GEEK SQUAD: Who Is Cheetah?

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Director Patty Jenkins just confirmed that Kirsten Wiig has been cast as Cheetah in the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel. Wonder Woman’s rogues gallery of arch-nemeses is a bit more obscure than your garden-variety, friendly-neighborhood superhero. So who is Cheetah? Well, like many comic book characters from the ‘40s Cheetah look has morphed through the ages. Fans of the old cartoon Super Friends may remember her as an archaeologist in a cheetah onesie. But the character evolved throughout the years and the name has been given to a few different people. Currently Cheetah is a werecat-type person with enough super strength, speed, and claws to go toe-to-toe with the Gal Godot. She obtained this form and powers from the plant god Urzkartaga. This choice of villain might suggest a more Indiana Jones-type feel for the film because when Cheetah’s around an ancient artifact or temple of doom is never far behind. It also will fit easily into Wonder Woman’s current cover as a museum worker in last year’s Justice League. I personally can’t wait to see how they bring Cheetah to life. The special effects and costume department have their work cut out for them with the anthropomorphic baddie but if done right audiences will quickly forget the CGI crapfest that was Ares in the first film. — RICHARD SUPLEE