Wonder Woman 1984 Cheetah leak reveals her villainous transformation
Cheetah is ready for her close-up.
Wonder Woman 1984 is one of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2020. There have been a plethora of images released showcasing Kristen Wiig’s Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva. Typically, she’s seen wearing a jacket, skirt, and some kick-ass boots. However, a new leak reveals Barbara’s transformation to the villainous Cheetah for the first time.
The trailer for Wonder Woman 1984 opens with Diana and Barbara laughing and talking over wine. The atmosphere is laid back, just two women hanging out and getting to know each other. Nothing unusual. But, images released last month signaled that whatever friendship Diana and Barbara had will come to a rather abrupt end, with the latter’s turn to full-fledged antagonist made quite clear.
Cheetah and Wonder Woman won't be friends for long.
None of the promotional images have revealed Barbara’s physiological transformation into Cheetah, with super strength and agile reflexes to boot. This is likely because her new look is meant to be a surprise to movie-goers, just like the reveal of Ares was in Wonder Woman.
However, a leaked image (via Reddit) offers a closer look at Cheetah’s look and design. Paired with a menacing gaze, Wiig’s hair is slicked back and her eyes are heavily lined with black eyeliner. Two dark tear lines, starting at the eyes and running down her face, complete the villain’s look. The makeup is great and the vibe is very '80s. You can check out the low-res photo below.
It’s unclear at what point in the movie Barbara will become Cheetah, but this leak — which an enlarged image from an official movie sticker pack — is concrete proof that her transformation will officially happen in the film. It’s possible the conversation from the trailer is a set-up for Cheetah to glean information about Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth before taking it as her own.
In the comics, Cheetah is obsessed with Diana’s lasso. An archaeologist and heiress, Cheetah attains the powers of an ancient guardian with the abilities of her animal namesake. Her intense passion for ancient artifacts compels her to snag the lasso for her collection of artifacts.
Barabara's tranformation is complete.
As you can imagine, Diana is not pleased and she and Cheetah duke it out in a major battle. It’s important to note that Barbara had already become Cheetah before trying to take Wonder Woman’s lasso and can change her physiology at will.
The Inverse Analysis — It’s possible that the character’s transformation in Wonder Woman 1984 is due to Barbara becoming more unhinged over time. Conversely, knowing Diana’s identity, Barbara may have sought to befriend her first, believing that she would hand over the lasso by request. We know that probably won’t happen, so it’ll be interesting to see how their battle pans out. Whatever the case, it’s exciting to finally see a glimpse of what Cheetah will look like in all her villainous glory.
Wonder Woman 1984 comes to theaters on October 2, 2020.
