Later this summer, Wonder Woman 1984 will put Gal Gadot’s Diana against Kristen Wiig’s Barbara Minerva AKA Cheetah. However, Cheetah won’t be the only villain menacing Wonder Woman. The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal is co-starring as Maxwell Lord, another Wonder Woman nemesis. During a recent interview with Total Film via GamesRadar, director Patty Jenkins explained why the sequel needed two villains from Wonder Woman’s comic book adventures.
“It turned out that the story was the thing that gave birth to the need for both [villains],” said Jenkins. “It wasn’t that I thought I needed both. Cheetah was the villain that we were focused on having in this movie, but then Max Lord, throughout the history of Wonder Woman comics – he serves a very mechanical purpose, often.”
RELATED: Petty Jenkins Says Wonder Woman 1984’s Title Isn’t Coincidental
Additionally, Jenkins noted that the story also justified the return of Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor despite his death in the original film. She also assured fans that Pine’s return wasn’t simply due to a desire to reunite Diana and Steve.
“You all go on the journey together,” said Jenkins. “The movie and the characters all go on a journey together. It did not at all come from, ‘We’ve got to have Steve back.’ I was so pleased when I thought of the story idea, and then intrinsic to that story was Steve coming back, because we love Chris. But it just came naturally.”
Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters on Friday, August 14, assuming no further delays.
Do you think that movie theaters will be open in time for Wonder Woman 1984 to premiere in August? Share your predictions in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Wonder Woman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 1
