Will the DC Universe Recast Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman?

Now, more than ever, the landscape of the DC Universe is being speculated about. With James Gunn and Peter Safran now working as co-CEOs for DC Studios, the possibility of a fully-connected universe of movie, television, and video game adaptations has arguably never been brighter. But the pair's "bible" has already led to some surprising changes to existing canon, most recently with news that Henry Cavill will be recast as Clark Kent / Superman, with a new, younger actor stepping in to play the character in a movie penned by Gunn. This, combined with the recent news that Patty Jenkins' iteration of Wonder Woman 3 is no longer in the works, has begged the question of what the future holds for that franchise's star, Gal Gadot. Could DC Studios ultimately recast Gadot as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman, or could she be one of the few previous components that sticks around?

While Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has repeatedly named Wonder Woman as one of the most important components of the DC franchise going forward, it hasn't necessarily been clear whether or not that would be Gadot. Rumors had previously suggested that Gadot could be cameoing as her character in two of DC's upcoming 2023 filmsShazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flashbut recent reporting has indicated that her cameo is now cut from the latter film. This leaves the question of whether or not Gadot's Wonder Woman could stick around in the franchise going forward, or if she could be recast in favor of another actress who isn't tied to the ever-prickly lore of the "Snyderverse".

Will the DC Universe reboot?

As Gunn has hinted on social media amid the rumors, the plan going forward is to tell a cohesive story servicing the DC characters — but that the decisions made to get there "are not going to make every single person happy every step of the way." It's been unclear at this point if that will involve a full reboot of the film continuity or not — in addition to the news of Cavill being recast as Superman, it has been confirmed that Gunn and Safran met with Gadot's Justice League co-star, Bruce Wayne / Batman actor Ben Affleck, about potentially directing a film for DC Studios. It is unclear if this meeting was also about Affleck potentially playing Batman again, with Gunn teasing that Batman will have a significant part of the main DCU, or for him to step behind the camera and have that role also be recast.

There's also the scuttlebutt that one of Gadot's other Justice League co-stars Jason Momoa, could ultimately be done as Arthur Curry / Aquaman after next year's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom but could potentially return to the DC Universe as the alien bounty hunter Lobo. With Cavill recast, The Flash star Ezra Miller reportedly done with the franchise for other reasons, and Affleck and Momoa's futures in their roles nebulous, it would certainly be a choice to only keep Gadot going forward, and surround her with new, recast versions of the Justice League. It certainly wouldn't be an impossible decision, given how beloved Gadot has become in the role, but it would be a unique one nonetheless.

Will Gal Gadot still be Wonder Woman?

Gadot's social media posts definitely haven't helped this ambiguity, with her writing on Instagram just days before Jenkins' Wonder Woman 3 exit that she's excited for the character's "next chapter." We'll just have to wait and see if that post ends up actually forecasting what's to come, or if it will be similar to Cavill's previous post hyping now-cancelled plans for his Superman.

"On this day, a few years ago, was the first announcement that I was going to play Wonder Woman," Gadot wrote. "I've been so grateful for the opportunity to play such an incredible, iconic character and more than anything I'm grateful for YOU. The fans. The most amazing, warm, loving fans in the world. I'm still pinching myself to see if I will wake up. Can't wait to share her next chapter with you."

Do you think Gal Gadot will be recast as Wonder Woman in the DCU? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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