Patty Jenkins Teases Amazon Olympics In 'Wonder Woman 1984', More Themyscira In An Animated Series
Wonder Woman 1984 should have been in theaters by now, but it's been pushed back several times due to the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, it's slated to arrive in October, but that all depends on when movie theaters actually reopen. In the meantime, director Patty Jenkins wanted to tease a particularly thrilling sequence in the sequel that takes us back to Themyscira for the Amazon Olympics. And that's not the only return to Wonder Woman's homeland that's in our future.
Patty Jenkins talked with Empire Magazine about Wonder Woman 1984, and she discussed the Amazon Olympics being featured in a flashback scene inspired by the athletic competition that has played a part in the superhero's various origin stories in DC Comics. Jenkins said:
"What I love about the Amazon Olympics is everything that we got to really celebrate in the first movie. Here are these people who are incredibly powerful and capable, but different in how they approach things. If you've been training for hundreds of years because of an impending invasion, you're going to be constantly working on all these skill sets. So, to me, every year, they would have these Olympics to see who's doing the best on horses or swimming the fastest, and seeing new tricks people have figured out."
Knowing how skilled the Amazons are in battle, seeing them compete in Olympics-level events should be an entertaining prospect. As for how it ties into the overall story to make the flashback resonate with the rest of the movie and Gal Gadot's arc as Diana, we'll have to wait and see. But it won't be the last time we return to Themyscira.
In addition to the Wonder Woman spin-off film that will focus on the Amazon women of Themyscira, Patty Jenkins also revealed that an animated series centered on the Amazons is also being considered. She wasn't willing to divulge any details, but she did note that the animated series would be separate from the film franchise while the feature film would be "part of the in-world story of Wonder Woman," which would make it canon in the DC Extended Universe.
Having an animated series focused on the Amazons would be pretty cool. It would allow for plenty more action with the warrior women, and would make for some stylized storytelling that wouldn't be as easy to pull off on the big screen. But the question is whether fans want to see more of the Amazons without Wonder Woman involved.
Far too often spin-offs haven't succeeded without the main characters who helped give rise to the prominence of supporting characters. But perhaps the history of Wonder Woman's mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and aunt Antiope (Robin Wright) and all the fellow Amazons will make for a compelling story on the big screen. As for an animated series, it would be much easier to craft stories that involve Wonder Woman without having to worry about canon. Plus, there's a rich history of other characters in DC Comics that could easily come into contact with the Amazons, as we saw in the Justice League movie. Without any canon to worry about, anything is possible.
As for the main Wonder Woman franchise, Patty Jenkins isn't actively thinking about Wonder Woman 3 right now, she does mention that ideas have been discussed about furthering the story of heroes in today's tense social climate. Jenkins said:
"You're enjoying the movie you're making and also reflecting on what could be different or better in the [real] world. And therefore what story you want to tell. That's the greatest thing to me about superhero stories. You're able to have a dialogue about what a hero would be right now. So yes, I have ideas for what I'd like to say, and Gal does too."
For now, we'll just have to be patient and hope we'll get to see Wonder Woman 1984 on October 2, 2020.