With Warner Bros. and DC looking to distance themselves from the idea of an “interconnected universe,” the following news should not come as much of a surprise. Recently, while speaking with Vulture about the release of WONDER WOMAN 1984, longtime WB/DC producer Charles Roven told the outlet that the studio is working hard to present the follow-up to Patty Jenkins' 2017 original as anything but ordinary. In fact, Roven says that fans shouldn't consider Diana's next solo venture to be a sequel at all, but rather just another exciting chapter of the Warrior Princess' story.
“She was just determined that this movie should be the next iteration of Wonder Woman but not a sequel. And she’s definitely delivering on that. It’s a completely different time frame and you’ll get a sense of what Diana-slash–Wonder Woman had been doing in the intervening years. But it’s a completely different story that we’re telling. Even though it’ll have a lot of the same emotional things, a lot of humor, a lot of brave action. Tugs at the heart strings as well,” says Roven.
When you consider Roven's above comment, as well as the time jump between the original film's World War I setting and the follow-up's 1984 placement, an opportunity emerges for the WB to introduce plenty of new elements to the WONDER WOMAN franchise. What has Diana been doing throughout the years? What battles has she fought? Who has she helped to overthrow? How have those intervening years affected her as a defender of justice? How many times has her heart been torn apart by the hubris of man?
Personally, I think the concept of WONDER WOMAN 1984 not having to be concerned with the events of the original film is a huge plus. It's a fact that ideas for characters change throughout the creative process – from one film to another – and there's a good chance that Jenkins' vision for Diana has been reworked several times since the success of WONDER WOMAN. With that in mind, a standalone feature, not shackled by time or character deaths, could be just what Diana needs to make a splash on the big screen, once again.
What do you think of Roven's comments about WONDER WOMAN 1984 not being a sequel? How do you think the new story will re-introduce Steve Trevor's character? Is WONDER WOMAN 1984 poised to embrace some honest-to-goodness comic book resurrection tactics? I sure hope so. The weirder the better, I say. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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