Gal Gadot reveals why she left ‘Wonder Woman’: ‘I saw the way...’
Very few media franchises have experienced the upheavals that the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) did during its decade-long run. There were multiple ups and downs, and in the end, it became so complicated that Warner Bros. decided to reboot the entire universe. James Gunn, the mastermind behind the rebooted universe called DCU, took over some actors and characters from the previous universe, namely John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle, and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag Jr. Apparently, he wanted another shining star of the DCEU, but failed to get her. This star is none other than Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
During her interview on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast, Gadot revealed that Gunn and the team were actually keen to make another 'Wonder Woman' centered around her character. This upends the popular speculation that DCU wanted to completely move on from the 'big three' of the previous universe. Gadot's performance as the character had been well-received. She had played Wonder Woman in two solo movies. The first was a box-office success, but the second failed to break even due to factors such as the pandemic-related shutdown of theaters. However, the movie reached the top of HBO Max rankings after its release, a testament to its popularity. Hence, it is not surprising that Gunn hoped to bring her back to the fold.
Ultimately, Gadot was the one who pulled the plug. "They were like 'We're going to develop it with you, the third,' la la la," Gadot recalled. "But I saw the way everybody else were handled." Josh Horowitz (the host) understood what she was talking about, specifically the mess that went down with Henry Cavill, who played Superman in the DCEU. He called the Cavill situation "unfortunate." Gadot agreed, saying, "The Henry situation was not being handled elegantly, to say the least."
For those unaware, in 2022, Cavill was unceremoniously let go as Superman just days after his return was publicly announced, according to The Wrap. Gunn also recounted the incident in a separate episode of the podcast. The director claimed he had no idea about the announcement and instead was developing a movie with a completely new 'Superman' in mind. Eventually, he had to sit down with Cavill to inform him of the change of plans. Gunn also called the situation "unfair" to Cavill.
Gadot further talked about the new regime's treatment of Patty Jenkins, the director of two 'Wonder Woman' movies she starred in. "Same with Patty [Jenkins], was not handled elegantly," Gadot continued. "I feel like, you know, we're all adults, and it's all good. And it's not even about them. They are there, and they're there to do what they believe in, and it's all good." All of these factors pushed Gadot to decide not to return to the new franchise. However, she was grateful for the time she spent as Wonder Woman and had nothing but blessings for her successor.
"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," she said. "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." In 2025, Gunn confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that a new 'Wonder Woman' movie is currently in development. A new actress will play the part in the upcoming adaptation.
