Although Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins have exited, and Gunn has exhibited little interest in Wonder Woman’s future, fans shouldn’t lose hope of one day seeing the Amazonian warrior grace the DC Universe. Intriguingly, part of the DCU’s Chapter 1 – “Gods and Monsters” slate features Paradise Lost, an upcoming HBO Max series set on Wonder Woman’s own Themyscira. Gunn has described the project as a Game of Thrones-esque prequel set before the time of Wonder Woman. Named after John Milton’s epic poem of the same name detailing the biblical fall of man, viewers can expect a high-stakes, philosophical tale, if not an appearance from Wonder Woman herself. The name also recalls the “Paradise Lost” storyline from Wonder Woman comics, and it may even incorporate elements from the DC Black Label book, Wonder Woman: Historia. Whether Woman herself appears or not, a prequel set in Themyscira will help to establish the Amazons as part of the DCU and pave the way for Wonder Woman’s emergence in the future.
Further excitement was sparked via a tweet from James Gunn on October 21st, affectionately known to fans as Wonder Woman Day. Gunn commemorated the character with David Finch’s artistic portrayal of the character, with actor Eiza González (of Alita: Battle Angel and Baby Driver fame) commenting, “This image is the one.” This left many speculating that González is open to or even being considered for the role of Wonder Woman. While this is pure speculation at this point, Gunn’s celebration of Wonder Woman on Wonder Woman Day demonstrates he has not forgotten about nor doesn’t hold respect for the beloved DC character. Coupled with the fact that he has chosen to launch a Wonder Woman prequel as part of the DCU’s Chapter 1 – “Gods and Monsters” lineup, viewers can probably expect to see Wonder Woman on the big screen once more in the not-too-distant future. Given the announcement of James Gunn’s Superman and The Brave and the Bold, it is evident Gunn is open to adapting DC legacy characters outside of the lesser-known properties that populate the “Gods and Monsters” slate. Thus, a new Wonder Woman movie (in the place of the likely canceled Wonder Woman 3) should be on the docket.
While 2017’s Wonder Woman arguably stands as the jewel in the DCEU’s crown, Wonder Woman 1984 regrettably derailed the franchise. Poor reviews, word of mouth, and launching during the COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm that saw the highly anticipated sequel flop. Given the failings of other DCEU properties and the subsequent launch of the DCU, Wonder Woman 3 stands as one of the many casualties of the massive overhauls currently occurring in DC’s cinematic efforts. It would be rather ridiculous to reboot the cinematic DC Universe – to the point of even recasting Batman and Superman – while keeping the same actress as Wonder Woman. Now that it’s been confirmed that previous Justice League actors won’t return, anything tied to or resembling the planned Wonder Woman 3 is entirely out of the window. More information on when and where Wonder Woman will appear will likely come after the release of 2025’s Superman, but Gal Gadot’s time with the Amazing Amazon is now at an end.
