The comic book genre has been thriving for years now, thanks to various shared universes occupying the big screen. Folks who watched the DC movies in order will recall that Gal Gadot played Wonder Woman for years, with her DCEU appearances steaming with a HBO Max subscription. And the Fast and Furious actress recently spoke about ending her tenure as Diana Prince, and the way that her co-stars like Henry Cavill were dropped by the studio.
When co-CEO James Gunn was brought on to lead DC Studios, the entire DCEU was dropped in favor of a new shared universe. We’re a few titles into the first phase of projects Gods and Monsters, but information about the handoff is still trickling out. While promoting her new movie The Runner on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz asked when she was told her time as Diana Prince had come to an end. It turns out that’s not what happened, as she told it:
No, they told me the opposite. They were like, ‘We’re going to develop it with you, the third [movie].’ But I saw the way everybody else [was] handled. … The Henry [Cavill] situation [has] not been handled elegantly, to say the least. Same with [Patty]. I feel like, you know, we’re all adults, and it’s all good. And it’s not even about them. [The DC execs] are there, and they’re there to do what they believe in, and it’s all good.
How interesting is that? It sounds like Gadot was originally told she’d stay on as Wonder Woman, but after seeing how Henry Cavill returned as Superman in Black Adam just to be dropped by the studio, the writing was on the wall. Still, it’s interesting to hear that Gal Gadot was originally told she’d be back in her signature role.
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This is likely why Gadot said in 2023 that Wonder Woman 3 was still on… shortly before exiting DC altogether. Later in the same podcast, the 41 year-old actress spoke more about her perspective about the passing of the baton at DC Studios. In her words:
I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to wear these boots and to have the character be so celebrated and be the vessel at that point of time. And I can only wish for whoever one it’s going to be to really, you know, come pure to this journey. Because, as much as it’s like we’re talking about movies and superheroes and blah blah blah, but this character really means so much to so many of us. To really use it respectfully and bring all the love and light it can to this world. and then enjoy the ride. It was never mine. I was always just a vessel.
That sounds like a healthy way at thinking about things. While Gadot spent years playing Wonder Woman, including two solo movies, Batman v Superman and Justice League, ultimately she didn’t have ownership over the beloved DC character. Instead she was just its “vessel”, and eventually someone else will have that same honor.
For months now rumor swirled that actress Adria Arjona might be playing Wonder Woman in Man of Tomorrow, but her role in the upcoming DC movie has not officially been revealed just yet. We’ll just have to wait and see who ends up taking on the mantle in the new shared universe; they’re going to have some big boots to fill.
Gal Gadot’s tenure as Wonder Woman is streaming now on HBO Max, and her new movie The Runner arrives on September 2nd for those with an Amazon Prime subscription. As for DC, the next movie hitting theaters is Clayface on October 23rd, just in time for Spooky Season.
