Fans excitedaout Wonder Woman 3 were dealt a devastating blow when the news broke that the DCEU sequel was not moving forward. Though director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot were expected to return for the third installment in the DCEU timeline, the project was canceled as the DCU underwent restructuring with the new co-CEOs, James Gunn and Peter Safran. As such, fans waiting for news on Wonder Woman 3‘s trailer or release date are sadly going to be left disappointed, as there will be no new developments with this particular Wonder Woman project.
The cancelation is especially shocking given the massive boost 2017’s Wonder Woman gave to the DCU in its struggling early days. Following the disappointing reaction to movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman proved that there was hope for the DCU to survive as it was met with critical acclaim and huge success at the box office. The sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, became the first big release premiering directly on HBO Max during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the reception was much less enthusiastic. However, while fans were still excited for Wonder Woman 3 to complete the trilogy, those dreams are replaced with questions about Wonder Woman’s future in the DCU, a possible reboot, and an Amazonian-focused HBO Max series.
Wonder Woman 3 Latest News
Sadly, the latest news surrounding the project was its cancelation. Reports circulated in December 2022 that the movie was dead at Warner Bros after director Patty Jenkins left the project due to creative differences. Shortly after, Jenkins released her own statement, clearing up some of the misinformation. However, she confirmed the project was dead as the DCU was going in a new direction, and she was led to believe that there was nothing she could do to save Wonder Woman 3.
Unfortunately for fans of the DCEU’s Wonder Woman, it also appears Gal Gadot will not be reprising the role in the DC Universe, despite the previous suggestions she may play the hero in the new era of the franchise. However, the new DCU will still have an Amazonian project with the upcoming HBO Max series Paradise Lost, focusing on Paradise Island and the formation of this society of female warriors long before Princess Diana was born, which can go a way to setting up a new actor for the hero.
Wonder Woman 3 Story Details
While it is known that Patty Jenkins submitted a script to Warner Bros. for the proposed Wonder Woman 3, details about the story are still unknown. Jenkins stated that she was willing to re-approach the story after it didn’t mesh with what the DCU was planning, but was led to believe that there was no way forward with this particular take on Wonder Woman. It was also known that Lynda Carter, the actor who played Wonder Woman in the popular 1970s series, was set to return for Wonder Woman 3 after being teased in Wonder Woman 1984‘s post-credit scene as Amazon warrior Asteria. However, there are no details on how the character would fit into the story.
Paradise Lost HBO Max Series
It was previously announced that there would be a Wonder Woman spinoff movie focusing on the Amazonians. After no news about that project for quite a while, the cancelation of Wonder Woman 3 suggests that the project is also not moving forward as originally planned. However, it was revealed as part of the DCU’s Chapter 1 – “Gods and Monsters” slate that there would be an HBO Max series set in Themyscira called Paradise Lost. James Gunn has described the show as a Game of Thrones-style series set in the all-female warrior society long before the time of Diana. It is unclear if this is a repurposing of the original Wonder Woman spinoff project or if it is an entirely new project.
Will The DCU Reboot Wonder Woman?
Though Wonder Woman 3 was canceled, fans can expect the hero to be included in the new DCU before long. The question then became whether this would mean a total reboot for the character, or if Gal Gadot will return – something that was decidedly unclear because, while some big names like Henry Cavill will not return in the DCU, others were confirmed to be reprising their roles, albeit with some alterations. However, according to a new DCU report, none of the old Justice League will be taking up their roles in the new iteration of the team, meaning it appear that Wonder Woman will be played by another person.
Paradise Lost will likely set the stage for the DCU’s version of the hero, thus opening the possibility of using it as a way to introduce a new Wonder Woman. With new actors playing Batman and Superman in the DCU projects like The Brave and the Bold and Superman: Legacy, it might have added confusion to the already complicated cinematic universe if Wonder Woman wasn’t recast as well, with this logic appearing to be behind both Gadot and Jason Momoa’s recasts, effectively making Wonder Woman 3 impossible.
