Wonder Woman 1984‘s trailer dropped on the Internet today and fans are still recovering. One major part of the trailer showcases Maxwell Lord’s evil plan for the first time. Fans have known about Pedro Pascal’s character for a while now, but there was no overt confirmation of him being Maxwell Lord until the fall. But, the trailer completely leans into the villain having some ulterior motives for his bold proclamations. He says in some commercials over the course of the trailer, “Welcome to the future! Life is good, but it could be better. And why not? All you have to do is want it! Think about having everything you’ve always wanted.” This sounds pretty positive on the surface until Pascal utters, “I take what I want in return.” If that and the ominous jewels he’s handling at his desk weren’t enough, all of the sinister undertones and the talk of lies should seal the deal on framing Lord as an enemy that cannot be trusted.
Patty Jenkins nodded toward the character’s inclusion when she posted a picture of Lord on her Twitter account with the words “Well, hello…Max” above the panel from the comics. People had been wondering just how long the franchise was going to go without acknowledging such a big villain. Fans are getting a double-dose of Wonder Woman’s rogues gallery in the sequel with Kristen Wiig also aboard as Cheetah. Fans still haven’t seen the final version of her in the full costume yet, but as the release of the film nears next summer they will probably get their chance.
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Now, in the comics, Lord is a character who takes advantage of mental abilities to control others. But, Wonder Woman’s version as been suggested to function a bit differently from that portrayal. It doesn’t take special powers to have some sway, instead, it can come down to effectively deploying resources. If the trailer tells us anything Lord has the cash to burn and is selling a vision of prosperity to all the people watching the television broadcast throughout the city.
Gal Gadot returns in her starring role for Wonder Woman 1984. Chris Pine is also back as Steve Trevor. They’re joined by newcomers Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva, aka the villain Cheetah and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord.
Wonder Woman 1984 opens on June 5, 2020. Upcoming DC Films movies include Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.
