Wonder Woman 1984 Director Reveals What Scene Is The New No Man's Land
Director Patty Jenkins reveals the particular scene in Wonder Woman 1984 that she considers to be the parallel of the original film's "No Man's Land."
Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Wonder Woman 1984.
Director Patty Jenkins reveals which part of Wonder Woman 1984 she considers to be its version of the No Man's Land scene. The DCEU film is finally out after more than a year of being delayed for a variety of reasons through a hybrid release scheme which means a simultaneous debut on HBO Max and in theaters.
Jenkins reunites with Gal Gadot after their successful first endeavor in 2017's Wonder Woman. This time, Diana Prince is in the 1980s at the height of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. In Wonder Woman 1984, she is faced with two new adversaries in Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah and Maxwell Lord. Meanwhile, Chris Pine also returns as Steve Trevor despite his death in the original film, a reveal that is actually an important plot point in the sequel.
Speaking with CBR on the heels of Wonder Woman 1984's global debut, Jenkins is asked about the scene of Wonder Woman's first flight and the comparisons to a scene of Superman flying with Lois in Richard Donner's iconic 1978 movie. Beyond that, however, Jenkins reveals the scene is also the sequel's version of the No Man's Land scene from the first Wonder Woman movie. In that film, Diana has an empowering moment when she crosses a WWI battlefield, traversing an area generally referred to as "no man's land" in a stirring and memorable scene. The scene is essentially the moment that encapsulates Diana's power, grace, and overall best traits. Initially, Jenkins would argue her sequel doesn't have a similar scene, explaining that the movies are different, but she has now revealed the scene of Wonder Woman's first flight is essentially the No Man's Land scene of Wonder Woman 1984. Read Jenkins' full quote below:
"I love that scene. It's one of my favorite scenes in film history, and so I loved it," she said of Richard Donner's Superman. "I also -- it was -- secretly, you know, people always were like, 'What's the No Man's Land? What's the No Man's Land? [in the sequel]' I was like, 'There's not going to be a No Man's Land because this is a different movie. There's going to be nuance!'
"But in a way, that is the No Man's Land. It's a different moment where she has to make the brave choice by herself. So facing grief in that way was the No Man's Land, and it does carry that emotion of Steve with her up into the sky. So yeah, that's a great compliment. I'm so happy to hear that."
In Wonder Woman 1984, Steve is able to return after Diana unknowingly wishes for his resurrection to the Dreamstone. While she is initially thrilled with this, it quickly becomes apparent that what's happening is too good to be true and there must be a catch. The pair goes on a mission to get to the bottom of the mystery as Lord and Cheetah also get their respective wish from the ancient rock. Ultimately, Diana and Steve realize that every wish granted demands an exchange. For Wonder Woman, Steve's existence in the '80s means she's slowly losing her powers, leaving her helpless in her attempt at stopping Lord's nefarious plans, especially with Cheetah's protection. Knowing the right thing to do, Steve convinces Diana to renounce her wish to regain her super abilities, spelling the couple's second and arguably more heartbreaking separation.
After Diana gets her powers back, she realizes that she has the ability to fly — something that she's never able to do before and is a skill she always associated with Steve. While the scene isn't as straightforward or even as visually epic as the No Man's Land scene in the original film, this bit functions the same. Diana giving herself in the service of the greater good, even if that means that she loses the one thing she's ever really wanted. This is the reason why it's one of Wonder Woman 1984's most standout moments and why Jenkins considers it the sequel's version of the No Man's Land scene.
Source: CBR