James Gunn’s new DC universe will have a Wonder Woman played by a different actress than Gal Gadot but, according to Gadot herself, that wasn’t initially the plan. It was her that chose to exit after seeing her DCEU counterparts “not handled elegantly.”
In the latest episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Gadot opened up about saying goodbye to the character of Wonder Woman. When host Josh Horowitz asked if there was a moment that Gunn or co-CEO Peter Safran sat her down to confirm they’d be going in a different direction, Gadot revealed that it was actually “the opposite.”
“They were like ‘We’re going to develop it with you, the third,’ la la la,” Gadot recalled. “But I saw the way everybody else were handled.”
At that, Horowitz chimed in to say that “the Henry situation was unfortunate,” prompting Gadot to agree: “The Henry situation was not being handled elegantly, to say the least.”
Indeed, Henry Cavill’s exit as Superman got messy when Gunn and Safran took over the studio. In a previous episode of Horowitz’s podcast, Gunn himself explained that, right around the time his deal to take over DC Studios closed, it was publicly announced that Cavill would reprise his role as the Kryptonian.
The announcement confused Gunn, as it had already been decided that he would direct a new “Superman” film, not starring Cavill. As a result, he was forced to have to tell Cavill that he would, in fact, not be returning. Gunn called the whole situation “unfortunate” and “unfair” to Cavill.
“Same with Patty [Jenkins], was not handled elegantly,” Gadot continued. “I feel like, you know, we’re all adults, and it’s all good. And it’s not even about them. They are there, and they’re there to do what they believe in, and it’s all good.”
“I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to wear these boots, and to have the character be so celebrated, and be the vessel at that point of time,” she said. “And I can only wish for whoever one it’s going to be to really, you know, come pure to this journey. Because as much as it’s like, we’re talking about movies and superheroes and blah blah blah, but this character really means so much to so many of us, to really use it respectfully and bring all the love and light it can to this world, and then enjoy the ride. It was never mine. I was always just a vessel.”
You can watch the full “Happy Sad Confused” episode in the video above.
