School is now back in session and routines are returning to a “new normal.”  Part of this adjustment is the revival of creating a social scene after months in quarantine.  One aspect of normality returning back to precovid days are the movie and TV industries. People are awaiting the reopening of movie theaters, the resumption of filming of many TV shows and movies, and the excitement encompassed seeing your favorite show. As movie theaters were forced to close during the spring/summer of 2020, the usual “hot season” for blockbuster movies was left cold.

“It’s a much different experience watching movies in movie theaters compared to watching them at home on streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu. Movies were a huge form of entertainment during the quarantine and I look forward to being able to view them ‘normally’ in theaters, hopefully soon,” said junior Amy Baxter.  

One of the widely-anticipated summer releases was the new Wonder Woman movie, entitled Wonder Woman 1984, based on the character from the DC cinematic universe.  This Warner Bros. picture was originally announced for release on Dec. 13, 2019 and was then moved to Nov. 1, 2020.  However, Warner Bros. wanted to release the movie around the same time period as it had released the first Wonder Woman movie the year before, early in the summer movie cycle.  Therefore, they moved the release date to June 5, 2020.  However, as COVID-19 shut society down, the movie got pushed back again, first to Oct. 2, 2020 and then again to Dec. 25, 2020.

“I think it is really smart and strategic for directors to only release movies into movies theaters, when it’s safe, rather than directly onto streaming platforms because seeing movies for the first time in theaters is such a unique and special experience that many people in society look forward to,” said junior Avery Miller.

While some studios experimented with alternative strategies for movie releases during quarantine, such as releasing directly to paid-video-on-demand (PVOD,) or to their own streaming platforms, director Patty Jenkins chose not to release Wonder Woman 1984 to the “small screen.”  It was very important for Jenkins that all Wonder Woman fans are able to share the exciting experience together by viewing the movie on a big screen. Jenkins is committed to launching Wonder Woman 1984 only in traditional theaters.

“With superhero movies in the DC cinematic universe being so popular, I have no doubt that the release of this movie into theaters will prove to be a great form of socialization for people after many months in quarantine,” said junior Tessa Klugman.

The plot of this movie revolves around Diana Prince, played by Gal Gadot, mysteriously reuniting with her love, Steve Trevor, played by Chris Pine. They fight foes Maxwell Lord and Barbara Minerva who transforms into Cheetah, brought to life by Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wigg, respectively.  The trailer reveals that these two villains will connect directly with each other: possibly through Lord’s use of the power of television to broadcast his ideas (or through telepathic commands).  On the other hand, Cheetah is a capable archaeologist who takes an interest in Diana’s Themyscirian roots and artifacts.  Jenkins describes the film’s version of Cheetah as “Sweet” and “Diana’s friend” in the beginning, but these qualities will be reversed by the film’s conclusion.  Wonder Woman 1984’s Reagan-era setting will be accompanied by the arrival of malls, electronics, and key cultural milestones for comedic and dramatic purposes.  From the film’s first trailer, viewers noticed that Diana spent some time with Steve’s family after his death which begins to tell a story that fans hope will be included in this upcoming movie.  In addition, viewers will get another look at young Diana Prince and the Amazonians of Themyscira when observing Wonder Woman’s past.

With so much anticipation leading up to Wonder Woman 1984’s release, fans are bubbling with excitement.  The release of this movie will likely prove to be a blockbuster and part of the transition back to a more normal form of entertainment.