Wonder Woman 1984 reveals opening scene as part of virtual red carpet with Gadot, Jenkins

It’s one thing to watch Diana grow up slowly — something Wonder Woman fans delighting in witnessing as star Gal Gadot lassoed a new generation of hearts in director Patty Jenkins’ 2017 blockbuster. But it’s something else entirely to watch our Amazon hero surge from past to present at lightning speed — leaping out of her idyllic childhood and into the mean city streets — in the butt-kickin’ romp that welcomes viewers to the opening moments of Wonder Woman 1984.

That’s the spectacle fans took in as part of today’s virtual red carpet premiere for the movie, which lands in theaters and HBO Max beginning Christmas Day. In a star-packed event that featured appearances from Wonder Woman TV icon Lynda Carter alongside Chris Pine (Steve Trevor), Kristen Wiig (Cheetah), and Pedro Pascal (Maxwell Lord), Jenkins and Gadot debuted the world premiere of the hugely-anticipated sequel’s opening moments.

Check it out:

“Sometimes you can’t see what you’re learning until you come out the other side,” a grown-up Diana muses as her younger self goes tearing alone through the forest. Recalling her very first action-packed arena contest, and with a little pep talk from the late, great Antiope (Robin Wright) at her back, she takes the fight to the 1980s in the blink of an eye, before the screen darkens on her adult form and leaves us watching — and waiting — for more.

The red carpet also served up a fun musical moment, with both Gadot and Jenkins joining composer Hans Zimmer on a closed stage to show they’re almost as impressive behind a drum set as they are behind (or in front of) a camera. Gadot and Jenkins pounded the timpani as Zimmer burned through an updated version of the Wonder Woman theme…with Gadot almost getting a little too superheroic, once or twice, with the mallets.

Outside of the few fans who caught today’s world premiere in select locations, the rest of us at least have the opening scene to whet our appetites before one of the biggest movies of the year comes charging into theaters and living rooms. Wonder Woman 1984 makes its long-awaited debut on Dec. 25 at safety-cleared theaters nationwide, with a same-day release on HBO Max.