Wonder Woman 1984 Director Celebrates the Film as a "Christmas Movie"

It's no Die Hard, but Patty Jenkins says Wonder Woman 1984 can join Shazam! and Iron Man 3 on the Christmas/superhero movie list.

By Russ Burlingame

Three years after its December 2020 release, Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins took to social media to thank fans who are embracing the superhero sequel as a Christmas movie. While Christmas is not a key part of the movie's story, and it is not as bathed in holiday imagery as something like Iron Man 3 or Shazam!, the Wonder Woman sequel does have its final scene set during a snowy Christmas full of children and decorations. Its original U.S. release on Christmas Day 2020 would likely have solidified it as a holiday tradition for a lot of fans, if the movie itself were a little bit more widely loved.

According to CBR, this thinking is nothing new; their article says the cast and crew came to think of the movie as a Christmas film because of its release date and the acknowledgment of Christmas in the movie itself. 

"I love that you and others are thinking of it as a Christmas movie now," Jenkins tweeted on Monday. "It was to us, and I hope it brings joy in another dark year, for those that watch it."

The degree to which Wonder Woman 1984 is a success is something that could be debated. The movie earned $170 million at the box office despite opening in 2020, when audiences were still taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and attendance was down across the board. It also had a day-and-date digital release, putting it at a huge disadvantage relative to other superhero movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home that earned big money despite the pandemic hampering attendance.

That said, its release on HBO Max was still an event, and there was a lot of conversation around the film and its release. Had it received stronger reviews from audiences or critics, it's likely it would be seen as a much bigger hit. Instead, it is largely compared unfavorably to the first Wonder Woman, something that could hurt almost any movie, since that movie remains one of the best and most well-received superhero movies ever made.

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Here's Wonder Woman 1984's synopsis: "In 1984, during the Cold War, Diana comes into conflict with two formidable foes—media businessman Maxwell Lord and friend-turned-enemy Barbara Minerva / Cheetah, while reuniting with her love interest Steve Trevor."

Wonder Woman 1984 is currently available to stream for free on Max, Netflix, and on the TNT and TBS websites and apps with a cable subscription. You can also buy it on disc and digital at basically any retailer that sells those things.

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