DC had a chance to develop a third Wonder Woman movie with Gal Gadot, but they bet on the wrong hero instead.
Gadot famously played Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe. After two solo outings as Diana, Gadot teased plans for a third Wonder Woman movie. When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over and launched the DC Universe, Gadot playing Wonder Woman was not part of their plans.
During a recent interview, Gadot confirmed that she has not spoken with Gunn or DC about returning as Wonder Woman. Instead of lobbying for herself to continue as Wonder Woman, Gadot expressed gratitude and shared kind words about the next actress to play the character.
“This is such an incredible character that so many of us care about so much, so whoever it’s going to be to portray her, I wish for her that she enjoys this amazing ride with this amazing character,” Gadot said. “And I’m just grateful that I was granted the opportunity to wear her boots and celebrate this incredible character and everything she stands for.”
Though not an official announcement, Gadot’s comments essentially close her chapter in DC. It’s a shame, too, because Wonder Woman deserved a third movie. Considering what happened with Supergirl, Wonder Woman 3 would have been the safer bet.
Gal Gadot’s third Wonder Woman movie was a safer bet compared to Supergirl
The DCEU had its fair share of problems. Wonder Woman was one of its bright spots. Instead of launching a movie without an introduction, the DCEU smartly added Gadot’s Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Audiences got a test drive with Gadot as Wonder Woman, which built excitement for her solo outing.
Think about how Supergirl was introduced in the DCU. Milly Alcock made a cameo as Supergirl at the end of Superman. If Supergirl had received significant time in Superman as Gadot did in Batman v Superman, it could have helped her gain momentum heading into Supergirl.
2017’s Wonder Woman is the DCEU’s best movie by far. The film received positive reviews and grossed $824 million worldwide. The sequel, 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984, did not fare as well critically. However, it had the major disadvantage of being released in December 2020. Warner Bros. elected to release the movie simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters. The box office suffered, grossing $169 million worldwide. That’s still more than Supergirl’s $126 million haul this past summer.
Out of all the DCEU characters, Wonder Woman is the one who should have received a third movie to close her story properly. The DCU needs stars. It’s not 2010 anymore, where you can cast no-name actors in huge roles. Audiences come to the theaters for big names, and Gadot as Wonder Woman is a draw.
Imagine if Wonder Woman 3 opened this past June instead of Supergirl. Hindsight is 20-20, but I’d bet most experts would have still picked Wonder Woman 3 to perform better than Supergirl. Consider it a missed opportunity for the new DC.
