When “Wonder Woman” came out in 2017, it was a thrilling breath of fresh air, both within the darker realm of DC Comics adaptations and the larger context of bloated summer blockbusters.
Director Patty Jenkins’ film offered equal parts muscle and heart, with a perfect tonal balance between transporting action and gentle humor, dazzling spectacle and charming romance.
Crucially at its center was the impossibly charismatic Gal Gadot, who was more than just a gorgeous and statuesque stunner. She radiated goodness, light, and hope in a way that was infectious, that made you believe in the power of superheroes beyond facile platitudes about doing what’s right and protecting mankind.
Gadot remains a winning and winsome figure in “Wonder Woman 1984,” and she retains her authentic connection with the audience, but the machinery around her has grown larger and unwieldy.
The first Wonder Woman movie changed the game for superhero blockbusters led by women in front of and behind the camera, so it’s only right that the sequel Wonder Woman 1984 will defy every expectation for a sequel.
Thanks to the new details and theories spinning out of Wonder Woman 1984‘s official FanDome trailer, fans have enjoyed tiny glimpses of Kristen Wiig’s Cheetah, the comic book supervillain throwing the world into chaos
While Jenkins is proud of Wonder Woman and loved working with Pine, Gal Godot, and the rest of the cast, she felt like there was some unfinished business left to attend to.
She’s strong, fierce, independent, loving, compassionate, bold, and beautiful. But when it comes to romance, even Wonder Woman has had her fair share of problems over the years, getting mixed up with everyone from Superman to Batman to Aquaman, of all people.