’s safe to say I probably listened to October Rust a bunch too.”

As for Bartel: “I listened to a lot of the Oblivion soundtrack while working on this story. It’s fantastic if you haven’t heard it!”

The Team’s Favorite Moments

DC Comics

Fans will no doubt lose themselves in the immersive and engaging story. But the team members all have their own favorite things about the book. “If I had to pick one, it would absolutely be the scene in the Batcave,” Cloonan said, adding, “Gotham Academy fans might want to pay attention to the Robin Suit that Jen drew!”

For Bartel the answer was clear. “I think for me, my favorite page is the one where she’s just whipping Darkseid around like a rag doll with her lasso. I had never hand-lettered anything before this and doing the SFX on that page was really fun.”

And Conrad’s favorite? “The credits page. My name in a Wonder Woman book next to two of the most talented women in comics will never get old,” he laughed. “I’m only kind of kidding—I can’t pick a favorite, I’ll be interested to see what readers respond to.”

Future State: Immortal Wonder Woman #1 hits shelves on Jan. 19.

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Life as a Wonder Woman fan is good. But it could be better! While Wonder Woman 1984 may have received a bit more of a mixed reaction from audiences than its predecessor, that hasn’t stopped DC from fast tracking the third installment of the franchise, with director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot set to return. Dan takes a look at some classic storylines from the comics that could be the perfect inspiration for Wonder Woman 3 on today’s episode of Nerdist News.

Special thanks to Eric Diaz for his help with today’s episode!

Read Eric’s original piece on Nerdist: https://bit.ly/3bgEGma
The DCEU’s multiverse plans explained: https://bit.ly/394i1XG
Wonder Woman 1984’s post-credits scene explained: https://bit.ly/3s2u2FJ

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The smartest thing here would be to double down on the Greek mythology aspect of Diana’s source material—which 1984 woefully glossed over—and to adapt the actual stories found in the very best Wonder Woman comics. Below are five comic book storylines we think should inspire the forthcoming third film, which would ensure perhaps the best Wonder Woman movie yet.

“The Challenge of the Gods” (Wonder Woman, Vol. 2, #10-13)

DC Comics

This storyline came early in George Perez’s seminal reboot of Wonder Woman in the late ‘80s. After rejecting the advances of Zeus (who at this point in DC continuity was decidedly not Diana’s father), the King of Mount Olympus forced Diana to undergo a journey to prove her worth to the gods. She embarked on a harrowing mission through Doom’s Doorway, the portal under the island of Themyscira leading to the Underworld.

Beneath the island, Diana faced off against all kinds of mythological monsters, like a cyclops, minotaur, and hydra. She also encounters lost loved ones in the realm of Hades. This would be a perfect scenario for a third Wonder Woman film. It could bring in some much needed Greek mythology into the story, and show off Diana’s unmatched battle prowess. An encounter in the realm of Hades with her departed loved ones could also provide some closure. Especially with the likes of her Amazonian aunt Antiope and Steve Trevor.

“The Witch on the Island” (Wonder Woman, Vol. 2, #19)

DC Comics

This is another early George Perez tale, which reinvented the classic Wonder Woman foe Circe. The immortal enchantress from Greek myth is mainly known for turning men into pigs in Homer’s Odyssey. In the comics, her enmity towards Diana stems from an ancient prophecy; she believes means that Diana will steal her powers, thus robbing her of her eternal life.

This story sees Diana face off against Circe on her mythical island home in the Mediterranean. Circe is one of Wonder Woman’s top tier villains, and is a formidable foe for her to face onscreen. Besides, the villain best known for transforming humans into animals could be responsible for bringing back Cheetah. Circe stands right alongside Ares and Cheetah as Diana’s greatest enemies in the comics, and we think she deserves to be on the big screen.

“Paradise Found” (Wonder Woman, Vol. 2 #177)

DC Comics

Writer/artist Phil Jimenez was greatly influenced by the George Perez run of comics from the ’80s and ’90s. His two-year run on Wonder Woman in the early 2000s is a spiritual sequel in many ways to that seminal era. In issue #177, Jimenez restores the island of Themyscira into a new and  highly advanced nation, after its having been nearly destroyed in the previous years’ worth of stories. The broad strokes of this story, which saw the paradise island home of the Amazons join the modern world, could be adapted into something very cool onscreen. Ditto Jimenez’s designs for a new and advanced Themyscira.

“The Eyes of the Gorgon” (Wonder Woman, Vol. 2, #206-213)

DC Comics

This storyline, written by Greg Rucka, ran in issues #206-213 of the second volume of Wonder Woman. This storyline also ties deeply into Greek myth, and shows the Amazing Amazon facing off against the serpent-headed gorgon Medusa (here spelled Medousa). Realizing there is only way to defeat a creature whose gaze can turn one into stone, Diana goes so far as to blind herself to defeat her. First translated into animation for the movie Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, this story really should get a live-action equivalent.

JLA: A League of One (Original Graphic Novel)

DC Comics

This might be the hardest to adapt in a standalone Wonder Woman film, due to all the Justice League heroes involved. Despite the JLA title, this is a Wonder Woman story through and through. This original graphic novel finds Diana reeling when the Oracle at Delphi gives her the knowledge that the Justice League will die saving the Earth from an ancient dragon.

Determined to keep her friends from dying, Diana beats each one of her teammates one by one until only she remains, literally a “league of one.” This story shows how Wonder Woman is resourceful enough to subdue all her JLA teammates. Yes, even Superman. But also how she is caring and compassionate enough to go to any lengths to save them.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

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Christmas Day saw the long-awaited release of Wonder Woman 1984, and to great consequence. Theaters across the country showcased the superhero feature, which accrued $16.7 million at the domestic box office. Paltry compared to your typical holiday blockbuster opening, yes. But that’s a significant intake given the heavy hand of the coronavirus pandemic. Diana Prince’s Reagan-era adventure released simultaneously on the Warner Bros.-owned streaming service HBO Max. While Warner Bros. has not publicized at-home viewership data, we can assume that eyes turned to the mighty Amazonian throughout the weekend. News broke on Sunday that the studio has formally greenlit a third Wonder Woman feature; Patty Jenkins, director of 2017’s Wonder Woman and its newly released sequel, will likewise helm the next entry.

Granted, the ostensibly speedy decision owes not only to Wonder Woman 1984‘s holiday weekend performance. The movie opened overseas on December 16, and has since amounted $68.3 million internationally; counting US and Canada totals, that comes to $85 million overall in less than two weeks. (Which, again, is nothing to sneeze at given the impact of COVID-19 on the industry.)

Warner Bros.

Though Wonder Woman 1984 may have collected ample attention, it hasn’t earned unanimous praise. The film gained mixed critical reception—especially notable when compared to its overall beloved 2017 predecessor. Still, this doesn’t seem to have impressed upon worldwide ticket sales, nor has it incited caution at studio headquarters.

Wonder Woman 3‘s proper announcement came with no mention of scheduled release, nor mention of whether Warner Bros. will deliver the film simultaneously to theaters and streaming, per its plans en masse for 2021 releases. We can assume at least that director Jenkins’ commitment to Lucasfilm’s Rogue Squadron movie will delay production on Wonder Woman 3, thus leaving us without another trip to Themyscira for some time yet. As Wonder Woman remains a hot topic across the web, we’re sure to hear more news on the Amazonian front before long.

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It’s one of the most recognizable elements of Wonder Woman’s mythology, dating all the way back to 1942. Ask most people with only a casual knowledge of the Amazing Amazon, and one of the top five things they’ll tell you about her is that she flies in an invisible plane. And yet, it didn’t make it into her first solo movie. But thanks to Wonder Woman 1984, the invisible plane finally makes its big screen debut at last.

In the new film, Diana uses some of the same energy her father Zeus famously used to cloak her homeland of Themyscira with an invisible shield. In the new film, Diana uses some of that same energy on an airplane with Steve Trevor. It’s a unique explanation, and one that fits into the mythos established by the film. But this explanation for the plane’s existence doesn’t come from any comic book or previous media. But that’s okay! The Invisible Plane has a long and strange history, with many different origin points.

Warner Bros.

In William Marston’s original conception in the ’40s, the Amazons of Paradise Island had very advanced technology, miles ahead of anything in “Man’s World.” When Diana left her home to fight in World War II as Wonder Woman, her mother gifted her with a special plane that was invisible to the naked eye and all forms of radar. Wonder Woman could even use her tiara to control her Robot Plane (as she called it) to appear. She could also telepathically command the plane, and maneuver the vehicle with a thought.

DC Comics

In the ‘40s, the plane appeared as a propeller plane, as was standard in that era. But in the ‘50s, when high powered jets became the norm, it took on that appearance to keep with the times. Starting in the early ’60s, there was a brief period where the plane was explained as once having been a mythical Pegasus, transformed into an airplane by the Greek Goddess Athena. But that was quickly dropped. During the four-year period when Wonder Woman lost her powers, she didn’t use her iconic ride at all.

DC Comics

In the ‘70s, Diana Prince finally leapt off the printed page and onto television. First, with the Super Friends animated series, and then with the Lynda Carter live-action Wonder Woman show. Both versions featured the invisible plane, forever cementing it as part of Diana’s iconography to the masses. The live-action show only used it a handful of times, probably because it looked really goofy. But on Saturday mornings, Wonder Woman was never too far from her iconic aircraft.

Warner Bros.

Despite this newfound fame, by the mid ’80s, the plane would vanish. (Pun fully intended.) TV versions felt silly than in the comics, giving way to  comments like, “Where does she find the plane once it’s parked?” By and large, the plane became a pop culture joke. So in DC Comics’ post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot of Wonder Woman, Diana would get a huge power upgrade. Rather than “gliding on air currents” as she once did, Diana now wielded the power of flight. This meant that she just didn’t need the plane anymore. And thus, the invisible plane went the way of the dinosaur for a whole decade.

DC Comics

In the late ’90s, writer/artist John Byrne reinvented the Invisible plane for the modern age, this time as a product of alien technology. It was an alien “morphing crystal”, which could change shape, and was actually sentient. The crystal was often a plane, but could transform into other transparent vehicles. This alien being was initially sheltered from the outside world by an underground race of creatures called the Lansinarians, who in turn gave it to Diana.

DC Comics

This new version of the invisible jet could communicate telepathically with Diana, and would eventually morph into her version of the Fortress of Solitude called the Wonder Dome. Saving Themyscria, the alien eventually died, leaving Wonder Woman once again without a cool vehicle of her own. Batman provided her with a stealth jet created by Wayne Enterprises, but it was decidedly not as cool. Wondy didn’t use it much; no one really loved the idea of Diana’s jet being a hand-me-down from Bruce Wayne.

DC Comics

2011’s big New 52 reboot of the DC Universe didn’t find much use for the invisible plane. But it did pop up, in a way, in a reinvented form. During this era of  Diana’s history, the emphasis was less on her relationship with her Amazon sisters, and more on her relationship with her Olympian siblings. So the god Hephasteus built his sister an “invisible chariot,” similar to one he built for himself “to move freely around the world without Olympus watching him.” Presumably it could fly, so it was kind of an invisible jet? In any case, it didn’t make many appearances.

DC Comics

When Greg Rucka returned to writing Princess Diana in 2016 for the Wonder Woman: Year One reboot, he brought back the invisible jet proper in a new way. His explanation for the plane was that it was pilot Steve Trevor’s plane that crashed on Themyscira. It was  destroyed in the crash, but the Amazons rebuilt it and added some of their own magical expertise. And presto—the plane was now invisible. Technically, it was Trevor’s plane, but Diana was the one flying it. The reasons for the invisibility was so it couldn’t be tracked leaving the secret island, thereby giving away its location.

Animation has continued to give the invisible plane even more wild explanations. In the Justice League animated film Crisis on Two Earths, the plane was a stealth jet with cloaking tech belonging to Owl Man, the evil alternate universe version of Batman. Wonder Woman bested him in battle and stole his plane as “the spoils of war,” and took it back to her own Earth. It’s kind of badass, but it’s always better when the plane doesn’t come from another character’s mythos.

Silly or not, the invisible plane has been a staple of Wonder Woman’s iconography since almost day one. Creators will continue to find a way to make it cool and relevant, despite public perception. Sure, the image of a woman just kind of sitting in the sky is weird, but all that aside, a supersonic stealth aircraft shouldn’t ever be not awesome. And as long as Wonder Woman is flying it, the Invisible Plane always will be.

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One of the big reveals of Wonder Woman 1984 is the story behind Diana’s golden armor. In the original comics, it originated in the alternate future world of Kingdom Come. The new film reveals it as the property of an ancient Amazon named Asteria. It is she, according to legend, who stays behind in Man’s World, so the Amazonian race can get away to Themyscira. Asteria is never heard from again. Diana tells Steve Trevor she searched the globe for her, only finding her armor.

Warner Bros.

But in the mid-credits scene of Wonder Woman 1984, we discover that Asteria is alive and well, and living in the modern world. In fact, none other than TV’s original Diana Prince, Lynda Carter, plays her. But is Asteria an actual character from the pages of DC Comics, or did Patty Jenkins just make her up? Well….yes and no.

Alternate Earth Amazon

DC Comics

A character named Asteria exists in the comics, but it’s a deep, deep cut. She appears in the 1998 out-of-continuity comic book Elseworld’s Finest: Supergirl and Batgirl. That story showcases an alternate Earth where the main champions are Supergirl and Batgirl, and not their male counterparts. That world’s preeminent super team was the Justice Society of America. Earth 1098’s JSA showcases some familiar names, yet there was one powerful looking lady on the roster no one had seen before. Her name was Asteria.

While we know little about her in the story, it seems likely that she is another Amazon warrior. She certainly looks the part. But outside of this one appearance on Earth-1098, Asteria never shows up in another comic book again. Above is an image from her one and only appearance in the Elseworld’s Finest comic.

Warner Bros.

It is likely that Patty Jenkins and Geoff Johns simply pulled the name out of a hat. This is similar to how Superman: The Movie’s General Zod is named after another Phantom Zone villain in the comics, yet looks and acts nothing like him. Zod is just a cool name the producers took a shine to. But it seems likely that Asteria is teed up for much more in a potential third Wonder Woman film.

Recent Hints

DC Comics

There is evidence that DC Comics has plans to introduce a different Asteria in the pages of the comics. Just two years ago, Wonder Woman mentioned an ancient Amazon warrior by that name in a Justice League event comic called Drowned Earth. Diana tells Aquaman about an Amazon of old, a warrior named Asteria whose deeds became legendary. An “ancient sister who fought against the gods.” Diana even names her trusty eagle companion after Asteria. We don’t see the character, but the fact they chose that name is very telling. It indicates they have plans.

Asteria’s Future

Warner Bros.

Just having Asteria brought to life by the legendary Lynda Carter is what really makes her so cool of course. They could have called her character Sally Jenkins and we would have been ok with that!  While we still hope we get to see Lynda suit up again as the original Wonder Woman on an alternate Earth in the Flash movie, we would also love to see her continue playing Asteria. Seeing her and Diana team up against a villain like Circe would be the bee’s knees. Here’s hoping Patty Jenkins and Warner Brothers makes this a reality.

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Patty Jenkins’ first Wonder Woman film was extremely faithful to the comic book origins of the character. But it left out one crucial element of Princess Diana’s backstory: the Amazonian contest. The contest is an Olympic Games-style tournament where the Amazons compete against one another in various forms. The competitions range from hand-to-hand combat to gymnastic feats. It’s all in the name of proving who is the greatest Amazon of them all. In Wonder Woman 1984, Jenkins found a way to incorporate this iconic piece of of DC Comics’ mythos into the live-action universe.

Wonder Woman 1984 transposes this event to Diana’s childhood, whereas in the comics she experienced it as an adult. But the film isn’t the first time the contest has been reinvented. It’s been retold and reinterpreted for different generations and for different mediums.  Here’s the nearly 80-year history of the Amazons’ contest of champions.

The Golden Age Original (1941)

In Wonder Woman’s 1941 origin story, the Amazonian contest is there right from the start. Back then, it only took up a handful of panels. One of the more ridiculous aspects of the story found Diana, forbidden by her mother from participating, joining anyway in disguise. Diana used a tiny domino mask to cover her identity. I guess it’s no more ridiculous than Clark Kent’s glasses, but it certainly seems silly in the modern day.

It’s noteworthy as well that the original version of the Amazonian contest is more an Olympic-style tournament, less about fighting prowess. Part of the original challenge was outrunning a stag! Of course, one violent aspect was the bullets and bracelets challenge, which actually injured an Amazon in the original comic book. It was rare to see blood in a comic of that day, but you saw it there. This version of the contest was very much the template going forward.

The Silver Age (1958)

DC Comics

The first change to the contest story came in 1958, at the dawn of comics’ Silver Age. This retcon had Diana as Wonder Woman in costume before leaving for Man’s World, which kind of makes no sense. In order to make sure that everyone didn’t know they were competing against Diana, Queen Hippolyta ordered all the Amazons to disguise themselves as Wonder Woman. It’s a wacky concept, and one quickly dropped from continuity. Going forward, most references to Diana’s competition have only called back to the original ‘40s version. Which is for the best.

Wonder Woman TV Pilot (1975)

The original pilot for the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman  TV series also recreated the classic origin story, pretty much intact. Much like the original comic book origin from William Marston, it included the Amazon contest. This was less hand-to-hand combat, more Olympic games. One big change had Diana not just wearing a flimsy mask, but also a blonde wig. I guess that was supposed to make her mother not recognize her? Oh well. Baby steps.

Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)

The 1978 Super Friends cartoon series also featured Wonder Woman’s classic origin…with a twist. The evil Legion of Doom decided to go back in time to undo the origins of the Justice League, including that of Wonder Woman. Her arch-nemesis Cheetah disguised herself as an Amazon, and fought in the contest. She won, using her “catlike skill,” becoming Wonder Woman instead of Diana. Naturally, history corrected itself. But it was nevertheless fun to see DC history come to life on Saturday morning television.

The Bronze Age (1979)

DC Comics

During the late Bronze Age of comics, Diana had to undergo the contest a second time. This occurred when a fellow Amazon challenged her for the right to be Wonder Woman. This time, Diana lost the challenge, and her Amazonian sister Orana donned the costume. The fiery redhead was far more headstrong that Diana, but this disposition ultimately cost Orana her life. Diana of course, would assume the title of Wonder Woman again shortly thereafter. This lesser known story was the template for another tale that would come later in the ‘90s. That saga, which you’ll see more about down below, had Diana and an Amazon named Artemis face off for the right to be Wonder Woman. A contest Diana would lose.

Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths (1986)

DC Comics

In the wake of DC’s continuity-shattering Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wonder Woman’s mythos were completely rebooted by writer/artist George Perez. In this new iteration, the Amazons lost all their sci-fi trappings. Perez reinvented them totally as warriors out of Ancient Greek myth. For this updated version of the contest, all the Amazons had to wear helmets with masks, as to not let emotional attachment between sisters influence their performance. As one gifted by the Gods, Diana easily won this competition as well, becoming Wonder Woman.

The “Extreme” Age (1994)

DC Comics

After the glory of the George Perez years, Wonder Woman comics suffered a slump. The ’90s were an era of extreme art styles, and not a great period for how women were portrayed in mainstream comics. Artist Mike Deodato took on Wonder Woman’s art duties. Suddenly, every Amazon was scantily clad. It was… a choice. And it certainly hasn’t aged very well.

But sales went up, and DC began a story where Diana’s mother forced another contest for Diana to prove herself worthy of being Wonder Woman. All because she had a vision of Wonder Woman’s death, and was trying to save her daughter. This time, Diana lost to Artemis, an Amazon based very much on the now-forgotten character Orana. Artemis was far more popular, and is still around today. After a period wearing a terrible black leather biker outfit, Diana returned to the role of Wonder Woman. Thank Hera.

Wonder Woman Animated Film (2009)

The animated Wonder Woman direct-to-DVD movie also featured the classic contest as part of Diana’s origin. And it didn’t stray too far from the modern comics canon. It is probably a little more brutal and bloody than we’d seen in that past, lending to the PG-13 rating. A big difference from the comic book version: the bullets and bracelets portion of the competition is an “arrows and bracelets” contest instead. Which makes a ton more sense.

Rebirth Era (2016)

DC Comics

The New 52 reboot of Wonder Woman from 2011 didn’t really show us the contest, but the 2016 Rebirth origin story did. And writer Greg Rucka pretty much kept to the classic version. It was a little more George Perez, with a dash of Golden Age flavor. This is the most recent version of the contest in comics continuity. Judging from Wonder Woman 1984, director Patty Jenkins definitely took some cues from it.

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Fans responded warmly to the DC Comics movie, embracing Gal Gadot‘s Diana Prince and her journey into the world of humans. From Themyscira to the trenches of World War I, Diana fought to see the beauty in those around her and to save the planet from Ares, the god of war. She learned much about good and evil and hope, and even though she lost someone close to her, she kept fighting. And we can’t wait to see more of that in the film’s sequel.

So what exactly will we see in the sequel? Let’s look at everything we know about Wonder Woman 1984 so far. Bookmark this page and check back for updates.

The Trailers and Poster

The first trailer for the film finds the Amazonian goddess in the era of greed and glamour known as the 1980s. Although the trailer shows that her great love Steve Trevor miraculously returns from the dead, we still don’t know how that’s accomplished. The music in the trailer is an orchestral arrangement of New Order’s 1983 hit “Blue Monday.” We see Diana kick bad guy butt in a shopping mall, and we see both Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor inside the cockpit of a plane. Is that plane perhaps… invisible? We will have to wait and see.

On August 21, we got a look at a particularly vibrant piece of art advertising the upcoming film. Director Patty Jenkins tweeted the film’s new official poster, which is notable both for its color scheme and for its central figure’s magnificent wingspan.

Then on August 22 during DC FanDome, Patty Jenkins and the cast shared a new trailer showing off Cheetah’s full transformation:

The trailer teases a little more about Max Lord’s mysterious powers. He’s selling people their dreams. That seems connected to Steve Trevor’s return. It’s definitely connected to Barbara Minerva’s transformation into Cheetah—which looks incredible.

The above video shows the film’s opening scene. Young Diana (Lilly Aspell) participates in Amazonian games.

Release Date

Warner Brothers

Wonder Woman 1984 is  now set to arrive in movie theaters on December 25, 2020. The coronavirus caused the original release date to change a couple of times now. From Variety: “Patty is an exceptional filmmaker and with Wonder Woman 1984 she has delivered an incredibly dynamic film that moviegoers of all ages around the world will absolutely love,” said Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group chairman. “We’re very proud of the film and look forward to bringing it to audiences for the holidays.”

As of November 18, 2020, the film is still arriving on Christmas Day but with a twist: Wonder Woman 1984 will also debut on HBO Max at no additional cost on the same day.

Director and Writers

Patty Jenkins has returned to the world of Wonder Woman to direct the sequel. She co-wrote the script with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham.

Plot

“Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing an all-new foe: The Cheetah.” That’s Warner Bros.’ official description for Wonder Woman 1984, set in—you guessed it—1984. That puts the movie in the thick of the Cold War. During an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, Jenkins said, “Eras are important.” She thinks 1984 was a time when humankind was at its best and its worst; she wanted “to see Wonder Woman at a time that’s pretty much us at our most extreme. Everything we were doing right then, we thought would go on forever.”

Returning Cast

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A Wonder Woman movie wouldn’t exist without Wonder Woman, so obviously Gal Gadot is back as Diana Prince. She now works for the Natural History Museum in Washington, DC. Her Wonder Woman costume seems to be a little brighter, too. She’ll even get a new iconic comic book costume: Wonder Woman’s golden armor. We know from the trailer that she’s still helping humanity, although her destruction of security cameras in the mall suggest she is keeping her role as Wonder Woman a secret from the world.

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She’s not the only person coming back. Chris Pine will be costarring as Steve Trevor… somehow. He definitely died at the end of the first Wonder Woman, set some 60 years earlier than Wonder Woman 1984, but he’s here and wearing a track suit. Why? How? It is a comic book movie, so it’s not completely impossible.

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Also returning are Connie Nielsen as Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyta and aunt Robin Wright as her sister Antiope. The two are featured in a flashback which takes us back to Themyscira. It appears that we will see one portion of Diana’s origin story that was missing from the original film: the contest of Amazon championship.

New Cast Members

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Kristen Wiig was the first new cast member announced for Wonder Woman ’84. She’s portraying Barbara Ann Minerva, a.k.a. Cheetah. The character is both a friend and enemy to Diana in the comics, and it’s looking she’ll be both in the upcoming film. The pair are colleagues at the Natural History Museum, where Minerva is a gemologist.

Warner Brothers

Pedro Pascal is part of the Wonder Woman 1984 cast, too. He’ll be playing ’80s tycoon Maxwell Lord, a character who once bankrolled the Justice League in the ’80s. Here, he’ll be portrayed as TV self-help guru, who makes millions from selling people the chance to make their dreams come true. He’s apparently the real villain of the film. Famously, he was once killed by Wonder Woman in the comics in a last-ditch effort to save Superman from mind control.

The Hindu confirms Soundarya Sharma is also part of the cast. Sharma said, “It’s exhilarating to be a part of such a larger than life character film where you get to play your dream role.” Given her quote, it sounds like she has a sizable part.

Images: Warner Bros.

Originally published on February 11, 2019 with updates on July 20,  August 21, August 22, and November 19 2020.

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Read just some of the reviews pouring in for Wonder Woman’s second solo cinematic outing below:

Alex Abad-Santos of Vox suggests that Wonder Woman 1984 is a better romantic comedy than superhero film, but it nails important traits about Diana. Such as how much she loves “the beauty of the world and learning all of its languages, relishes her sacred duty to protect the innocent and fight for those who cannot fight themselves, and dreams of making the world better, one good deed at a time.”

Angie Han from Mashable also gave the film a positive review, saying that although parts of the movie are messy, “WW84, like its heroine, has its heart in the right place. The emotions work even when the calculations behind them don’t quite add up.”

One of the many things critics seem to be praising about WW84 is how much it sticks to Diana Prince’s earnestness. IGN‘s Matt Purslow says “WW84 is the quintessential Wonder Woman film. Love and compassion are her driving force, layered on top of the morality and duty we’ve seen in characters like Clark Kent and Steve Rogers.”

Entertainment Weekly‘s Mary Sollosi was skeptical about returning Steve Trevor from the grave, but is ultimately glad they chose to bring him back. She says of Steve’s return that “his and Diana’s relationship is the beating heart of WW84, not at all tacked on but completely essential.”

Esther Zuckerman of Thrillist thinks that the follow up to the 2017 original is a fun movie, but it ultimately way too long (it clocks in at two and a half hours.) Although they call it a “fun but messy follow up,” they also add “there’s a lot to love in WW84: bold performances from a delightful cast, and fantastic costumes.”

Patty Jenkins has often said how much she was influenced by Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie when making Wonder Woman, a similarity that is noted by USA Today‘s Brian Truitt. He says in his review that WW84 is “a rousing, retro throwback to Christopher Reeve’s Superman.”

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Kate Erbland of IndieWire loves the ’80s excess of it all, saying “all that neon and all those parachute pants? Just a bonus, as Jenkins and Gadot take their heartfelt heroine back to 1984, finding bombastic new territory for Diana Prince to explore.”

Ben Travis at Empire gave the film four stars, saying “It’s fitting that Diana Prince is the one to swoop in and save the day — after all, she was the original bright new hope of the DC Extended Universe, once so mired in morally murky seriousness.” A welcome respite indeed.

David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter was more mixed on WW84, but still had praise for Gal Gadot in particular, saying “there’s still a lot to love. Gadot remains a charismatic presence who wields the lasso with authority, even tethering lightning bolts in some arresting moments. However, I missed the more hand-to-hand gladiatorial aspect of so many fight scenes in the first movie.”

Matt Goldberg at Collider was definitely less keen on WW84 than most, saying “there are moments when Wonder Woman 1984 manages to be joyful and really lean into the colorfulness of its 1980s setting, but even here the movie is scattershot and at time surprisingly limp.”

Wonder Woman 1984 hits select theaters and HBO Max on Christmas Day.

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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It didn’t seem likely for most of 2020, but audiences will get to see Wonder Woman 1984 this year… just not the way any of us expected. Originally set to be one of summer’s biggest blockbusters, COVID-19 has delayed its premiere repeatedly. Now director Patty Jenkins’ followup to her 2017 hit will be coming to HBO Max on Christmas Day. Can it live up the extended hype and anticipation? And will the move from the big screen to our television sets hurt the experience? We don’t know about the latter yet. But based on the first glowing critical reactions to the movie, its story, characters, and heart will make it worth the wait no matter where or how you watch it.

Warner Bros. gave some very lucky critics a chance to finally screen the movie. That included Nerdist‘s own managing editor, Amy Ratcliffe who says that it’s exactly the movie we all need right now.

She wasn’t the only one who felt that way either.

Fans of the Richard Donner Superman films should be extra excited about what to expect.

Some were completely overwhelmed by the movie.

There was also tons of praise for the film’s villains, played by Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig.

No real surprise here—the movie’s two stars were also pretty good.

Even the “harshest” reactions sound pretty positive.

Wonder Woman 1984 may not have come out in the midst of a summer blockbuster season. And we may have to settle for watching it at home on HBO Max as opposed to on the big screen. But based on these first reactions it, sounds like Wonder Woman 1984 will have been worth the wait no matter when, where, and how we watch it.

Image: Warner Bros.

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The original Wonder Woman theme song lyrics said “all the world is waiting for you.” This has never felt more true. Wonder Woman 1984 is the potential blockbuster that feels like it’s never going to get here. This year alone, it has had three different release dates: June 5, then October 2, and now December 25. But with COVID-19 cases spiking all over the country, the current Christmas Day release is holding… with a twist. The film will debut in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25. Director Patty Jenkins shared the news on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

When everything is said and done, the highly anticipated sequel to Patty Jenkins’ 2017 blockbuster has actually had four release dates so far. November of 2019 was the first release date, before moving to June of 2020. Then the pandemic hit, and a game of “kick the can” started happening with this film. As of now, it’s the only blockbuster still on the docket for 2020. And Jenkins does mention some movie theaters have made it safe for attendees. In a county where the pandemic is surging like it hasn’t before, it’s hard to imagine sitting in a theater in December though.

Can a movie like this skipping theatrical show positive results? The Trolls sequel made over $100 million this way after all. Wonder Woman 1984 will undoubtedly draw new subscribers to HBO Max, which itself is relatively new.

Warner Bros.

And Wonder Woman isn’t just another Trolls movie either. It’s the sequel to one of the most successful superhero movies of all time. It has the potential to still make money. Warner Bros. likely just can’t justify holding a blockbuster in at this point. Now we see if other studios follow suit with their blockbuster films.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

This article has been updated to reflect recent news from Warner Bros. 

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Diana of Themyscira is set to return in the superhero sequel Wonder Woman 1984 on December 25, 2020. But that could all change as Warner Bros. execs mull the movie’s future and decide whether to move it to 2021 or figure out a hybrid release strategy to send it to HBO Max. So is the next DC movie going to follow in Mulan’s footsteps? Join Dan Casey on Nerdist News as we break it all down.

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Seeing Barbara’s full Cheetah transformation is incredible! And also a little scary. The trailer shows a peek at an epic fight between Cheetah and Diana, who is decked out in Wonder Woman’s new golden armor. Besides that, my favorite part of the trailer is seeing Steve Trevor back. Steve and Diana had a fun chemistry in the first film with lots of humor, and that’s apparent here too. We even get a reversal of the scene where Diana tried on clothes in the first Wonder Woman movie, with Steve trying on ’80s fashion. All the fanny packs for Steve, please.

Also, hello Wonder Woman using her lasso to swing between freaking lightning bolts?!

Warner Bros.

Though the trailer was certainly the highlight of the panel, Lynda Carter—the original Wonder Woman—stopped by to chat with the group. She surprised them with a sweet and supportive appearance. Wiig geeked out over her. Gadot called Carter her “Mama Bear.” It was the most charming.

Wonder Woman 1984 should have debuted in June of this year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed things a bit. The Wonder Woman sequel is currently scheduled to arrive in whichever theaters are open on October 2, 2020. Jenkins did state during the panel that they made the movie for the big screen. She said, “We’re going to stick it out, and we believe in putting it in the cinema.”

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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You’ve got questions, Wonder Woman fans, and we’ve got answers! Specifically, we now know why Diana of Themyscira will don her iconic golden armor in Wonder Woman 1984. Plus we’ve got some updates about the Invisible Jet and more behind-the-scenes details thanks to our expansive set visit report. Join Dan Casey on today’s Nerdist News to get the inside scoop on all things Wonder Woman 1984.

Want even more Wonder Woman in your life? Head to Nerdist.com.

14 things we learned on the Wonder Woman 1984 set: https://bit.ly/3aMLRAo

Everything we know about Wonder Woman’s golden armor: https://bit.ly/319ySpc

What to expect from this weekend’s DC Fandome: https://bit.ly/2YhGYdt

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We are less than two months from Wonder Woman 1984‘s current premiere date of October 2, 2020. The sequel to DC Comics’ Wonder Woman follows Diana in a new decade: the glorious 1980s. She works in cultural anthropology and archaeology in the Museum of Natural History, as part of the Smithsonian in Washington DC and in her free time, she helps humanity when it is in great need. “I think that she’s also in a place in her life where she gets involved with the world when there’s emergencies,” Gal Gadot explained to Nerdist and a handful of other outlets during a visit to the film’s set.

But don’t emergencies always pop up? And don’t they require new costumes?

As we toured the various departments on set, our group came to a halt when we spied golden armor on a mannequin. It was clearly a design based on the golden eagle armor Wonder Woman dons in the pages of comics. Director Patty Jenkins enthused, “I love that costume in the lore and I was like, ‘We’ve got to do it.'”

Wonder Woman’s shiny, fierce look debuted in 1996 in DC Comics’ Kingdom Come. And here it stood before our eyes. Diana wears the striking armor on colorful poster key art for the film. And though aspects of the costume will be generated digitally for fight scenes, a practical set of armor exists. With over 100 individual pieces, designing and crafting the armor took patience. Like, months of experimenting and experimenting some more kind of patience. Wonder Woman 1984 costume designer Lindy Hemming said, “This has been a long, long design process.”

Warner Bros.

Hemming wanted to blend the weight and heft of the armor while preserving Gadot’s ability to move smoothly. To that end, she worked with a specialist in Britain to make a flexible under suit. “[We’re] trying to develop a lightweight, movable sexy under suit, which is printed to look like some sort of armor,” Hemming detailed. “So it’s like an armor suit that’s very light in use, lithe and sinewy. All this work starts off almost like tights, and then on top of it, he prints different levels of texture. [Then] we can decide what goes best with the weight of the metal we’ve designed—which isn’t metal, of course—for the over suit. It’s a really amazing technique.”

DC Comics

The over suit (the armor) looks like gleaming gold metal. However, to make it from metal would be clunky and impractical unless Gadot wants to portray a superhero who excels at standing still. Hemming wanted the armor to be beautiful rather than clunky. She explained the material they used moves “rather like an armadillo.” That means the armor goes where Gadot’s body goes instead of weighing her down.

And with this iconic costume, you can’t forget the wings. Hemming stated, “There’s been miles and miles of debate about ‘Do wings really go with this?'”

Happily, wings do go with it (don’t worry, so does the helmet). Described as almost paragliding wings, Wonder Woman uses them more as shields and incorporates them into her fighting style. Jenkins remarked the way the articulated wings operate in a “super complicated” fashion. She also shared why Diana has a new costume in Wonder Woman 1984:

“I felt like it would be super exciting to have a new costume. That’s a costume that I love so much. Because Wonder Woman’s timeline is so [shoe]horned in between different movies, it felt weird to suddenly give her a new Wonder Woman costume, and then she puts it back on and [in] Batman v Superman she puts on the old and it’s even more… It just didn’t quite make sense,” Jenkins said. “So this was a fun way that actually is intrinsic to the storyline that she needs a different style of armor to fight Cheetah because Cheetah can get you on all of your limbs. It was something that came very naturally of like, ‘How are you going to get into it with Cheetah and how is that fight going to go?'”

We’ll see the new costume in action when Wonder Woman 1984 arrives in theaters.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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Diana Prince returns to the screen with Wonder Woman 1984. The movie originally slated for a June 2020 release has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s currently slated for October 2, 2020, and we’ll be getting a new trailer at DC FanDome on August 22. Set in the 1980s, the DC Comics film finds Diana (Gal Gadot) working for the Smithsonian and living quietly. She secretly saves the day now and again, but she’s lonely. And she’s lonely in a decade with excess pouring out of its ears. Meanwhile, the President of Black Gold, Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), capitalizes on that excess and people’s desires, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) returns, Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) becomes a friend and then a foe called Cheetah… Diana finds plenty of excitement, even if she isn’t searching for it.

Nerdist joined a group of reporters on the Wonder Woman 1984 set to take a look at the film. We learned about the setting of the ’80s, Amazon “Olympics,” where Diana’s mind is at this moment, and so much more.

Amazon Games

Pillars and platforms stood tall around an exterior Wonder Woman 1984 set. The area recently hosted the Amazon “Olympics.” The games mark a return to Themyscira in the past, with Lilly Aspell returning to play a young Diana. She competes alongside Amazon warriors in these games. The Amazons execute impossible challenges in multiple events. Associate producer Anna Obropta describes the games as “American Ninja Warrior meets extreme sports meets Cirque du Soleil, but kind of like none of that. All of that and none of that.”

Director Patty Jenkins wanted to include the Amazon games in the first movie, but they didn’t fit. “This was this great way to say, ‘Oh, there’s a lesson I really want to learn from the Amazons this time and what did we miss last time? And how can we see something totally different?’ Them in the Olympics, I’m loving it,” Jenkins shared. “It’s so completely different. And the work we’re doing with Cirque du Soleil and stuff, it’s like, ‘How did they get to be those people who could have that battle on the beach?’ Well, this incredible practice. When they go to the games against each other, it’s an entirely different kind of sporting event than we’ve ever seen.”

Why the ’80s

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Wonder Woman 1984 occupies a very specific point on the timeline of humanity. Jenkins didn’t want to put Wonder Woman in the current day, because then she’d have to consider all the other superheroes. She wanted to make a solo Wonder Woman movie. And of course, we’ve seen Diana’s origin story. By setting the film in the past, Jenkins can still use another era as a lens to look at the modern day. Jenkins said of the 1980s, “We’re talking about mankind at their worst, most excessive and their greatest, most grand and opulent. And so instead of getting into the nitty gritty of right now and who’s to blame and what’s happening, it’s a way for us to talk about that. Like, this is basically the success of Western civilization. This is the success of modern mankind’s way of living and what is it like to put Wonder Woman at the core of that?”

Wonder Woman 1984 producer Charles Roven added they didn’t want to pick up the story the next day, because they wanted to deal with the evolution of Diana’s character. She helps humanity when she can, and she derives joy when she assists others.

Where Diana Is

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It’s years before Batman v Superman, but Diana’s already fascinated with antiquities, perhaps as a way to connect with her past. In Wonder Woman 1984, she’s working in cultural anthropology and archaeology for the Museum of Natural History, as part of the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Though she leads a conservative life, she saves the world. Her heroic tendencies are illustrated in an early sequence in which she thwarts a robbery. But she’s still in the shadows we see her come out of in Justice League.

Roven said it’s “still challenging for her” to return to Themyscira, so Diana’s on her own. Gadot reflected, “I think she’s very happy to be here and I think she’s quite lonely. She’s not maybe… She’s engaging with people, but she doesn’t have any close relationships because it’s either she’s going to hurt them, at some point she’ll have to disappear, or she’s going to get hurt because they’ll die and she won’t. And I think she accepted [that] as fact. At her core, her calling is to be here and to help mankind to do good. And that’s exactly what she’s doing. But she’s still missing the one who was the love of her life. She never got to really explore the relationship.”

Invisible Jet?

Fans of Wonder Woman comics know the hero flies an Invisible Jet, and they really want to see it on screen. Jenkins wouldn’t say yes or no in response to whether the transparent vehicle appears in Wonder Woman 1984.

“I think that the Invisible Jet is one of those things that is so funny because every single thing that any of these superheroes have is so silly in theory. Then when we talk about it, we talk about it as if nothing is going to be done to update it. So the only thing I’ll say is I’ll do it when I can do it in a way that’s super cool. It’s got to be something different than her flying through the sky in an Invisible Jet, which is fine on page. Not great in modern [film],” Jenkins shared.

Sweet ’80s Fashion

Warner Bros.

Puffy sleeves, punk, wild prints—all of those trends ran their course the 1980s. An early still for Wonder Woman 1984 showcases the memorable fashion in all its glory. The looks connect to the story. Costume designer Lindy Hemming told us they couldn’t use any t-shirts with logos or copyrighted prints, so they made their own patterns. Swatches stapled to boards in the costume department were like an ’80s fashion Bingo card. Hemming got to step outside of casual wear as well in order to design attire for a ball that takes place at the Smithsonian Museum. She said nearly every item of clothing features metallic threads and plenty of nylon.

While Barbara begins the story as someone who’s not terribly fashionable, she starts to evolve as she turns into Cheetah. Look out for animal prints and punk influences. Diana, however, keeps her own elegance. “People might think she was going to wear massive, puffy sleeves, but she’s not. They wouldn’t suit her. It’s much better to be taking details from the ’80s than having her in an outfit,” Hemming said.

And Diana will have another iconic dress a la the blue sword-concealing number in Wonder Woman.

You Get What You Wish For

Max Lord is in the business of helping everyone get what they want. How he does so isn’t clear, but what is clear is that his methods are effective. Whatever he’s selling appeals to most of humanity, including Barbara. Everyone’s dreams start coming true. People are getting what they want. But what happens if everyone gets what they think they deserve?

Meet Cheetah

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Barbara Minerva, also known as Cheetah, has roots in the pages of comics. Kristen Wiig plays the brilliant, somewhat awkward scientist. She works at the Museum of Natural History as a gemologist.

“There are so many different versions of Cheetah and I like them all,” Jenkins said, referencing the history of Cheetah in the comic books. “[I approached it in] the same way I approached the first movie where I was like, ‘What’s the core of Wonder Woman that we’re all fans of and how do I honor that?’ That’s what I feel like I cared about with Cheetah. So instead of saying I’m going to take Liam’s [Sharp] version of it or any one person’s version of it, I really looked at all of the different incarnations of Cheetah and said, ‘What’s the core of Cheetah?'”

Jenkins did mention her favorite versions of Cheetah are when Barbara starts out as friends with Diana. She thinks Kristen Wiig is perfect in the role, and that she includes some lightheartedness and delivers the character’s emotional journey. Gadot gushed about working with Wiig, too, saying the actor plays a villain you love. Barbara’s transformation begins when she buys into Max Lord’s Black Gold International scheme. Jenkins mentioned there “is definitely magical stuff” going on in the film, so it’s not unreasonable to consider that supernatural forces are at work.

Diana and Barbara’s Relationship

As mentioned, Diana and Barbara are friends. They have a kinship. “I think they’re both lonely, and Diana sees Barbara’s insecurity and it touches her,” Gadot mused. “And also Diana sees things that she misses in her life, in Barbara—her humor, her light, these type of things. And Barbara sees other things in Diana that she doesn’t have necessarily. They can be amazing best friends. But then life happens and I can’t tell you what, but she [Barbara] turns 180 degrees and she’s incredible.”

Max Lord’s Deal

Max Lord, the president of Black Gold International, symbolizes corporations, Wall Street, and politics. He’s the embodiment of a successful businessperson in the 1980s. If you see similarities between Max and 1980s Trump, you’re not incorrect. Jenkins said they weren’t trying to make it a point or trying to make it political, but they definitely looked at Trump, as they did at any successful business mavericks in that area. Though, Hemming points out Lord has quite a lot of money but not so much taste in clothing or tailoring. Hmm.

“He doesn’t have the polish,” Pedro Pascal said. “I was looking at Gordon Gecko, you know? And I understood that wasn’t—he’s [Max] not slick like that. He’d love to be. He wishes he was.”

He’s trying to be. Self-obsessed and entrepreneurial, Lord airs infomercials selling the American dream. He’s persuasive, enough to capture a wide audience. Charles Roven painted a sly portrait of Lord, remarking, “Black Gold is synonymous with oil, so he’s a guy who, in particular, is trying to get people who normally think they can’t afford to invest in something that could give them riches, because they don’t have enough money—he’ll take any amount of money.”

In Which Pedro Pascal Is a Nerd

Even TV and movie stars have their moments of geeking out. Pascal experienced that when he saw in Gal Gadot in her Wonder Woman costume for the first time. He said, “It is a pretty nerdy feeling that you get. Even just meeting her for the first time. And the feeling that you have—you don’t ever really get used to it. She comes in and she greets you with this really warm smile and is like ‘Let’s get a burger on Saturday. I want a f**king burger. Let’s get one.’ And she’s in a Wonder Woman outfit. And you’re just like ‘This is cool. This is really cool.'”

What About Diana and Steve?

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“It’s fantastic and it’s great and it’s very romantic,” Gadot said about Diana and Steve’s reunion. She continued, “Steve was her first love and the first man she ever fell in love with. And she was very young when she met him. He opened her eyes and discovered the world for her. In a way, literally with romance and with the world itself. Now their relationship is much more mature and there’s been so many longings. It’s true that you know what you had only after you lose it.”

And their enemy isn’t as apparent this time either. Instead of confronting an army or a god of war influencing humanity, Steve and Diana face unchecked greed and desire.

And Steve Is Back How, Exactly?

Everyone we spoke with on set remained tight-lipped about how Steve Trevor returns from the dead. But connecting the dots, we can surmise it’s to do with Max Lord. Regardless of the whens and whys, Jenkins wanted to bring Steve back to make the story cohesive. She loved Diana and Steve together, as well as Gadot and Pine, but it was more about bringing him back because of the narrative.

And Pine expressed his pleasure at returning as Steve. He said, “I love Patty and I love Gal and that I’m working on this film. I think it’s romantic and old-fashioned in the best way, and simple in the best way, and doesn’t reinvent the wheel in the best way. It’s just a great, good old fashioned storytelling.”

The Sequel Was Meant to Be

Jenkins had another story in mind for Diana—one that didn’t fit into the story of the first film. She knew she wanted to continue and so did the film’s stars. “It’s funny, we shot Wonder Woman, and we were already fantasizing [about] the next one. The three of us work really well together and truly love each other,” Gadot said of herself, Jenkins, and Pine. “And even on this one, we’re already talking about our next journey together because we really, we have great chemistry.”

More Wonder Woman

Warner Bros.

It’s fortunate they all want to keep the band together, because Jenkins has a third Wonder Woman film in mind. The director jokes she was going to retire after this movie, but she can’t. Jenkins explained, “I think where the second movie came from was me as a fan of her and as a fan of superhero films, craving what I haven’t gotten, which is, I wanted to see Wonder Woman out in the f**king world, not finding herself. Like, f**king Wonder Woman! And so there’s one more thing I’m craving, which is true to her theme, which is true to everything that she stands for, that I’m like, ‘Ooh, there’s one more chapter of Wonder Woman that we don’t quite get.’ It doesn’t quite make sense for this movie. It didn’t for the last either.”

Wonder Woman 1984‘s current release date is October 2, 2020.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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Wonder Woman’s amazing backstory in Batman v Superman could be un-made. Dan dives deep into the past to get the scoop on this episode of Nerdist News!

Are you still excited for the release of Wonder Woman 1984? Do you think it will release before 2024? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Wonder Woman 1984 Will Retcon Batman v Superman! (Nerdist News w/ Dan Casey) appeared first on Nerdist.

Every Wonder Woman fan has wanted to wield her iconic Golden Lasso of Truth at least once in their lives. Who wouldn’t want to use Diana’s signature weapon on, say, certain untruthful politicians? Well, now Amazon fans can get their own version of the Magic Lasso. And it’s even one that they can eat.

SweeTARTS

You don’t even have to visit the island of Themyscira to get these “Golden Ropes.” Just visit your local grocery store and buy these brand new SweeTARTS designed to look like Princess Diana’s legendary lariat. Created as part of a cross promotion with the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 film, these new SweetTARTS  “Golden Ropes” are a tropical-flavored licorice rope packed with a signature tart-flavored center.

And if you’re worried about how to keep that mythic rope with you at all times? Some lucky fans will have a fashionable and very in-theme way to carry around their magical lasso, just like Gal Gadot or Lynda Carter would.

SweeTARTS

SweeTARTS has come together with Warner Bros and DC Comics to launch this exclusive Golden Ropes Holder. The unique product was created in partnership with Wonder Woman 1984’s costume designer, Lindy Hemming. This cool accessory is crafted in vegan leather. Much like the Wonder Woman herself, toggling between Diana Prince and her heroic alter-ego, the new SweeTARTS Golden Ropes encourages snackers of the sweet and tart treat to always “Be Both.”

SweeTARTS

Starting on Monday, July 13th, Wonder Woman fans will have the chance to win this fabulous new item, which is not available for purchase. All one has to do is go to the SweeTARTSCandy Instagram page and “lasso” (tag) a friend with the circle star emoji . Don’t pass up this chance to truly show off your Amazon pride.

Wonder Woman 1984 is set to release on October 2nd.

Featured Image: SweeTARTS

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Although Wonder Woman 1984 was sadly delayed once again due to the COVID-19 epidemic, fortunately we all have a lot of cool Amazonian merch to tide us over until then. And the coolest upcoming Wonder Woman tie-ins are quite possibly this wave of new collector’s Barbie dolls from Mattel, which have been revealed to fans via IGN.

Mattel

The first of these is a gorgeous 2-doll Barbie Giftset, which features Diana Prince and Steve Trevor, in their 1980s era attire. Diana is in the white dress we see her wearing to a formal gala, as seen in the most recent trailer. This outfit is giving us all the Dynasty vibes, and then some. Steve, who has mysteriously returned to life in the film, is in less glamorous outfit. But it is still very ’80s, especially with that fanny pack.

Mattel

The price for this deluxe set is $80; it includes doll stands and a certificate of authenticity. It will likely go on sale sometime later in July.

Mattel

Those are not the only cool Wonder Woman 1984 Barbies that are on the way however. The individual Core Fashion Dolls are have a more reasonable price tag; the target audience is kids versus collectors (although we know a lot of you collectors will want these too). This wave consists of Diana Prince; Diana in her Wonder Woman costume; and Barbara Minerva, in her pre-Cheetah form (but still rockin’ some fierce ’80s animal print.)

Each of these are priced at $14.99 each.

Mattel

And finally, there is a Wonder Woman Golden Armor set, which showcases the Amazing Amazon in her look which is inspired by the classic comic book series, Kingdom Come. And there is a Young Diana and Horse, showing the Princess of Themyscira when she was still a child, and competing in some sort of Amazonian contest. Both of these sets will set you back $29.99.

Mattel

Wonder Woman 1984, directed by Patty Jenkins, and starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, and Pedro Pascal, is currently set to hit movie theaters on October 2. Each of these are now available for pre-order at the official Mattel Shop, Amazon, and Wal-Mart.

Featured Image: Mattel

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With a Wonder Woman spin-off film centered around the Amazons of Themyscira potentially on the horizon, it’s got us thinking about which other warriors from Paradise Island should get the spotlight in this project. Over the years, many other Amazons have appeared in the pages of DC Comics, many of which could headline a movie on their own. Obviously we’d love to see Queen Hippolyta return, once again played by Connie Nielsen. But who else should join her? Here are our top 5 Amazons from the pages of DC who should get their shot at live-action movie glory.

Donna Troy

DC Comics

She’s been called Wonder Girl, Troia, Darkstar, and she was even Wonder Woman for a brief time. She’s had many origins, but Donna Troy’s best-known backstory started out with her as an orphaned child whom Wonder Woman rescued from a fire. Afterwards, Diana gave the infant Donna to her mother Hippolyta to adopt as one of her own. When each of the Amazons granted a portion of their strength to the mortal child, she became almost as mighty as her older sister. As a human girl raised by Amazons, she then had to rediscover her roots in the outside world. Whichever of her superhero codenames she uses, Donna is the perfect “gateway character” for an Amazon-led film, as a hero with a foot in both worlds.

Nu’Bia

DC Comics

There have been two different version of the character, from two different eras of DC comics. The first was called Nubia, and was introduced as Wonder Woman’s long lost twin sister. She was apparently also sculpted from clay by Queen Hippolyta and brought to life at the same time Diana was, but stolen at birth and raised by the war god Ares. She would later emerge to fight Diana as an enemy, with her true origins unknown to her. When she found out who she really was, she turned on Ares and became a true blue Amazon.

While it was empowering to have a black Amazon, the fact the she was Wonder Woman’s “evil” twin sister was always problematic. After Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DCU, a new version of the character was introduced as Nu’Bia. No longer Diana’s twin, she was recreated as the first Amazon to ever win the Amazon tournament, and was therefore the first Wonder Woman. She then spent centuries guarding Doom’s Doorway to the Underworld beneath Themyscira. This version of the character was DC Comics’ first black female superhero and would be a great addition to any Amazon-centric film.

Artemis

DC Comics

Here’s another famous Amazon who was also briefly Wonder Woman for a time, and who led a long superhero career afterwards. This no-nonsense warrior is actually from a sister tribe of the Amazons called the Bana-Mighdall. This tribe were extremely militant, and therefore broke off from the more peaceful Themysciran Amazons centuries ago. Artemis even once bested Diana in combat, and therefore won the right to Wonder Woman herself.

Granted, the 2017 Wonder Woman film featured a character credited as Artemis. But given that she is clearly a Themysciran Amazon and defers to the Queen, something the comics’ Artemis would never do, I think she is meant to be another character with the same name. But as not to create confusion, they could also use the name Orana for this character in a movie, as she was the lesser known pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths version of Artemis.

Philippus

DC Comics

The captain of the Amazonian military, Philippus was Queen Hippolyta’s trusty right-hand and advisor for thousands of years. One of the Amazon’s most proficient warriors, Philippus was very distrustful of any interaction with the outside world; this was mostly due to how her Amazonian race was treated by the Ancient Greeks. When the Amazon monarchy was abolished for a time, Philippus was even elected Chancellor of Themyscira. She appeared very briefly in the first Wonder Woman film, portrayed by Ann Ogbomo. But I think an Amazons film would be the perfect way to expand her character even further.

Mala

DC Comics

There has been an Amazon named Mala since the earliest days of the Wonder Woman comics of the ’40s, with different versions popping up here and there since. She is most often seen as one of Wonder Woman’s closest friends. But Mala was also the Amazon who came nearest to beating Diana in battle for the right to be Wonder Woman, when Steve Trevor first crashed on Paradise Island. Her most interesting interpretation was in Grant Morrison’s Wonder Woman: Earth One graphic novel, where she wasn’t just Diana’s closest equal or friend, but her actual girlfriend. This version would certainly be the most interesting version of Mala to appear on screen.

But honestly, if this movie is about the Amazons, then we think it should star all these amazing ladies! You can make it happen, Patty Jenkins! As the old Wonder Woman TV show theme song went, “All the world is waiting for you!”

Featured Image: DC Comics

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Although Wonder Woman 1984 has been delayed until August, director Patty Jenkins has nevertheless been making the rounds doing interviews promoting the film. One of those interviews was with Total Film magazine (via CBR), to which she confirmed plans to not only direct a third Wonder Woman film, but also to produce the often-rumored Amazons spin-off film. This was the first official confirmation that an Amazons spin-off was in the pipeline.

Warner Bros

Jenkins doubled down on the fact that she would produce but not direct, stating, “I’m not going to direct it, hopefully. I’m going to try really hard not to. It’s not going to be easy.” She added, “Geoff Johns and I came up with the story, and we sold the pitch, and we’re going to get it going. I’ll produce it, for sure.” This is the first indication that the superstar DC Comics creator would be involved.

Still, Jenkins confirmed that the potential Amazonian film would be part of the larger Wonder Woman film narrative. According to the director, “There’s an arc that I have in mind for the first movie, and then the second movie, and then the Amazon movie, and then the third movie.” The Amazons, including Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyte (Connie Nielsen) and her sister Antiope (Robin Wright) do return for a flashback sequence in Wonder Woman 1984; the scene was briefly glimpsed in the trailer.

Warner Bros

Aside from their big action scene in Justice League, however, we really have no idea what the mythological warriors have been up to in the present day. This film could prove to be the perfect opportunity to give them a proper story outside of the context of Diana’s journey.

Of course, the entire movie could also take place in the distant past, and give us a female-focused swords and sandals epic in the vein of 300. But they could also be very bold, and take the Amazons into the future. There, they could have advanced technology that reflected the original Wonder Woman comics of the 1940s. When it comes to DC Comics’ proudest warriors, the storyline options are limitless.

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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Warner Bros

The original Wonder Woman comics of the ’40s by William Marston were highly unconventional for the time. Unlike her compatriots Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman didn’t have many recurring villains, due to Marston’s concept of rehabilitation for all criminals. Most villains whom Diana fought were then taught the error of their ways via Amazon philosophy (and some mind control, to he honest). So, few returned to imparting evil after tangling with Wonder Woman.

DC Comics

The original Cheetah appeared in Wonder Woman #6 in 1943, making her one of Diana’s earliest foes. Vain and spoiled debutante Priscilla Rich had no super powers to speak of, and was intensely jealousy of Wonder Woman. Additionally, Rich suffered from a split personality, and when her alternate personality eventually took over, she became a predator who aimed to take down the Amazon princess. After fashioning a costume out of an animal print rug in her home, Priscilla Rich took the name “Cheetah” and embarked on a criminal career.

(Interestingly enough, the Michelle Pfeiffer version of Catwoman in Batman Returns had more in common with Cheetah than it did with the comic books’ Selina Kyle… although I’m not sure that anyone involved with the Tim Burton film have ever copped to that.)

The Cheetah only appeared a couple more times in the ‘40s before vanishing from the pages of Wonder Woman for almost 20 years. Even after returning, she made only a handful of further appearances.

DC Comics

So how did she come to be viewed as Diana’s greatest enemy? The answer lies on Saturday Morning television. When Hanna-Barbera produced the Challenge of the Super-Friends for ABC in 1978, the Cheetah was enlisted as Diana’s counterpart for the Legion of Doom. And in fact, the only reason Cheetah made the cut was because Catwoman had been nabbed by CBS’ The New Adventures of Batman just a year prior, and ABC didn’t have the rights. Because Cheetah essentially took Catwoman’s place, she wound up with a reputation as Wonder Woman’s biggest foe.

DC Comics

In the early ‘80s, the original Cheetah’s niece, Debbie Domaine, was introduced, and became the second generation version of the villain. Between an excess of merchandising and reruns of Super Friends, this further cemented Cheetah’s status as Wonder Woman’s best-known enemy…even if the character herself became more and more of a Catwoman knockoff. It wouldn’t be until 1987 that Cheetah would become a character worthy of her status as Wonder Woman’s most famous baddie.

DC Comics

In the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths DC universe, the very concept of Cheetah was totally rebooted. Instead of a criminal in a kitty-cat costume, Cheetah was now a mystically powered were-cat. And instead of just being a vain beauty with petty jealousy as her primary motivation, Cheetah was now a renowned archaeologist named Barbara Ann Minerva.

Minerva was once cursed by an ancient African God named Urzkartaga. When she sought him out, he condemned her to transform into a beastly human-cheetah hybrid whenever the moon was full. She became obsessed with procuring Diana’s magic lasso for herself, setting her on a collision course with Wonder Woman several times.

DC Comics

By empowering her with the magic of a different set of gods, DC made Cheetah an adversary worthy of Wonder Woman at last. Now she was almost an equal to Diana in strength and speed, and her deadly claws were real, not a gimmick.

À la the New 52 reboot in 2011, Barbara Minerva was given yet another new angle. She was still an archaeologist, but was now and Indiana Jones-ish procurer of ancient relics. After discovering (and accidentally cutting herself with) a dagger that once belonged to a lost tribe of Amazons, she became possessed by the Goddess of the Hunt, transforming her into the Cheetah. Although she initially pretended to be Diana’s friend and ally, this incarnation of Barbara Minerva always secretly hated her.

DC Comics

The most recent version of Cheetah was born via DC’s Rebirth initiative in 2016. This version of Dr. Minerva was a combo of the previous two. She truly was Diana’s friend at one point, and helped her learn English when the latter arrived in America. But when she learned the truth of Diana’s history, and as such that ancient gods were real, she sought out the African god Urkartaga and was thusly cursed with uncontrollable animalistic urges. Minerva blamed Diana for her situation and for her own obsession with godly power, kicking off a longterm rivalry between the two.

Warner Bros

So which version of Cheetah will Kristen Wiig play? Or more likely, how will Wonder Woman 1984 combine the many versions of Barbara Minerva for their take on the character? The trailer indicates that, at least early on, she is Diana’s friend. Plus, she seems to be a fellow museum employee, so we can guess that she will once again be an archaeologist. But will she get her powers from an African god? An ancient dagger? It remains to be seen. Here’s hoping that Wiig gives Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman a challenge worthy of the big screen.

Featured Image: DC Comics

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The Justice League Years

Warner Bros

Maxwell Lord was first introduced in Justice League #1, back in 1987. This revival series saw the League reform after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Lord was the stereotype of the high powered ’80s businessman. The mysterious CEO became the behind-the-scenes puppet master of the newly re-formed League, and recruited several new members like Booster Gold. At first, the League was highly distrustful of his motives, and kept a close on on their new billionaire benefactor.

DC Comics

By the end of the first year of this new Justice League series, Maxwell Lord’s true motivations were revealed. It was shown in a flashback that as a young spelunker, he came across an ancient computer system created by the New God Metron. This computer wanted to ensure global peace, mostly in the name of its own survival, and tasked Lord with creating the ultimate peace-keeping force. Thus, he bankrolled and organized this new Justice League, and staged several events to give the team International status with the United Nations. The all-new Justice League International was born under his watch.

DC Comics

Over the run of the JLI comic and its many spin-offs, Lord was shown as a bit of a greasy con man who could be more than a little amoral at times. But his goals were ultimately noble, even if his means were not always so. Given the comedic bent of this version of the League, Lord was also often portrayed as being sardonically funny. Once his backstory was revealed, there was no longer any hint of his being a bonafide villain.

DC Comics

During the five-year run of JLI, Lord eventually developed the power to control minds. This came about when an alien “gene bomb” activated the latent metahuman DNA in many otherwise ordinary people.

At one point during this era, he was temporarily possessed by the inter-dimensional Dreamslayer, who amped up his mind control powers several notches. Not long after being freed from Dreamslayer’s control, Lord was shot and nearly killed, and his mental powers seemingly burned out.

After this, he left the League to run themselves without him, and for a long time Maxwell Lord seemingly disappeared from comics.

Transformation into a Villain

DC Comics

After sitting out much of the ’90s, Maxwell Lord returned with a vengeance in the 2005 mini-series Infinite Crisis; this era of Lord’s story would come to feature his collision with Wonder Woman. When his former JLI teammate Blue Beetle uncovered a vast conspiracy at the heart of the DC Universe, it was revealed that Lord was part of the secret cabal known as Checkmate all along. It turned out that his goal while running the JLI had been to make them look ineffectual, all in an effort to smear the metahuman community. When Blue Beetle refused to join his nefarious mission, Lord shot him in the head and killed him.

DC Comics

This was a massive retcon to the character. The old JLI comics were created in the era of thought balloons, so the reader had access to Lord’s inner dialogue, and none of his inner thoughts had ever suggested that his agenda wasn’t ultimately a good (albeit flawed) one. During the events of Infinite Crisis, Lord also took control the Brother Eye satellite system to create an army of nano-infected humans to hunt down and destroy super powered individuals.

DC Comics

But his worst crime was when he used his mind control powers (which reemerged with no explanation) to take over the mind of Superman. Now with a Kryptonian killing machine at his disposal, Lord was unstoppable. In an effort to save the day, Wonder Woman ensnared Lord in her Lasso of Truth. A taunting Lord told Diana that the only way to release Superman from his thrall was for her to kill him, thinking she would never do it. But the Amazon princess surprised him and the world by fatally snapping Lord’s neck. (In front of cameras broadcasting live to the entire world, no less.)

This one event caused huge ripples in Diana’s life. Superman and Batman were adamant that she could have found another way, while Diana insisted that it was her only option. She was ultimately exonerated by the wold courts, but the event haunted Wonder Woman for years. As a result, she vowed to never take another human life.

When Lord’s corpse was reanimated as a Black Lantern during the Blackest Night event, he came straight for Wonder Woman to mess with her mind. He was fully resurrected in the subsequent Brightest Day event, but he’s never been portrayed as anything but a bad guy since the mid 2000s.

DC Comics

After this incident, fans looked at Lord as one of Wonder Woman’s her greatest nemeses. He was even used as an antagonist in Grant Morrison’s Wonder Woman: Earth One graphic novel series, and has popped up in other non-comics media over the years. He appeared as a version of his mogul persona in Justice League Unlimited, where he bankrolled a new team of corporate superheroes.

In the live-action realm, Lord showed up as a villain in an episode of Smallville, which showed him as an agent of Checkmate. Most recently, he was a recurring antagonist in Supergirl season one, once again shown as a corrupt CEO with a distaste for super powered people. He was meant to be the main villain in the unproduced movie Justice League Mortal, where he would have been played by Jay Baruchel.

Warner Bros

With Wonder Woman 1984, director Patty Jenkins is presumably leaning into the ’80s business tycoon version of Maxwell Lord, but it also seems that his status as a villain is secured. No doubt Pedro Pascal will play this smarmy bad guy with the appropriate gusto, but it will be interesting to see if any of the character’s early comic book influences will come to the surface.

It remains fascinating how this one character who had little to no interaction with Wonder Woman for much of his comics existence is now forever tied to the Amazing Amazon, all due to one life-changing act on her part.

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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The Wonder Woman 1984 trailer has finally landed, and it knocked all of our socks off. One of the coolest parts of the trailer, aside from seeing Gal Gadot kicking all the butt, was the brilliant use of New Order’s new wave classic “Blue Monday.” This is a surefire sign that the movie is going to lean in hard on the glorious pop music of the era.

But since this is Wonder Woman we’re talking about here, we think it would only be appropriate if WW84 leaned specifically into the incredible women who helped define the MTV era. Here are our picks for seven female music superstars that we think deserve a spot on the soundtrack for Patty Jenkins’ upcoming film.

Warner Bros

Note: Only women who released music or were on the charts in 1984 qualify. So no Whitney Houston, Sade, or Janet Jackson, whose debut albums or breakthrough records wouldn’t come until later in the decade. Not because they’re not totally awesome, because they are.

7. The Bangles

6. Donna Summer

5. The Go-Go’s

4. Pat Benatar

3. Cyndi Lauper

2. Tina Turner

1. Madonna

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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After many months of waiting, we have our first official trailer for Wonder Woman 1984, the long awaited sequel to Patty Jenkins’ adaptation of the iconic DC Comics character. Debuting at Brazil’s CCXP con, the trailer shows off the all-new adventure for comics’ premiere heroine. Set almost seventy years after the original film, WW84 brings back Gal Gadot as the Amazing Amazon, along with new cast members Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord, Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, and Chris Pine as a seemingly not-so-dead Steve Trevor.

Watch the full trailer below:

Check out the new character posters from #WW84 – in theaters June 5. pic.twitter.com/O27ARDQHpA

— Wonder Woman (@WonderWomanFilm) December 8, 2019

The new trailer was set to an orchestral version of New Order’s classic new wave hit “Blue Monday.” We see Diana at the height of the Reagan era, in gowns that would have been appropriate attire on Dynasty. Somehow, Maxwell Lord plays a part in Steve Trevor coming back to life. And there’s a funny scene of Diana explaining the modern world to him, much as he showed Diana the modern world in the original film. We see one shot of Diana and Steve in the cockpit of a plane. Could this be Diana’s famous invisible jet, making its first live-action appearance on the big screen?

There are also many moments of Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva, but so far none of her as the Cheetah. Patty Jenkins did say that she achieved the effect of Kristen Wiig’s Cheetah mainly with prosthetics. But, given the nature of her character, she needed a fair amount of CGI help. So it’s very likely that none of those effects are quite ready yet.

Warner Brothers

But comics fans will go nuts over two specific things: A flashback to a young Diana competing in a tournament on Themyscira. This is a nod to the one element of Wonder Woman’s origin that the original film omitted. The contest over which Amazon is the best choice for the champion of Paradise Island. And secondly, the golden eagle armor Diana famously wore in the classic mini-series

DC Comics

The new movie seems to be drawing from decades of comics lore. The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal is playing eccentric billionaire Maxwell Lord, who in the comics was the man who funded the Justice League International in the ’80s. But in the 2000s, his true nefarious nature took hold, and he mind controlled Superman into becoming a killing machine. Feeling she had no choice, Wonder Woman snapped his neck, killing him. This sent shock waves through the DC Universe; her killing of Max appeared like cold blooded murder to people viewing footage on TV. Max Lord then became an important part of Wonder Woman’s history.

DC Comics

The Cheetah, played by, Kristen Wiig, is Wonder Woman’s most famous enemy. There have a several different versions of the feline felon in the comics, but it appears that Patty Jenkins is using the most famous one, Dr. Barbara Minerva. The previous Cheetahs were essentially Catwoman—human criminals who dressed up in colorful catsuits. Barbara, on the other hand, actually became a were-cat via mystical influences. She also has a history as being Diana’s friend before becoming her sworn enemy.

DC Comics

Even Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor seemingly returning from the dead is a pretty big comics reference. Wonder Woman’s famous love interest died in the ’60s, right before Diana lost her powers and became a sort of Amazon James Bond. But in the ’70s, thanks to some Olympian interference, he came back from the dead, Wonder Woman’s main squeeze once more.

The ’80s as a setting is even huge comics reference. Wonder Woman’s popularity waned after the cancellation of her TV series in 1979, but writer/artist George Perez’s reboot of the character in 1986 was a radical reinvention of the character that took Wonder Woman’s popularity to new heights with readers. Much of the 2017 Wonder Woman movie is drawn from aspects of the Perez run.

Wonder Woman 1984 is set for release in June of 2020.

Images: Warner Brothers

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With Wonder Woman 1984 due out early next summer, we’re finally getting some details on who’s playing what! But just who is Pedro Pascal’s Max Lord? Amy straps in to her invisible jet to do some reconnaissance on today’s Nerdist News!

What’s your favorite Pedro Pascal performance? Let us know in the comments!

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Based on the trailer, we can expect a darker, more intense Wonder Woman compared to the 2009 animated film. We get a glimpse at Diana’s origin, complete with her moving to America to protect man’s world. Everything seems to be going great until a group of villains, known as Villainy Inc., threaten to take over Themyscira. We’re really excited to see Diana fight against classic foes, like Giganta and Cheetah, while tracking the organization. We’re even more excited to see how Diana will balance the struggle and sacrifices of her two worlds. 

We can also expect to get to know the Amazon warriors better, too. Considering a war is being waged on their home, we can also expect some amazing battles—and politics—to occur on Themyscira. We also got a glimpse of Steve Trevor and Etta Candy suiting up to help keep Themyscira safe. Also, we’re really digging this more tactical suit for Diana, complete with elbow and knee pads! Considering all the butt she’s kicking, she’s gonna need to keep her joints safe. We’re also interested to see, based on the synopsis, how Diana will keep a troubled girl away from villainy. One thing’s for sure: Diana’s heart of gold will shine in this film. 

Besides the film, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines will also include a sneak peek at the upcoming DC Universe film, Superman: Red Son and a featurette on Wonder Woman’s longtime foe, the Cheetah. The film will also include a DC Showcase short film, Death, inspired by Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman.

Warner Bros. Animation and DC will release the film digitally on October 5 and Blu-Ray/4K on October 22. Check out the official synopsis for Wonder Woman: Bloodlines below:

In “Wonder Woman: Bloodlines,” Amazon princess Diana of Themyscira chooses to save fighter pilot Steve Trevor and return him to his home in America – setting in motion one of Wonder Woman’s most captivating chapters. Fulfilling the role of both ambassador as well as protector, Diana soon earns the name Wonder Woman from the gracious people of Earth. Equally strong in body, heart and will, she makes it her mission to help a troubled young girl enlisted by a deadly organization known as Villainy, Inc., whose criminal members have their sights set on invading Themyscira, Diana’s paradise home. Prepare for a thrilling quest packed with brutal battles, mysterious mythology and endless wonder!

Featured Image: Warner Bros. Animation / DC

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It appears that Warner Brothers will sadly not be at Comic-Con in San Diego this year. That means no panels for Birds of Prey, Joker, and most crushingly, no Wonder Woman 1984. But given that we won’t see a panel for this much anticipated film, director Patty Jenkins has decided to give fans a little bit of a surprise to tide us over. On her Twitter, she release a new image of Gal Gadot in new gold plated Wonder Woman armor, and it totally rocks.

By now you’ve heard: WB isn’t going to Hall H this year. We’re so sad to miss you there! And waiting until Dec. to start our official #WW84 campaign in full–  But the truth is… we can just… barely… wait… pic.twitter.com/QllFzhYRA6

— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) June 5, 2019

So what is this new image referencing, you may ask? Well, Wonder Woman has worn all-gold armor rather famously in the past. In one of her seminal comic book appearances, the series Kingdom Come, Diana wore a golden armor that represented the eagle of her chest emblem. Although that story was out of continuity, celebrated creator Phil Jimenez later incorporated it into the proper DCU during his Wonder Woman run in the early 2000s. Gail Simone also used it in her run. Although it wasn’t used a ton, its few appearances have been pretty iconic, so its an amazing Easter egg for comics fans.

Of course, the image could also be a reference to another piece of classic sci-fi iconography. Jill Pantozzi of io9 noticed the startling similarities to the poster for the Fritz Lang’s Metropolis from 1927, and once you see the two images back to back, it’s hard not to wonder how that seminal film might influence this one.

I know there’s more at play here but I love this so much. #WonderWoman pic.twitter.com/ca4hr4PTrW

— Jill Pantozzi (@JillPantozzi) June 5, 2019

Metropolis was all about a bleak future, and the subtitle of this film is “1984.” Could we see Diana fight to stop sinister government forces trying enslave humanity? And could this all tie in to her Greek mythological roots somehow? All we know is we can hardly wait for Wonder Woman 1984 to hit theaters next year.

Images: Warner Brothers / DC Comics

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When Diana of Themyscira returns to the big screen next year, she’ll bring us back to the era of big hair and neon—a time when John Hughes’ teen comedies ruled the box office. And to get into the spirit of the time period, Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins and the film’s stars paid homage to one of the most famous posters in movie history with a recreation of the famous group shot of The Breakfast Club.

WW84 meets The Breakfast Club #WonderWoman pic.twitter.com/ThGs41xVzP

— dani (@LtMenalippe) August 17, 2018

It’s not clear where this behind-the-scenes photo came from, but as soon as it popped up on the internet it had fans of both Wonder Woman and John Hughes’ iconic film about five teenagers stuck in detention together, because it’s one of the most recognizable cast poses in history.

That’s director Jenkins in the top spot as Judd Nelson’s Bender, WW84‘s villain Kristen Wiig on the left as Ally Sheedy’s Allison, Chris Pine in the middle where Anthony Michael Hall’s Brian sat, Pedro Pascal (the only one in full costume) and his amazing hair taking the spot of Emilio Estevez, and Gal Gadot with her Wonder Woman headband lying front and center in place of Molly Ringwald’s Claire.

For all of the time, energy, and money studios put into promoting their movies, this is really all anyone needed to get excited for this film. But if they want to do any more ’80s movie homages, we’re sure everyone—whether they’re a brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel or a recluse—would be okay with it.

What other classic ’80s films would you like to see the cast pay tribute to next? Tell us your best retro ideas in the comments section below.

Images: Universal/Warner Bros.

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Wonder Woman 1984 may be only three and a half weeks into production, with 20 more weeks to go, but there was no way director Patty Jenkins would show up to Comic-Con with Gal Gadot and Chris Pine and not have something to show.

Or was it just Gadot? “I am actually not really here right now. I’m just an aura of emotional support for my friends,” joked Pine, alluding to the mystery behind Steve Trevor seemingly returning from the dead 607 years later and looking the same age. Jenkins would only say, “It’s a very important part” of our movie.

But she did have a scene cut together, and in its bright colors, settings, and light tone, it actually recalled the Lynda Carter TV series more than just a little bit, though of course it’s still the movie Wonder Woman you know and love.

It begins with Wonder Woman (whose costume colors look brighter this time) leaping into…the upper level of a shopping mall. A young black girl with glasses stares at her in admiration, but Diana’s eyes are on a couple of bad guys with guns (and very ’80s bad-guy hair and outfits). She grabs the little girl, corkscrew planchas through the air to become a human shield against there bullets, puts the girl in the lasso and flings her across the mall, where she slides right into a giant teddy bear and laughs. Diana then ropes the bad guys’ hands, crushes their guns with her fingers, and still holding her end of the lasso, jumps over the balcony, pulling then villains towards the railing. (Will they get pulled over the edge? Will she let go and leave them tied? We don’t see that part.) There’s a hard cut to the Wonder Woman 1984 logo, and a quick shot of her running down a busy city street.

“Eras are important,” said Jenkins, noting that 1917 was in some ways the beginning of modernity. 1984, on the other hand, “really was mankind at its best and worst” and the idea is “to see Wonder Woman at a time that’s pretty much us at our most extreme. Everything we were doing right then, we thought would go on forever.” This includes not just the great music and movies, but the scariness of the Cold War as well.

Wonder Woman, says Gal Gadot,  is the extreme version of her strong opinionated mother who is also very warm and loving. All of my girlfriends are all very strong and smart and independent and soft and funny, and I believe that’s the way we are.”

“She is us more than most superheroes,” says Jenkins, noting that people of all kinds can find an inner Wonder woman of sorts. “Loving and good and kind and warm yet powerful without question…That’s what I care about”

We’ll have to wait to see Cheetah, it seems, or figure out why Pine is back, but the actor did let drop the tidbit that his dad’s best friend was Lyle Waggoner, the original live-action Steve Trevor, who similarly transitioned through different eras when the TV show self-rebooted.

Are you ready to go back to the ’80s with Wonder Woman? Tell us in comments!

Images: Warner Bros.

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In DC’s comic book universe, Wonder Woman is more than just a superheroine or a champion. Diana’s mission is to serve as an ambassador who embodies grace and compassion while providing hope to anyone who needs it.

During a recent break in filming for Wonder Woman 1984, Gal Gadot lived up to her character’s example while visiting a children’s hospital in her full Wonder Woman costume.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Gadot dropped by the Inova Children’s Hospital in Annandale, Virginia on July 6, and her gesture was extremely well received by the young patients and the doctors on staff. A few of the photos from Gadot’s visit have been lighting up on social media, and further blurring the line between the actress and the heroine she portrays on screen.

Gal Gadot surprises children’s hospital in full #WonderWoman gear https://t.co/2BJ35bQJnM pic.twitter.com/HveE6QSlyP

— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) July 8, 2018

(PHOTOS) More photos of Gal Gadot visiting Inova Children’s Hospital yesterday. ❤ #WW84 pic.twitter.com/tgqHiMmmq0

— Wonder Woman 1984 (@WonderWomanHQ) July 7, 2018

At least one Twitter user made a connection between one of Diana’s lines in the first Wonder Woman movie and a photo of Gadot from her visit.

So Wonder Woman finally got to hold a baby at ⁦Inova Health⁩ Children’s Hospital.#WW84 #WonderWoman #GalGadot pic.twitter.com/SKRNsJIvuz

— BATMAN (@Batmancanseeyou) July 7, 2018

Dr. Lucas Collazo shared a picture of Gadot posing with the staff of the hospital while offering the actress his profound thanks.

Thank you ⁦@GalGadot⁩ for visiting us ⁦@InovaHealth⁩ Children’s Hospital. You are a true Wonder Woman. The kids loved it…and so did the staff 😉 #wonderwoman84 pic.twitter.com/EFDLM02rpf

— Dr. Lucas Collazo (@DrCollazo) July 6, 2018

What do you think about Gadot’s Wonder Woman hospital visit? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

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Last year, Patty Jenkins made box office history with the smash success of Wonder Woman. She then made history again by using her leverage — and DC Films short-sightedness when it came to drawing up ironclad contracts — to score the biggest payday for a female director in cinema history in order to return to helm Wonder Woman 2.

That gamble is already paying off in spades. The first look at Wonder Woman 1984 showed both a commitment to the time period and got tongues wagging as to how exactly Steve Trevor has returned from the dead. But one character audiences hadn’t seen yet? The villainous Barbara Minerva, aka Cheetah. That ends now, with Jenkins revealing actress Kristen Wiig as the complex archaeologist.https://twitter.com/PattyJenks/status/1012015974143418368

While a character named Cheetah was originally created in 1943 by William Moulton Marston, the current iteration came to be in Wonder Woman #7 – Rebirth! in 1987. Barbara Minvera became the Cheetah when an expedition to Africa went horribly wrong. Her quest to find the lost civilization of Urzkartagan led to the deaths of her entire team, while Minvera herself became a willing sacrifice to the Urzkartagan gods in return for the power. The end result was Cheetah.

Of course, all of that was wiped away in the New 52. It’s possible Wonder Woman 1984 will instead use the origin that has Minerva as a career criminal who was raised by cultists who worship Wonder Woman’s mother, Hippolyta. In that case, Cheetah would come to be when Minerva steals a ceremonial knife from a museum and plunges it into her own heart, thus unleashing the dark magic within. Considering the image used by Jenkins as the first look, either one is possible!

What approach would you like to see with this Cheetah? Let us know in comments!

Image: Sony/DC Comics

More Wonders never cease:

• Here’s that first look at Steve Trevor’s mysterious comeback.
• Who is Pedro Pascal playing?
• How to block bullets like Wonder Woman.

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Last year, the first Wonder Woman movie gave the DC Extended Universe a much needed boost with fans and critics. That’s why director Patty Jenkins is once again at the helm of Wonder Woman 1984, with Gal Gadot in the title role and even Chris Pine back as Steve Trevor…somehow. The ’80s were a very influential period for Wonder Woman’s adventures, and that setting may allow Jenkins to introduce another familiar element from the comics. Today’s Nerdist News examines some newly leaked footage from Wonder Woman 1984 that may be our first glimpse of the Invisible Jet!

Join the Greek Gods’ favorite host, Jessica Chobot, as she walks us through the intriguing video of Gadot’s wire work from a recently filmed scene. In the clip, Gadot is suspended above a city street in a sitting position and her hands appear to be working some invisible controls. It’s far from definitive proof, but we think it’s pretty strong circumstantial evidence that she’ll be getting an Invisible Jet added in post production.[brightcove video_id=”5799445274001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=”rJs2ZD8x”]

Some naysayers have cast doubt on this footage’s Invisible Jet hints by pointing out how low over the street Gadot is and mentioning the jet’s engines would be potentially dangerous for the nearby cars. But comic book science is never an exact science, or even real science. Potential explanations that would cover those issues exist. In some iterations, the Invisible Jet can change its shape and size at will. This could simply be the moment that the jet returns to a smaller size as Wonder Woman arrives at her destination.

What do you think about the leaked Wonder Woman ’84 clip? Do you see what we see? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: Warner Bros. Pictures/Warner Bros. Animation

More of the latest nerd news!

• How Lando’s return could affect Episode IX.
• Is Batfleck out of the DCEU for real?
• First look at Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman 1984.

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Wonder Woman 2 is all about the 1980s. Earlier this month, director Patty Jenkins and former DC entertainment president Geoff Johns teased Wonder Woman 1984, and now it’s confirmed as the sequel’s title. Of course, Gal Gadot is back as the Amazon superheroine, but she’s not the only returning cast member. Jenkins has revealed that Chris Pine is reprising his role as Steve Trevor despite his apparent death in the first Wonder Woman. Today’s Nerdist News investigates the mystery of Steve’s resurrection.

[brightcove video_id=”5797280291001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=”rJs2ZD8x”]Join guest host and third alternate Cheetah Amy Vorpahl as she offers up a few theories about how Steve Trevor could make his return. It should be noted the Wonder Woman TV series from the ’70s found a way to use Lyle Waggoner as both Steve Trevor Sr. and Jr. over the course of the show. But considering the nearly seven decades between the first film and its sequel, Pine would have to be playing Steve’s grandson in Wonder Woman 1984.

Another possibility is that it could be a trick. While Cheetah doesn’t tend to use illusions, those are the preferred weapons of another Wonder Woman villain: Circe. The ancient witch hasn’t been confirmed or rumored for this sequel, but she’s bound to show up eventually. But what if this really is Steve Trevor back from the dead? It’s not unheard of in the comic book realm, and the gods may be able to return Steve to Wonder Woman years after he sacrificed himself.

What are your theories about Steve Trevor’s return? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Warner Bros. Pictures

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• What the first look at Avengers 4 means for the MCU.

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By and large, modern superhero movies have a habit of killing characters off only to bring them back to life again in future outings. Clark Kent was axed at the end of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and revived anew in Justice League; Jean Grey kicked the bucket in X-Men: The Last Stand, but was reborn after the time-warping events of Days of Future Past. Hell, we didn’t even have to wait longer than the mid-credits sequence of Deadpool 2 to see the undoing of Vanessa Carlysle’s killing—and don’t even get us started on what we expect to happen to everyone who bought the farm in Avengers: Infinity War. But for some reason, we really thought Steve Trevor’s death would stick. So young, were we. So naïve.

This image, first spotted in a tweet from Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman and its forthcoming sequel Wonder Woman ’84, suggests that even a mere mortal like Diana Prince’s early 20th century lover boy Steve Trevor isn’t exempt from the back-from-the-dead treatment. Granted, it’s impossible to know at this point whether Steve will be manifesting in the flesh or as some kind of mental projection of Diana’s grief over losing him.

That said, given that the World War I soldier sure seems to be a little perturbed by the ’80s-era accoutrements surrounding him in the above photo, our money’s on Stevey boy actually rising from the grave to take a bona fide trip to the Reagan years. How? Who knows! But we sure are excited to find out… and excited to see Chris Pine back in action for another round of sidekickery.

In related news, Wonder Woman herself Gal Gadot also hit Twitter with a shot from the film, this one depicting Diana—no doubt in the midst of some spy work—staring down a series of monitors displaying everything from scenes from 1984 pop culture like National Lampoon’s Vacation and Dallas. And perhaps a few hints of what’s in store for Diana’s next adventure!

Do you think Steve Trevor is really back for Wonder Woman ’84? Let us know!

Images: Warner Bros

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• The Russo Brothers insist Infinity War‘s deaths are real
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• Man, it’s annoying when your coworker gets back from Wakanda

The post Patty Jenkins Shares First Look at WONDER WOMAN 1984 appeared first on Nerdist.

The sequel to last year’s smash Wonder Woman starts filming soon, and although we’ve learned a few tidbits here and there about Patty Jenkins‘ follow up film, the movie currently doesn’t have a title. Is it just Wonder Woman 2, or is it something more poetic? Well, DC’s chief creative officer Geoff Johns recently changed his Twitter header to a new logo which suggests that Gal Gadot‘s second outing as the Amazing Amazon may very well be called Wonder Woman ’84. Look at the image:

.@geoffjohns Twitter header is WW84 – is that a clue as to when #WonderWoman2 is set and possibly a clue to the name of the film? Wonder Woman ‘84 does have a nice ring to it #DCU pic.twitter.com/xisjbATZDc

— Geek Vibes Nation 🖖 (@GeekVibesNation) June 1, 2018

So, what significance does the year 1984 have for Diana in the comics? In terms of decades, Wonder Woman is most closely associated with the 1940s, the era in which she debuted and was a huge seller, and the 1970s, the time period when the Lynda Carter television series was on the air. However, the latter half of the ’80s was a huge time for the character; it was when writer/artist George Perez took the reigns of the character and gave her a top to bottom reboot, one which heavily informed the film version that we got last year. The casting of Kristen Wiig as the Barbara Minerva incarnation of the Cheetah, a Perez creation, also suggests an ’80s comics influence.

In 1984, Wonder Woman worked for the United Nations Crisis Bureau in the pages of DC Comics, so it is possible those stories could serve as inspiration, even if they’re not as well known as the later Perez stories. Certainly, the real world of 1984 could give the filmmakers plenty of story fodder to use–the Olympics were held in the U.S. that year, and the Cold War was at its peak. Not to mention, 1984 was a stellar pop culture year; it was the year that gave us classics like Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Footloose, and many more. Music wise, it was the year Michael Jackson’s Thriller became the best selling album of all time, Prince’s Purple Rain ruled, and Madonna began her pop charts dominance. So, there’s no excuse why a Wonder Woman ’84 shouldn’t have maybe the best soundtrack ever.

What are you hoping for in a Wonder Woman sequel set in the ’80s? Think the stars might actually appear on her costume this time? Be sure to let us know your ideas down below in the comments.

Images: Warner Brothers/DC Comics

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What with the sequel to director Patty Jenkins’ blockbuster hit Wonder Woman heading into production this coming summer, we’re beginning to hear scattered rumors about what the new film will look like. In a surprise bit of casting no one predicted, according to Deadline, actress Kristen Wiig is in talks for the role of the Cheetah, considered by many to be Wonder Woman’s most well known adversary. This news comes after the recent revelation that Cheetah could become the main villain for the sequel.

UPDATE, 3/9/18 – On Friday morning, director Patty Jenkins herself officially confirmed that Kristen Wiig would be joining the DC Extended Universe to play archvillain Cheetah in Wonder Woman‘s developing sequel. Jenkins hit Twitter with the following message:

So excited to confirm the most thrilling news. Yes! It’s true! So incredibly lucky to welcome the sensationally talented Kristen Wiig to our Wonder Woman family. Can’t wait to finally work with one of my favorites. And SO excited by what we have planned. #Cheetah!!! @GalGadot pic.twitter.com/Gn0jICiIAH

— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) March 9, 2018

This may be bad news for Themyscira, but it’s great news for us!

3/1/18 – According to the original report, it appears that Wiig was always close to the top of Jenkins’ short list for the role, and that Jenkins had let Wiig know she wanted her for the part before the director had begun scouting locations for the Cold War-era sequel. Although many fans were hoping that Charlize Theron might be playing the Cheetah (makingthe connection due to the actress’ previous Oscar-winning work in Patty Jenkins’ Monster), it now looks like it’s Wiig’s role to lose.

Although in the original DC Comics it’s safe to say that Ares is Wonder Woman’s main villain, the larger pop culture scene has catered to the perception that Cheetah is  Diana’s #1 foe, thanks to her role in the classic Super Friends cartoon series and in several other animated offerings.

There have been several versions of the character over Wonder Woman’s 75-year history. The first Cheetah was Priscilla Rich, a criminal suffering from a fictionalized split personality disorder who wore a cheetah print cat costume when committing crimes, similar to Catwoman. Her niece, Debbie Domaine, inherited the name and costume decades later.

The most popular version of the character—and the one said to be used in the upcoming film—is Dr. Barbara Minerva. This version of the Cheetah was a top-to-bottom reinvention of the character by George Perez for Wonder Woman’s mid ’80s reboot. Minerva was an archaeologist who learned about an ancient cat god while on a dig in Africa. She became the host body for this ancient god, but the ritual that transformed her into a were-cat practically crippled her in her human form. The later DC Rebirth version of Cheetah added a new wrinkle to her backstory by making her a former friend of Diana’s.

Although Wiig is know primarily as a comedic actress thanks to her work on SNL and in films like Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters, she’s landed several dramatic acting parts too, like her turn in The Martian and most recently, Mother! Although it seems at first like an offbeat choice, she could definitely nail this role under Jenkins’ direction.

What do you think of Kirsten Wiig potentially taking her claws out on Gal Gadot in the Wonder Woman sequel? Be sure to let us know what you think down below in the comments.

Images: DC Comics / Warner Brothers / Sony 

More from Themyscira!

• What do Wonder Woman 2 rumors tell us about the film?
• Diana fights Darkseid in Wonder Woman #41
• Wonder Woman 2 will implement new anti-sexual harassment guidelines

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It’s been a rough year for Diana Prince in the world of the Wonder Woman comics. Our esteemed Amazonian princess found out that much of her past was a lie, faced off against friend-turned-enemy the Cheetah, and discovered that she has a twin brother named Jason, who wasn’t exactly what you’d call a winner. How much more can even a goddess take? Well, how about having to face off against Darkseid himself?

Despite Wonder Woman’s best efforts, in the wake of the Darkseid War, the God of Apokolips has grown back to adulthood, and he’s looking for a new army to spread his reign of terror across the universe… and the Amazons of Themyscira seem to fit the bill! But how will Darkseid’s Female Furies take to being replaced with the Amazons? See for yourself in this preview from writer James Robinson‘s continued exploits through the story of Wonder Woman.

You can check out our exclusive preview of  the first six pages from Wonder Woman #41, along with the regular and variant covers, down below in our gallery.

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: James Robinson
Artists:  Jason Paz, Carlo Pagulayan
Cover Artists: Bryan Hitch, Jenny Frison (variant)

Here’s the official synopsis for issue #41:

The post Diana Takes on Darkseid in WONDER WOMAN #41 (Exclusive Preview) appeared first on Nerdist.

If any film is going to be the first to adopt a new set of anti-sexual harassment guidelines drafted by the Producers Guild of America (PGA), it’s fitting for it to be Wonder Woman 2. The first Wonder Woman movie, released in 2017, presented Diana Prince of Themyscira as a fierce warrior…that constantly had to prove herself to the males around her. She showed strength at every turn as she defended those in danger. And as a production, Wonder Woman 2 will work to protect its crew and cast from sexual harassment.

Via io9, the PGA announced their anti-sexual harassment guidelines on January 19. The ultimate goal of these guidelines is to prevent sexual harassment and eliminate it from the workplace. That’s the ideal situation. But in case it happens, the policy outlines clear recommendations for reporting incidents. It’s incredibly important for victims and witnesses to know they can report problems safely and without being punished. Hopefully we’ll see many productions adopt the policy in the near future.

The day after the guidelines were released, PGA presidents announced Wonder Woman 2 will be the first movie to officially adopt the policy. The movie is currently scheduled for release on November 1, 2019. This isn’t the only way in which the production is taking a stand. They also parted ways with accused sexual harasser Brett Ratner in November; his production company, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, was involved in financing.

Images: Warner Bros.

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

Defend with more stories about Wonder Woman!

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Wonder Woman was one of the biggest films of 2017. It was a solid superhero film, it was fun to watch, and it was incredibly empowering for the women in the audience to see a huge group of women portrayed as strong and capable without concern for being eye candy for men.

During an early scene where all of the Amazons are riding together on horses, Gal Gadot even tells director Patty Jenkins that she can’t believe they’re filming a movie like this.  We really haven’t seen women portrayed as they are in Wonder Woman before, and it left an impact on moviegoers.Of course, the actors had to put in some work to show off the unbridled strength that we see in Wonder Woman. In order to get the Amazons to perform at their best, the best was hired to get the actors into Themysciran shape. In a new featurette released on the DC Fans United Facebook page, we get a glimpse into the training regimen the actors were put through by Mark Twight (the same guy who trained the Spartans in 300).

Understandably, most of the women chosen to play Amazons came into the film with a certain amount of physical ability and strength. Martial artists, Olympic athletes, Cross Fitters, and even a police officer were among the women chosen to be the warriors in Wonder Woman, along with actors. It makes the Amazons that much more amazing to see how they were played by women who exercise this strength in their everyday lives, too.

In their four months of Themysciran boot camp, the women didn’t just become stronger, they also bonded together as a team. In the featurette above and just about any interview you can find with any of the cast or crew of Wonder Woman, you’ll hear about how the women on the film supported one another and how the set became a bit of a little community while they were filming. That camaraderie is evident onscreen, and made Themyscira almost feel like it was a real place.

We can’t wait to see what Diana and the Amazons bring us in Wonder Woman 2! Until then, we’ll just be re-watching the badass Amazons do their thing in the first Wonder Woman!

What do you think of the Amazons’ training regimen? What are some of your favorite exercises and activities that make you feel like an Amazon? Tell us in the comments!

Feature Image: Warner Bros. 

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Wonder Woman was the superhero movie of 2017, no small achievement in a year with no shortage of great superhero movies. Director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot knocked it out of the park with Princess Diana’s origin story, so now that everyone is officially on board for the sequel, the question becomes “where do we go from here?” In a recent interview, via Slashfilm, Jenkins dropped a hint about the upcoming Wonder Woman 2:

“We’re actually making a totally different film with a lot of the same…things that we love, but it’s its own movie completely, so it’s not ‘two’ to us. It’s an entirely new adventure together that we couldn’t be luckier [to do].”

Well, that is pretty vague, but it hints that the second film won’t be a direct follow up to the events of the first film. Which means that we probably won’t see Wonder Woman II: The Wrath of Ares or anything like. For a lot of fans, David Thewlis’ portrayal of the God of War was the film’s weakest aspect, so although Ares is Diana’s Joker or Lex Luthor, expect that chapter to be closed, at least for now.

Rumors abound that the movie will take place during the Cold War era 1980s, but that hasn’t been confirmed. Although it almost definitely will have a time jump of some kind, the question becomes does the movie take place in modern day, or anytime during the last century? Wonder Woman 2 could take a page from Marvel here, shadowing how Captain America: The Winter Soldier did a sequel to a period piece superhero film. If Wonder Woman 2 is anywhere near as good as that film, we will all be very lucky moviegoers.

Jenkins comments might also suggest that a Wonder Woman sequel might break with the first film in that it won’t be a story rooted in Greek mythology, as many of Wonder Woman’s most well regarded comic book stories tend to be. Of course, over 75 years of publishing history at DC Comics, there are plenty of examples of Wonder Woman stories not based on gods and goddesses.

On of Wonder Woman’s most infamous examples of a big departure from her traditional mythos came in 1968, when she lost her powers, her costume, and her access to her fellow Amazons, who departed to another dimension. Wonder Woman became a sort of female James Bond, travelling the world in a white jumpsuit and karate chopping bad guys. To say that feminists of the time were not happy about Diana losing her powers and iconography is perhaps an understatement. Within four years, prominent feminists had rallied for Wonder Woman’s powers and costume to be restored, and DC Comics obliged.

However, the “female Bond” era had a lasting impact, as the Lynda Carter television series offered a mix of both takes on Diana. Her secret identity of Diana Prince worked for one of those made up government spy agencies, so she still kicked ass fighting terrorists and the like as something of a super spy. She also happened to still be able to turn into a super powered demi-goddess when she felt like it. Could Jenkins new movie be picking up on that angle from the comics for a sequel?

Another big departure from Wonder Woman’s traditional mythological storytelling was when Diana was exiled into space, and ended up leading a slave revolt on an alien world. This multi-part “Space Pirates” story ran in the mid ’90s, and it wasn’t terribly popular, but it was a break from the usual “Wonder Woman fights a gorgon” type stories fans had become used to. I could see Patty Jenkins maybe doing a loose adaptation of this and turning it into something cool.

Another offbeat Wonder Woman story is Paul Dini and Alex Ross’ OGN Spirit of Truth, which finds Diana fighting terrorists, but also finds her confronting the fact that she is often separated most from the people she’s sworn to protect. It would be sort of an odd choice to inspire a movie, but aspects of it could creep in. Actually, Diana’s introduction in Justice League is inspired by the graphic novel at least in part. And say what you will about that film, but Diana’s introduction is pretty great.

Wonder Woman 2 is currently set to hit theaters November 1, 2019.

What non-traditional Wonder Woman comic book stories would you like to see inspire a sequel? And which villains would you like to see used? I know I’m personally rooting for Circe and the Cheetah. Be sure to let us know who you would like to see down below in the comments.

Images: Warner Brothers / DC Comics

SOAR WITH MORE WONDER WOMAN!

• Meet an Amazon cosplay group.
• See an alternate ending for Wonder Woman with Batgirl and Supergirl.
• Could Wonder Woman be part of a DCEU Flashpoint?

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The post Patty Jenkins Hints At “Totally Different” WONDER WOMAN 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Moscow-based cosplayer Diana Anokhina is a huge fan of Wonder Woman. Diana cosplaying as Diana is kind of perfect, and her Wonder Woman costumes are incredible. She’s made versions based on all of Wonder Woman’s appearances in the DCEU. Can you imagine how great it would be to open your closet and see multiple Amazon princess costumes? Anyway, Diana participated in an epic shoot with photographer Denis Murin to highlight her work.

They captured the spirit of the Wonder Woman film by renting a black horse. Diana had never been on horseback before, so she fully committed and learned how to ride ahead of time. Murin told Nerdist, “The funny thing is that horse’s name is Lyuta, which roughly translates as ‘fierce one.’ And she was fierce. Lyuta was feeling that Diana was a novice rider so she would take any opportunity to break into a gallop. But Diana bravely held.”

All the work was worth it, because the photos are incredible.

Keep scrolling to see more images from the photo shoot, as well as some photos showing off the making of the costume. You can keep up with Diana’s cosplay projects by following her on Instagram, and you can see more of Denis’ photography by following him on Facebook and Instagram.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? If so, I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting your creations in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com and send photos you’d like me to feature–the more high-res the photos, the better.

Images: Denis Murin

Be impressed by more cosplay!

• James Gunn’s favorite Guardians pet cosplay.
• A fierce Wonder Woman cosplay group.
• A championship worthy Breath of the Wild costume.

The post This Wonder Woman Cosplayer Embraces Her Inner Amazon appeared first on Nerdist.

Wonder Woman is finally getting her due in 2017. Some of us have loved the character forever, but thanks to Patty Jenkins’ amazing movie, the whole world has realized that Wonder Woman is indeed truly wonderful. And this Halloween season, not surprisingly, Wonder Woman is a popular costume choice for girls and women.

However, I doubt many of them will have a Diana Prince costume as amazing as this custom Wonder Woman armor, created by Samuel Lee from Prince Armory, via Geeks Are Sexy.  The armor is super badass, and although it’s inspired by the big screen version of Diana, there are several touches from the comic book incarnation as well (if you look carefully, you’ll notice little stars on the leather battle skirt). You can check out the full set armor below:

The folks at Prince Armory have made pop culture based medieval armor before, but their Wonder Woman armor is, in my opinion, their finest work and stands as something that could absolutely be used by the character in one of her next big screen outings.

In the comics, Diana has a full body golden eagle style armor and helmet, which first appeared in the pages of Kingdom Come. As cool as that armor is, I think this one is way cooler. With a more militant “alternate timeline” version of Wonder Woman said to appear in the upcoming movie Flashpoint, I think Warner Brothers should give the folks at Prince Armory a call and see if they can use this work of art for the film. Who wouldn’t want to see Gal Gadot rock this outfit?

You can see close-up shots of the armor at Prince Armory’s website.

What do you make of this ultra badass Wonder Woman armor? Would you like to see it up on the big screen? Let us know below in the comments.

Images: Warner Brothers

Stay strong with more Wonder Woman stories!

• An incredible Wonder Woman Hot Toys figure.
• Hot Topic’s new Justice League clothing line.
• A killer Amazon cosplay group.

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The post WONDER WOMAN Medieval Battle Armor Is Worthy of an Amazon appeared first on Nerdist.

Wonder Woman took to the skies in an entirely different way in September. Three hundred Intel drones flew above downtown Los Angeles and formed imagery tied to the blockbuster DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film. Seeing the iconic Wonder Woman symbol in the sky while listening to a live performance from the movie’s score by cellist Tina Guo is a heck of a way to spend an evening, and director Patty Jenkins was on hand to witness the event celebrating the home release of her smash hit.

Nerdist caught up with the director ahead of the drone show to discuss all things Diana and what Jenkins is most looking forward to about the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel. [brightcove video_id=”5589587863001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=”rJs2ZD8x”]

It’s delightful to see Jenkins’ passion and enthusiasm for Diana all over her face. The sequel will feature a Diana who’s more seasoned and has been in the world for longer. Jenkins says she’s looking forward to what Diana will do next, because as she points out, “There’s many different things for her to take on in the world.”

So. Many.

As far as the drone show? See the beauties (which isn’t a word I ever thought I’d use to describe drones) in flight in this video.

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WONDERful, right?

What do you hope to see in Wonder Woman 2? Share your hopes and dreams in the comments.

Featured Image: Nerdist

Images: Warner Bros

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

Soar with more Wonder Woman!

• Meet an Amazon cosplay group.
• See an alternate ending for Wonder Woman with Batgirl and Supergirl.
• Could Wonder Woman be part of a DCEU Flashpoint?

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The post WONDER WOMAN’S Patty Jenkins on the Success of Diana appeared first on Nerdist.

Wonder Woman ended with Diana learning the importance of love over hate and triumphantly winning the day. To be clear, I’m more than okay with the ending as is. Maybe I’d change some little things, but hey, nothing’s perfect, right? I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to the ending suggested by How It Should Have Ended in their latest video. They put aside the heroics and had Wonder Woman sit down for ice cream alongside Batgirl and Supergirl and have some real talk about the recent events in Diana’s life. Watch:

The best part of the exchange? Diana asking if Batgirl and Supergirl want to pick apart her story and ask her questions, and Batgirl saying she’s just really happy they get to hang out. See how simple that can be? Superheroes acting friendly towards each other and having chill hang-outs is my brand. I’d watch the trio gab over snacks for two hours. Seriously.

The video reminds me of this piece of endearing art by Ellen Jin:

https://www.instagram.com/p/8kNOl9tWCn/

She also has a print depicting Diana and Batgirl in the midst of serious girl time at a French bakery.

You can see more alternate takes from How It Should Have Ended on YouTube.

What would you want to see from a Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl movie? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: How It Should Have Ended

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

Soar with more Wonder Woman!

• Patty Jenkins is directing Wonder Woman 2.
• An awesome Wonder Woman cosplay group.
• A Justice League connection in the Wonder Woman epilogue.

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The post An Alternate WONDER WOMAN Ending with Batgirl and Supergirl appeared first on Nerdist.

In an alternate universe somewhere, actress Gal Gadot is famous for playing a formidable lady warrior up on the big screen… but not Wonder Woman. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast (via Vulture), Gadot shared that she was the runner up for the part of Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. Of course, that role went to Charlize Theron, who garnered much acclaim for the role from critics and fans alike, stealing the movie right from under Tom Hardy’s nose.

“I was runner-up for Mad Max with Charlize. I had so many almosts for big, great things, but I was never a big enough name … It was always me and the big name,” said Gadot. While we think that Gal would have made an interesting Furiosa, we are glad things played out the way they did and she ended up portraying Wonder Woman instead. If ever an actor and role lined up perfectly, it’s Wonder Woman and Gal Gadot.

Although Gal was not in the film, interestingly enough, another Wonder Woman was. Well, someone who was almost Wonder Woman — actress and model Megan Gale played the part of the Valkyrie in Fury Road, and she was originally cast as Wonder Woman for George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal film back in 2008. When that film fell apart, Miller gave her a role in Fury Road. (But if you want to know what Megan Gale would have looked like as Diana, do click on our story here).

Gal Gadot is not in any way resentful of Theron’s success with the role, though (duh). Plus, they have a mutual friend. “Charlize, I love. We have Patty Jenkins in common,” Gadot said, of course referencing Charlize Theron’s Oscar-winning portrayal in Patty Jenkins’ 2003 film Monster. Rumors abound that Charlize might play a role in Wonder Woman 2, maybe as one of the villains Cheetah or Circe. Now that is a clash of the titans we can all get behind.

Images: Warner Brothers

Even more Wonder Woman!

• Why Wonder Woman is one of the best movies of 2017 so far.
• 5 villains we want to see in the Wonder Woman sequel.
• Wonder Woman‘s greatest strength is its heart.

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The post WONDER WOMAN’s Gal Gadot Almost Played Furiosa in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD appeared first on Nerdist.

This year’s Wonder Woman film from Patty Jenkins wasn’t just the biggest blockbuster hit of the summer, it became a cultural touchstone for millions of women who finally got to see themselves represented on screen in a comic book superhero film as the lead.

No, Wonder Woman wasn’t the first female superhero movie, but it was the first one in a very long time and it turned out to be the best. And it wasn’t only Gal Gadot‘s Princess Diana who was amazing in the film and gave inspiration to so many, but also her fellow Amazons like Antiope (Robin Wright), Artemis (Ann Wolf), and Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen). They rocked our collective worlds.

Now, thanks to Vanity Fair, we’ve learned of an amazing cosplay group who honor the film’s Amazonian ideals with a series of stunning photographs as the Themysciran warriors, both in their formal military outfits, as well as their casual, Grecian style attire. Also included is Diana’s blue gown from her confrontation with the German General Ludendorff in the movie.

The cosplayers, who are part of an online Amazon inspired cosplaying community called the Amazon Sisters of Themyscira, are Beverly Downen as Hippolyta, Harbeastie as Wonder Woman, JJ Stefishen as Antiope, Yasemin Art as Diana (costume by Pat Dooley) and AbbyCat Cosplay as the Amazon (costume by Harbeastie). The formal dresses and jewelry were supplied by Se•Lyn Boutique, while all photos are by Downen Photography.

How did this shoot come together? According to photographer Brett Downen, “This photo shoot was an idea inspired by a group conversation among the amazons that started with a ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if?’,then rapidly expanded into a full blown Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair inspired Amazon shoot. We thought it’d be fun to to loosely emulate Annie’s refined, near-perfect cover images with an Amazon slant.”

“The full armored but more formal shots were our ultimate vision, but with the contribution of formal wear by Se•lyn Boutique, we were given an opportunity to take formal to a more refined area,” added Downen, “Before we knew it, schedules were dialed in, a studio was booked, and our silly conversation became a group goal. The best outcome of this photo shoot was six friends dreaming together, scheming together, and then spending an incredible afternoon in the studio together; the bonus was to have some cool group photos as the result of our adventure.”

According to cosplayer Beverly Downen, who portrayed Queen Hippolyta, “The bond of sisterhood is rooted in our desire to do this Amazonian Vanity Fair style inspired photo shoot. Much of our original intention was to encourage each other and our Amazonian sisters everywhere to celebrate themselves and their creations.”

You can check out the rest of the photos down below in our gallery, beginning with the three Nerdist exclusives.

Do you find this group of fierce Amazon cosplayers as inspiring as we do? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Want more about Wonder Woman?

• Get your hands on a Wonder Woman Barbie.
• Learn why the ’80s were awesome for Wonder Woman.
• Wonder Woman‘s DP on the impact of the film.

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Images: Downen Photography

The post WONDER WOMAN Cosplay Group Is All About the Amazons appeared first on Nerdist.