The DCU is finally taking shape as James Gunn announces the first projects set within his new cinematic universe, but the franchise's early plans are just more bad news for Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. At the end of January, James Gunn announced multiple projects included within the first chapter of the DCU, entitled "Gods and Monsters," simultaneously confirming several theories regarding which actors from the DCEU would remain in his new franchise and which may not be returning for further projects. Amidst the many announcements and reveals, however, Wonder Woman was one of the few heroes entirely absent from the early slate of the franchise.
One of James Gunn's most exciting DCU announcements was Paradise Lost, an HBO Max series set on the island of Themyscira, the iconic home of the Amazons, as seen in the Wonder Woman films. This story will be set before the birth of Diana Prince, a.k.a. Wonder Woman, and is confirmed to be borrowing themes from one of HBO's most successful series, Game of Thrones. This project, while still very early in its development, will allegedly be a vital piece of the DCU's early stages. However, while its concept and source material are exciting, Paradise Lost's announcement is a bad sign for Wonder Woman herself.
Paradise Lost Means The DCU Is Prioritizing Themyscira Over Wonder Woman
Although the announcement of Paradise Lost hints at Wonder Woman's DCU future, it also shows that the franchise is prioritizing the island of Themyscira ahead of the character of Diana Prince. Gunn's plans may very well come out of a genuine desire to adapt the story at hand, but it also very much feels like a way to fill the Wonder Woman-sized hole in his DCU plan. The setting of Paradise Lost seems tailor-made to allow DC to explore Themyscira and the Amazons who live there in an age where they don't have to worry about Diana Prince at all, taking place in the turbulent years before her birth.
The DCU's commitment to paying more attention to Themyscira after previous Wonder Woman movies sidelined the island may be good news for the location itself, but Diana Prince has been completely sidelined by these plans. It seems as though Wonder Woman no longer fits in the future of the DCU, at least not in its early stages, becoming the only major DCEU superhero not to have at least one confirmed appearance in Gunn's slate. It would appear, at least for the time being, that Themyscira and the other Amazons are more important to the DCU's plans than Wonder Woman herself, leaving Gal Gadot's place in the franchise unknown.
Why Wonder Woman 3 Isn't Happening (Yet)
Diana Prince's odd absence from the DCU may stem from the recent drama surrounding Patty Jenkins and Wonder Woman 3. Shortly after James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the heads of DC Studios, several major shakeups, including the ousting of Henry Cavill's Superman, telegraphed their intention to totally reshape the DCEU. Among these changes was the apparent stalling of production on Wonder Woman 3. Gunn claimed that Jenkins's working story didn't fit with the new plans for the DCU, and though he reportedly did not completely cancel the sequel, there has been no news regarding the project ever since, suggesting that it may not happen at all.
The turmoil surrounding Wonder Woman 3 has led to concerns that Gal Gadot's DC movies will no longer be canon in the DCU. Shortly after announcing his slate, Gunn seemed to take shots at Jenkins's previous DC movies, specifically calling out Wonder Woman 1984 for not matching the events and tone of the original film. It seems unlikely that Gunn would speak so openly about his distaste for the director's decisions if she were still associated with his company. It is, therefore, highly likely that Jenkins will not be returning for Wonder Woman 3, though this doesn't necessarily mean that Gadot's version of the character will exit with her.
Will Wonder Woman Be Recast In The DCU?
The announcement that the DCU will recast Henry Cavill's Superman led to fears that the other of the Justice League would also be recast, including Gadot's Wonder Woman, who has become a favorite among the DCEU cast. Gunn's announcement revealed that certain actors from the DCEU would remain in their roles, confirming that Zachary Levi's Shazam would remain in the DCU while implying that Jason Momoa's Aquaman and Ezra Miller's Flash could also survive the franchise shakeup. Gunn failed to mention Gadot until prompted, and even then gave few concrete details, signaling that her time portraying Wonder Woman could be nearing its end.
There are positives and negatives to the possibility of Gadot's recasting. On one hand, losing her version of Wonder Woman would certainly spurn DC viewers who favor the Snyderverse while also giving up one of the most beloved renditions of the character ever put to screen. However, recasting also allows new stories to be told that better fit the DCU. Paradise Lost could even be used as a way to reintroduce Diana Prince to the franchise, having set a detailed backdrop for her birth. While Paradise Lost does seem to foreshadow turbulent waters ahead for Wonder Woman's character in the DCU, it also signals the beginning of a new age.
