Gal Gadot Says James Gunn And Peter Safran Told Her Wonder Woman 3 Was Happening Before Its Messy Cancellation
Gal Gadot has shared details about the chaotic cancellation of Wonder Woman 3, revealing that DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran initially assured her the sequel was moving forward. Despite the messy transition and the abrupt end to her time as Diana Prince, Gadot harbors no ill will toward the executives, though she indicates she is unlikely to return to the superhero role in the future.
The transition from the DC Extended Universe to James Gunn and Peter Safran's newly structured DC Universe was marked by significant behind-the-scenes turbulence, particularly for the stars of the previous era. Among those caught in the shuffle was Gal Gadot, who recently opened up about the highly publicized and confusing cancellation of Wonder Woman 3. The actress revealed that despite the project ultimately being shelved, she was initially given explicit assurances by the new studio leadership that the film was still in active development.
According to Gadot, the communication surrounding the third installment of the franchise was far from clear. During an appearance on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, she recalled that Gunn and Safran directly told her they planned to develop the sequel alongside her. This conversation occurred before reports emerged indicating that the studio heads had no intentions of moving forward with a third film, which was originally set to be helmed by director Patty Jenkins. Gadot noted that there was never a distinct, formal moment when she was told the project had been officially shut down.
The handling of the situation mirrored other high-profile departures during the studio's leadership transition. Gadot pointed to the experiences of her former co-stars and collaborators to illustrate the clumsy nature of the franchise's reboot. Specifically, she highlighted the situation involving Henry Cavill, who publicly announced his return as Superman in late 2022, only to be let go from the role just two months later as Gunn and Safran charted a completely new direction for the character.
Reflecting on how the studio managed these major changes, Gadot remarked that the situations involving both Cavill and director Patty Jenkins were not handled with elegance. Despite these criticisms, the actress maintained a mature and diplomatic outlook on the ordeal. She emphasized that she views everyone involved as adults and harbors no resentment toward Gunn and Safran, acknowledging that the executives must execute the creative vision they believe in for the future of the franchise.
Even if the studio were to pivot and offer her another opportunity to portray the Amazonian superhero, Gadot indicated that her time as Wonder Woman has likely come to an end. She explained that her personal life and family responsibilities make committing to a demanding blockbuster production highly impractical at this stage. With four children attending different schools, the prospect of relocating her family for an extended filming schedule no longer aligns with her current priorities.
As the DC Universe moves forward without Gadot's Wonder Woman, the franchise is focusing on a fresh slate of projects. Upcoming films such as Clayface and Man of Tomorrow are on the horizon, while the television series Lanterns is currently airing its first season. Additionally, projects like The People v. Gorilla Grodd are actively in development, marking a clean break from the previous cinematic universe as the new leadership establishes its own continuity.
Source: IGN — original reporting
Updated