Wonder Woman 1984 star Gal Gadot says the upcoming film is not a sequel to the 2017 original. The newly-titled Worlds of DC finally had their first bona fide critical and commercial smash last summer when Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman earned widespread praise and did very well at the box office. With a $821.8 million worldwide gross, the film is the top-earning installment in the burgeoning franchise. Obviously, a followup was quickly green lit.
That film, Wonder Woman 1984, is currently in the midst of production. Over the past few weeks, fans have been treated to numerous images (of both the official and leaked kind) showcasing characters such as Kristen Wiig's Cheetah and Chris Pine's Steve Trevor. Though work has only begun on the movie, it was still a part of WB's Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, where more details were revealed. Not only were attendees treated to the first footage, there was also some insight into the story.
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Screen Rant attended the Hall H panel, where Gadot described Wonder Woman 1984 as its own story, telling the audience it was not a sequel. To elaborate, director Jenkins added that her goal was to make a unique movie. Based on the short glimpse of footage, Wonder Woman 1984 definitely has a brighter aesthetic when compared to its predecessor.
Admittedly, the wording of this is slightly confusing. In some ways, Wonder Woman 1984 is a sequel since its narrative is set after the events of the 2017 film. It sounds like Gadot is indicating 1984 will not be a continuation of the previous movie. That story, which took place in World War I, had its own beginning, middle, and end, meaning it's over. With that in mind, Jenkins and her team are likely embracing the Indiana Jones or James Bond style of franchise building, where each installment in the series operates as a "standalone" movie that exists on it own merits. How this relates to Pine's return as Steve Trevor remains to be seen, as that's a question that likely won't be answered until the movie premieres in theaters.
Since there aren't many hanging threads from the original Wonder Woman that need resolving, this honestly sounds like the best approach. It even ties into comments Gadot has previously made about followups, as she wants each film to explore Diana's different values - piecing together chapters of the Wonder Woman Bible. Jenkins was able knock the first Wonder Woman out of the park, so it's safe to say she knows what is best for the character and franchise.
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