In a stunning turn of events, Gal Gadot is set to return to her role as Diana Prince in Wonder Woman 3—under the leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran at DC Studios. Gadot's future as Wonder Woman looked to be doomed when Patty Jenkins reportedly walked away from the project, though that was something the director later denied.
Speaking with ComicBook.com prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Gadot spoke of her love for the character and revealed that she had spoken with both Gunn and Safran about returning for another sequel. Whether or not Jenkins is involved remains to be seen, but that's a story for another time. What's also unclear is if this sequel would bring Gadot into the new DC Universe created by Gunn, alongside his new Superman and Lois Lane, or an Elseworlds tale, like the sequels to The Batman and Joker. Gadot explained:
"I love portraying Wonder Woman. It's so close to and dear to my heart. From what I heard from James and from Peter is that we're gonna develop a Wonder Woman 3 together."
Gadot continued to appear as Wonder Woman in DC projects even after the cancellation of Wonder Woman 3, turning up in cameo roles as the warrior princess from the island of Themyscira in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash, both of which were released earlier this year. Gadot's removal from DC, however, was never actually confirmed by Gunn, who refuted claims that she had been "booted" from the role. “I’m not sure where you’re getting that we “booted” Gal,” Gunn said, back in December.
Image via Warner Bros.
A Stunning Box Office Hit
Released in 2017, the first Wonder Woman film garnered immense praise from both critics and audiences alike, becoming—at the time—the highest-grossing superhero origin movie of all time with a mighty $822.8 million. Before its debut, fans were initially hesitant, given the lukewarm reception of Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Gal Gadot's limited prior experience as a lead. Gadot's cameo in Dawn of Justice was considered a highlight of a very dour film, and as such, Wonder Woman proved to be a groundbreaking achievement in contemporary comic book cinema, emerging as the pioneer of female-led solo projects, even before the Marvel Cinematic Universe could do so.
However, the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, encountered a more decidedly mixed response. Its release coincided with the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which undoubtedly posed significant challenges. Despite this, the film's critical and commercial reception was not as unanimous as its predecessor and was a remarkable disappointment given the success of the original. That said, Gadot's performance as Diana Prince has always been warmly received, and fans of the character are sure to be glad that she's getting at least one more film, even if it's just ultimately a final farewell. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Wonder Woman 3.
While we wait for more Wonder Woman 3 news, check out our interview with Gadot and her Heart of Stone co-stars below:
