We are exactly one week from the release of “Wonder Woman 1984.” Though that release strategy is a whole different story, for now, we’re here to discuss what’s next. Specifically, we’re here to discuss why it is starting to sound like director Patty Jenkins‘ time in the world of Diana Prince sounds like it’s coming to an end, when previously it seemed like a no-brainer.
During a recent interview on the Happy. Sad. Confused. podcast, Jenkins was asked what a Themyscira film might look like, and what the appeal of making a ‘Wonder Woman’ spin-off that didn’t feature Wonder Woman, Jenkins immediately went to sounding pretty cautious about its chances.
“Yeah, who knows what’s going to happen with that film, because the whole studio is in such a strange place right now, I have no idea what will happen,” Jenkins said. “But I still really want to do it. It’s such a great world, people are so thirsty for it. Even with the new film, they’re so thirsty for more.”
She added, “Those are great actresses and there are a lot of great characters that we didn’t really get to roll around in I’d love to do. And I just thought of a story that I think is hilarious and amazing that could happen in the interim years after Diana’s left. I think there’s a way to make a smaller budget movie there with a really huge appeal to a whole bunch of people. So I think it’s like, as a spin-off of ‘Wonder Woman,’ I think there’s an amazing movie to be made there out of those characters. I love the story we have, and…. we’ll see. We’ll see what happens.”
But the cautious tone of her future in the DCEU continues when she talks about “Wonder Woman 3.” Recently, it was announced that “Star Wars: Rogue Squadron” would be her next film, which she admitted kinda puts the possibility of a “Wonder Woman 3” on shaky ground. And when she’s once again asked about another ‘Wonder Woman’ sequel and a possible trilogy again, the first thing she says is a cautious “perhaps.”
“Perhaps, that’s become more questionable,” she admitted.”
And if she does return for a third “Wonder Woman,” would the film skip ahead in time again and land in the present day?
“Maybe,” Jenkins explained. “We have to figure out what’s going on with a lot of things and really, honestly? This second ‘Wonder Woman’ really came forth from what I was feeling and what I wanted to say in the world with her. And I don’t know what this is [any longer]. I knew what I wanted to say before the pandemic, I had a whole story mapped out. But now I’m saying, ‘Don’t even think about it.’ Put a pin in it and see where you are when you start working on it, because I want to use WW to speak to our world. It’s the first time I’ve ever done that. I’m like, ‘process all that first.'”
Of course, as often is the case with superhero film franchises, we start talking about new sequels before the upcoming film is even released. So, for now, we can definitely “put a pin” in ‘WW3’ talk and just be happy that “Wonder Woman 1984” is arriving in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25.