Batman V Superman Commitments Force Gal Gadot Out of Ben-Hur Talks

Gal Gadot has dropped out of negotiations to play the female lead in the remake of Ben-Hur after it became clear that her responsibilities to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice wouldn't give her time to take on another blockbuster, The Wrap reports.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter director Timur Bekmambetov's remake of the film, which stars Jack Huston in the title role, is being mounted by Paramount and MGM.

As recently as two weeks ago, Gadot was reported to be in negotiations for the female lead of Esther, but a source close to the actress has reportedly said that those talks stalled and Gadot passed on the role due to scheduling conflicts. The exact verbage -- her commitment to Wonder Woman and "all that entails" -- probably suggest that it's as much the workout regimen, promotional commitments and other aspects of headlining a major superhero franchise as it is simply playing the part that gummed up the works.

Gadot will appear in Batman V Superman in 2016 and then will take on her own solo film in 2017, followed by a pair of Justice League movies in 2017 and 2019.