Everything we know (so far) about the Wonder Woman sequel

The Wonder Woman sequel, starring Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, has officially started filming — and with that announcement comes the first official details and images. While we’ve been hearing rumblings about the plot for some time, we now know the title, the time it takes place, the principal cast, and a few unexpected surprises.

The first film marked the first time DC’s Amazonian warrior woman came to life on the big screen in live-action. Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman to the tune of $821.8 million worldwide and surpassing the box office gross of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League in the United States. Obviously, a sequel was gonna happen.

So how will the gatekeepers of the DC Extended Universe top the first one? Here’s everything we know (so far) about the sequel.

What’s the title?

The film that fans and media have been referring to as Wonder Woman 2 for the past year is now titled Wonder Woman 1984. While this certainly isn’t the Owellian future a certain literary work predicted (or is it?!), the title confirms the sequel will take place in the 1980s towards the end of the Cold War. For reference, it was 1917 when Diana fished a crashed American military pilot out of the waters of Themyscira and embarked on a mission to stop the God of War, Ares.

What’s it about?

All WB is revealing at this time is the following surface-level logline: “Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing an all-new foe: The Cheetah.”

Who’s in it?

You can’t have a Wonder Woman movie without Gadot. Joining her are Kristen Wiig as the villain Cheetah, Prince Oberon himself Pedro Pascal in a mysterious key role, and (pause for dramatic effect) the return of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor.

Behind the scenes, Jenkins is directing Wonder Woman 1984, which she also wrote with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham, according to reports. Joining her are director of photography Matthew Jensen, Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (Amélie), Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (Topsy-Turvy), and Oscar-nominated editor Richard Pearson (United 93).

Jenkins will produce the film with Stephen Jones, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, and Zack Snyder. Snyder directed Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, as well as produced the films thus far in the DC universe. Though he dropped off production on Justice League and was replaced by Joss Whedon. Rebecca Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Wesley Coller, Johns, and Walter Hamada will serve as executive producers.

Notice Brett Ratner’s name is nowhere to be found.

Who’s the villain?

Wiig’s Cheetah is one of Wonder Woman’s best-known adversaries, though there have been many incarnations of the character in the comics. She’s been envisioned as a burglar, a villain with split personalities, and a mutant cat lady with claws and a tail. Jenkins confirmed that this version is indeed Barbara Minerva. In the comics, Barbara is a British archeologist obsessed with Greek mythology and artifacts who eventually invokes an ancient cat god and mutates into a literal cat woman.

Over on the rumor mill, Vulture‘s Kyle Buchanan tweeted about Wiig’s character possibly starting the film “as Diana’s friend, not her foe. She emulates Wonder Woman, then seeks to usurp her.”

How exactly is Steve Trevor back?

Don’t get us wrong. We’re happy to see Pine’s face again — especially since he’s standing in front of a shop that sells Diana’s favorite tasty treat. But… how is this possible? Steve seemingly died in a plane explosion at the end of the first film, a moment that established the Diana of the present day and shaped her outlook on heroism. Now, the first-look image, we see Steve nearly seven decades later looking just as fine as when we first ogled him in Diana’s bath caves on Themyscira.

Will the memory of Steve linger in Diana’s psyche throughout the film? Did he somehow survive the plane crash and get cryogenically frozen a la Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Did he accidentally fly through a black hole at the end of Wonder Woman and get spit back up in the ’80s? (Don’t knock it. Crazier things have happened in the comics.) Is Pine playing Steve Trevor, as in Steve Trevor Jr. or Steve Trevor IV?

Reports have come out speculating that the latter might be true, that Pine could be playing a descendant of the original Steve Trevor. Before comic book skeptics start chiming in, Pine himself said the following in Sharon Gosling’s Wonder Woman: The Art and Making of The Film, (via ScreenRant):

“With Steve, I always viewed it that he probably had been in love before and he probably did have a lady, maybe even had a family, and lost that to this awful conflict. The thought of falling in love is so painful for him that he could not allow himself to do it. It had to be about a mission, it had to be God and country, but it could not be him and what he wanted. He’s got a mission that, up until the very last, is his driving force. Along the way he happens to fall madly in love with a goddess. And he just holds off and holds off and holds off until he can’t bear to let her go.”

So far, this is still a mystery.

What’s the setting?

Jenkins had said previously that Wonder Woman 1984 takes place in the United States. A press release from WB further noted filming will take place in Washington, D.C. and Alexandria, Virginia as well as the U.K., Spain, and the Canary Islands. Canary Islands makes us think Themyscira, so maybe that means Connie Nielsen and her Amazons will also make a return appearance. (Excuse us while we pitch a Connie Nielsen and the Amazons TV pilot.)

When does the movie come out?

Wonder Woman 1984 is scheduled for theaters on Nov. 1, 2019.