The end of the DCEU is finally here. After 10 years of creative battles and mismanagement, Warner Bros. is pulling the plug on the once promising shared universe. TheDCUwill be rebooted with the upcomingSuperman: Legacy, and with that, we say goodbye to the incarnations of the characters seen in the DCEU. Characters are currently being recast, as previously been reported withDavid Corenswet replacing Henry Cavillas Superman.
Gal Gadot, however, may potentially be returning asWonder Womanin the new DC Universe. This would make her one of the few to play a new version of their DCEU character, with the only other actress confirmed to do so being Viola Davis. While many are excited about Gadot’s potential return, this move could hold the DCU back from being a true reboot. Here’s why it may be best for Wonder Woman to be recast.
Superman and Batman Are Already Being Recast
There are countless characters in the DC Universe, but the most prominent faces are Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Together, they form the “DC Trinity,” which has stronger trio-energy than that of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. Neither Ben Affleck nor Cavill are returning to the DCU, so casting Gadot as the new Wonder Woman would undoubtedly call attention to their absences.
Much like Affleck’s Batman and Cavill’s Superman, Gadot’s Wonder Woman is representative of Zack Snyder’s vision and not James Gunn’s. Granted, Gunn may also want Gadot as Wonder Woman, but his plans for the character currently remain unknown. Before being cast as Wonder Woman, the actress screen-tested with Affleck to assess how she would “hold her own against Affleck’s ‘big and commanding’ presence” (viaIGN).
It’s not yet known if Gadot will have the right chemistry with Corenswet’s Superman, the new Batman, or the other characters in the DCU.
Related:Heart of Stone’s Gal Gadot Dishes About Her Career While Eating Spicy Wings
The DCU Needs to Distance Itself from the DCEU
When launching a shared universe, it’s best to start fresh and leave behind the baggage. Gadot is not responsible forthe failures of the DCEU, but her character’s development is tied to that universe, and Gadot has already been Wonder Woman for 10 years (she was cast in 2013).
The success of 2017’sWonder Womanled to Warner Bros. presenting Gadot’s Wonder Woman as the face of the DCEU. The DCU is not supposed to be the DCEU, and the actress may simply be too strong of a link to an era Warner Bros. wants to get away from.
For more than four years, DCEU films have been unable to gross $400 million at the box office.Black Adam,Shazam! Fury of the Gods, andThe Flashwere released back-to-back and all three became box-office bombs (two of which Wonder Woman makes appearances in). The films' commercial performance is a clear indicator of the audience’s lack of faith in the DCEU brand.
Will Gal Gadot Play a New Character in the DCU?
Some of the DCEU actors are moving over to the DCU, withThe Suicide Squad’s Nathan Fillion being one of the first. Fillion will not be reprising his role as T.D.K. and will instead be reintroduced as the Green Lantern Guy Gardner inSuperman: Legacy. T.D.K., however, is barely a supporting character inThe Suicide Squad, so it’s possible Gunn will be more reluctant to cast those who are more recognizable from the DCEU.
In aninterview with ComicBook.com, Gadot claimed she had learned from DC Studios heads Gunn and Peter Safran that they would be developingWonder Woman 3together. New sources counter her claims, asserting that nothing is promised to Gadot and thatWonder Woman 3is currently not in development. It is unclear if she is being considered for other roles, or if Gadot is interested inplaying a new DC character.
Outside the world of DC, Gadot is set to reprise her role as Gisele in theFast & Furiousfranchise and return as Sarah Black / The Bishop in sequels toRed Notice. Gadot will also star as the Evil Queen in the upcomingSnow White, which will be directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay co-written byBarbiedirector Greta Gerwig.
Related:Superman: Legacy Script “Is Great”, According to VFX Designer
It’s Time for a New Actress to Bring the Amazon Warrior Princess to Life
Comic book fans often regard certain actors as the definitive version of a superhero even when no other actors have portrayed said superhero in live-action film. This applies to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, and Gadot as Wonder Woman. The notion that no actor could play the character just as well in the future is nonsense. If this were to be true, the world would never have gotten Heath Ledger as the Joker or Cavill as Superman.
Gadot is a great Wonder Woman, but there are many actresses waiting to offer their take on the character. If a new shared universe has a new Batman and a new Superman, then there should also be a new Wonder Woman. It is vital for DC to make clear that the DCU is not retracing the steps of the past.
Fans are expressing openness to DC casting a relatively unknown actress as the DCU’s Wonder Woman. With that being said, some of the bigger names in popular fancasts includeAndor’s Adria Arjona andMoon Knight’s May Calamawy (who is set to appear in Ridley Scott’sGladiator 2).
