Wonder Woman 1984 Stars Explain Why It's Not a Sequel

Wonder Woman 1984 stars Gal Gadot and Kristen Wiig explain why their DC sequel isn't exactly a sequel. While Gadot's Wonder Woman made her big screen debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it wasn't until 2017's Wonder Woman that she really took center stage. That solo adventure showed Diana's origin story as she left her safe haven of Themyscira behind and entered the brutal world of men during World War I. Wonder Woman 1984 will pick up with her decades later, living a quieter life in Washington D.C. Still, things rarely remain peaceful for a superhero, and Diana will soon have her hands full with new threats like Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Barbara Minerva/Cheetah (Wiig).

Despite anticipation being sky high for Wonder Woman 1984, it has been saddled with more than a few roadblocks. After suffering an initial delay from November 2019 to June 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 was hit with the same fate as most 2020 movies: Delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. It first moved from June to August, but almost two weeks ago, Warner Bros. opted to move it again to October 2. Through it all, Warner Bros. has remained dedicated to giving Wonder Woman 1984 the proper theatrical run it deserves.

The additional delay just means the promotional campaign for Wonder Woman 1984 will continue for longer than expected. It also means that, through that campaign, more information about the film will be revealed. In this latest tidbit from Total Film (via GamesRadar), Gadot and Wiig touched upon why Wonder Woman 1984 isn't exactly a sequel, despite being the second installment in Diana's story. Gadot first began by explaining the Diana in Wonder Woman 1984 is very different than the Diana in the 2017 film:

We don’t pick up the story where we left it last, because it was 66 years ago. So she’s been living for over six decades by herself, in man’s world, serving mankind and doing good. And this story is a story of its own. I mean, the only thing that we share in both stories is probably, you know, the fact that it’s Diana Prince and also Steve Trevor. But other than that, it’s a whole new world, and the era is different, and Diana is different, and the story is new.

Wiig continued by saying Wonder Woman 1984 feels completely different from the first film, and that's what keeps it from being a sequel. "A lot of time, with the sequel, you want to show the connection to the first one. And this one..." Wiig explained. Gadot then concluded by adding, "It’s totally of its own." The change between the first film and the second could already be seen through the marketing materials for Wonder Woman 1984, which has leaned into its 80s setting in bright, colorful fashion. Beyond that, it'll be interesting to see all the ways Diana has changed between Wonder Woman and now, especially when Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) returns as a reminder of her past.

The hope now is that movie theaters will reopen and remain open by October so Wonder Woman 1984 can finally make its way out into the world. It would've already been released had the pandemic not postponed it, and it's undoubtedly frustrating to have to wait even longer. Still, based on what's been revealed so far, Wonder Woman 1984 is shaping up to be an awesome sequel-that-isn't-a-sequel.

More: Wonder Woman 1984 Director Responds Positively To Movie's Third Delay

Source: Total Film (via GamesRadar)