Kristen Wiig Being Eyed to Play Arch-nemesis Cheetah in Wonder Woman Sequel

Saturday Night Live alum Kristen Wiig in talks to play Wonder Woman’s arch-nemesis Cheetah in the Wonder Woman sequel, THR reported Wednesday.

In the sequel, Wiig would play the power-obsessed Cheetah, a mantle that has been taken on by many individuals since being introduced by Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston in 1943. The speculation is that Wiig will play the most well-known Cheetah incarnation, British anthropologist Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva. Minerva, introduced during the 1980s run of Len Wein and George Perez, gains the powers of the cheetah while on an expedition in the African jungle.

If she does indeed take on the role, this would be Wiig’s first foray into the superhero genre. Since leaving SNL, Wiig’s film choices have shown her versatility: She co-penned the sleeper hit comedy Bridesmaids, starring in everything from huge studio comedies like Ghostbusters and Zoolander 2 to indie films like Her, to more dramatic turns in The Martian and Downsizing.

Outside of Wiig’s potential casting and the return of Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot, little else is known about the plot other than the Cold War will be the backdrop, as the film is set in the 1980s.

With this latest development in Wiig’s career, her acting resume is shaping up to be very eclectic in a nice thespian way.

Wonder Woman 2 is set for a Nov. 1, 2019 release.