Wonder Woman 3 is officially happening. As reported by Variety, Warner Bros. has fast-tracked development of the sequel. Patty Jenkins, who directed the first two films in the series, is returning. Gal Gadot is also on board to reprise her role as Diana Prince.
The news comes just days after Wonder Woman 1984 was released. The sequel was delayed multiple times due to the pandemic. However, the studio finally opted to release it in theaters and on HBO Max in the U.S. It earned $85 million globally at the box office, including $16 million in the U.S. While that would be a crushing disappointment in any other year, by pandemic standards, it’s better than expected.
Warner Bros. felt encouraged enough by the numbers to press forward with a third entry. Plot details are firmly under wraps for the time being. The sequel moved the action to the 80s, with Maxwell Lord and Cheetah on board as the villains, played by Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig, respectively.
“As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ we are excited to be able to continue her story with our real life Wonder Women — Gal and Patty — who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy,” Warner Bros. head Toby Emmerich said.
“‘Wonder Woman 1984’ broke records and exceeded our expectations across all of our key viewing and subscriber metrics in its first 24 hours on the service, and the interest and momentum we’re seeing indicates this will likely continue well beyond the weekend,” Andy Forssell, head of WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer business, said. “During these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the option of enjoying this uplifting film at home, where theater viewing wasn’t an option.”
Wonder Woman 3 does not have a release date set. But things will surely be different by the time it arrives. Movie theaters have largely been closed for much of 2020. The box office, as a result, has taken a huge hit. WarnerMedia opted to release its entire 2021 slate both in theaters and on HBO Max as a result, including The Suicide Squad. The move has drawn backlash within the industry. But the company has said the plans don’t extend beyond 2021. So WW3 should receive a full theatrical release.
Wonder Woman was originally released in 2017. It was a turning point for DC Films, earning both critical praise and box office success. The film grossed $821 million worldwide. Wonder Woman 1984 stands to make but a fraction of that, given the circumstances. The sequel has also proved to be far more divisive, currently holding 65 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
So what do you think? Are you excited for Wonder Woman 3? Do you think Warner Bros. was right to put it on the fast track? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
