Entertainment

This 'Wonder Woman 2' Clue Is A BIG Hint That The Movie Takes Place In The 1980s

by Sophy Ziss
Mike Coppola/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

2017's Wonder Woman was set during World War II — a pivotal time in modern American history. What could compare for the upcoming sequel — when will Wonder Woman 2 take place? Well, as it turns out, the rumors could be true: the franchise might be jumping four decades to the 1980s. Wonder Woman 2 could take place in 1984, which is about as loaded a year as they could pick. Director Patty Jenkins and DC Entertainment President Geoff Johns posted images that said "WW84" on their social media accounts on Saturday, June 2 — which could be a Wonder Woman logo for the sequel. (Bustle reached out for comment to DC Entertainment and Jenkins' reps, but has not yet received a response.)

Johns changed his Facebook cover photo to the "WW84" logo, then both Jenkins and Johns changed their Twitter header images to "WW84," causing fans and media outlets to immediately speculate about what it means — and if 84 is an indication that 1984 will be the year in which Wonder Woman 2 is set. If Wonder Woman does take place in 1984, the sequel would be set during the Cold War. It's equal parts spooky and fierce – definitely a good sign for what's to come.

Setting Wonder Woman 2 in 1984 opens the door for a lot of possibility in terms of Diana's foes. It's also a heck of a year in American history. With comedy icon Kristen Wiig Wonder Woman villain Cheetah and Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal joining the cast in an unknown role, it's shaping up to possibly be D.C. Entertainment's most promising large-screen adaptation yet.

Jenkins, Johns, and writer Dave Callahan are all working on the script together, per Deadline. As for the actual content of the film? That remains to be seen. If the movie does take place in 1984, Wonder Woman 2 will incorporate themes of the Cold War, the Reagan-era Red Scare, persistent threat of nuclear war, and other fun, light-hearted moments from recent American history. Considering the United States' contentious history with Russia — then the Soviet Union — and the current state of relations between the two today, it's safe to assume there will be some topical references as well.

It's worth pointing out that a lot actually happened in the year 1984: Space shuttle Discovery launched; the virus that causes AIDS was identified; the Olympics took place, and Reagan was re-elected in a landslide. 1984 is also the name of a dystopian science fiction novel by George Orwell, one that primarily deals with themes of fascism.

Apart from Johns and Jenkins updating their Twitter header images, little else is known about Wonder Woman 2. The premiere date is set for November 1, 2019. IMDb only lists 4 cast members, and one of them — Lynda Carter — is simply listed as "rumored". Carter originally played Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV show, and has since developed a friendship with star Gal Gadot. It's thought that her 2018 Met Gala look honored Gadot's Israeli heritage.

Cast member Pedro Pascal, meanwhile, doesn't have a listed role or character name on IMDBd — how interesting.

So, why now? Why tease Wonder Woman fans with a nugget of Wonder Woman 2 news? It's likely that Johns first updated his Facebook cover photo to the new Wonder Woman 2 logo to honor the Wonder Woman anniversary. Though it featured early screenings in 2017, the film opened worldwide on June 2. It's likely that the Wonder Woman 2 logo release — and the hint of its 1984-era setting — intentionally coincided with the Wonder Woman release date. Apart from casting Wiig as the infamous comic book villain Cheetah, not much information was available on Wonder Woman 2 until now. Here's hoping there are only more clues for what's to come on the way.