How 'Wonder Woman 1984' creators brought the 80s back to life

As the title suggests, superhero film "Wonder Woman 1984" is set in the year 1984, and it definitely got that tone of nostalgia down pat.

But capturing the vibrant and sleek area was no easy task for director Patty Jenkins and the rest of the crew.

From colors, costumes, to redesigning an old mall, learn how the "Wonder Woman 1984" team brought the 80s back to life.

First of all, though, why 1984?

Jenkins said it was both a personal and professional choice.

"The initial idea of setting the story in 1984 came from my desire to see Wonder Woman in my era, an era that to me is synonymous with her, in terms of the character’s cultural popularity," she said.

1. Research

First up was research.

It was important for Jenkins and production designer Aline Bonetto not to create a "caricature" of the time.

After having decided on the setting, they gathered a large library of images to draw upon for inspiration.

2. Bringing back a mall from the 80s

A portion of the movie was set in a jewelry store. Apparently, the team rented the nearly empty Landmark Mall in Alexandria, Virginia.

Originally built in 1965, it had been operational until 2017, so the designer and her team changed out everything from the light fixtures to the signs in the mall’s walkway.

In total, the production team dressed 65 stores with period merchandise and fixtures, “right down to the cash registers and the seller’s notebook on the sales counters,” said Bonetto.

“When the cast and crew were at our redressed version of the mall, it was the talk of the set,” she added. “Some remembered certain toys, for others it was the telephones or the clothes. Everyone was finding something that reminded them of their past. It was really fun bringing that back to life for everyone.”

3. Delving into 80s fashion

To achieve the authenticity, costume designer Lindy Hemming  had to draw upon not just the mainstream looks from the 1980s but also styles from the preceding decades and micro-cultures as well.

Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot said it was "fun" going through the process of finding the right looks for Diana.

"We wanted to keep the tones very specific," the actress said. "She keeps very much to herself, so she wouldn’t wear pink or orange or yellow or green or red. We wanted her to be cool and elegant and not to draw attention to herself.”

Hemming was not only tasked with devising looks for lead females. Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord donned suits reflective of the era and Lord’s desire to look the part of a wealthy businessman. The film also contains a montage of looks for Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor designed to entertain the audience with a showcase of men’s options from the era.

4. Composing a heroic score

The 80s is considered as one of the more memorable music-centric decades. That said, Jenkins had a very specific approach to the film’s music. To evoke a score that touched on the sounds from that decade, she turned to legendary film composer Hans Zimmer.

Zimmer, known for pushing the boundaries when it comes to being experimental, says his one great innovation for this film is truth.

"Real musicians playing real instruments and embracing the music, adding that sense of humanity. Like Wonder Woman: honest, truthful and honorable," he said.

Throughout the film, Diana remains resolved in her faith in mankind, and in her unrelenting pursuit of justice. But it is that underlying theme of the film, truth—her truth—that will define whether she can become the warrior the world needs, and a hero for everyone.

"Wonder Woman 1984" will start streaming in HBO GO Philippines on April 21. —JCB, GMA News