A collection of variant covers in honor of the release of Wonder Woman 1984 were delayed and will now debut in 2021 in honor of the 80th anniversary of the character.
Originally scheduled to debut in November and December 2020, the Wonder Woman 1984 variant covers for Action Comics #1028, Batman #104, Batman/Superman #13, Detective Comics #1032, The Flash #767, Justice League #58, Superman #28, Wonder Woman #768 and Wonder Woman #769 will be resolicited sometime next year. The Wonder Woman History of Women graphic novel, which presents real-world stories of activists, scientists and politicians, will also shift from its Dec. 1, 2020 release date to a 2021 debut.
The news comes as director Patty Jenkins' sequel to Wonder Woman approaches its Dec. 25 premiere date. With Disney and 20th Century Studios delaying Free Guy indefinitely from Dec. 11, Wonder Woman 1984 is the only major blockbuster remaining on the 2020 theatrical calendar. While Jenkins is hopeful that the film comes out this year, Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff said that plans for the film remain in flux and that a final decision should arrive soon.
Wonder Woman 1984 faced multiple delays before the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic hit, moving from Dec. 13, 2019 to Nov. 1, 2019 to June 5, 2020. However, after the pandemic forced theaters to close for the summer, Warner Bros. shifted the date to Oct. 2. It was once again moved, this time to Christmas Day. The hope was that by that time, the virus would be under control and theater chains could at least partially reopen. However, many theaters remain closed and the public is in no mood to see movies on the big screen. Yesterday, the United States recorded over 100,000 new cases of the virus.
If Wonder Woman 1984 is indeed delayed to next year, it would join a host of other 2020 films that moved to 2021, including Black Widow, Eternals, F9, Candyman, The King's Man, Morbius, No Time to Die, A Quiet Place Part II and Godzilla vs. Kong.
Created by writer and psychologist William Moulton Marston and artist Harry G. Peter, Wonder Woman made her debut in All Star Comics #8 in October 1941. A founding member of the Justice League, she is the most iconic female superhero in the world.
Directed and co-written by Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman 1984 stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal and Natasha Rothwell. The film is expected to arrive in theaters Dec. 25.