For the past few weeks we've been hearing regular rumors regarding the possibility that Wonder Woman could show up in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie, and today those rumors have been confirmed. Variety is now reporting that Gal Gadot has signed on to play a key female lead role in the Man of Steel sequel, and thanks to a quote from director Zack Snyder we now know that she will be playing Princess Diana of Themyscira. Said the filmmaker in an official statement,
"Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character."
Gadot's name first entered the rumor pool back in early November when it was reported that Warner Bros. was testing "tall, brunette, athletic and exotic" actresses for the female lead in the untitled blockbuster. In addition to Gadot other actresses who were looked at for the part included Olga Kurylenko of Quantum of Solace, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation’s Elodie Yung. While Gadot isn't exactly the A-lister that Ben Affleck is, she does have a good amount of blockbuster experience thanks to her role as Gisele in the last three Fast & Furious movies:
While Gadot is indeed the first actress to play a live-action version of Wonder Woman in a feature film, the character does have some major experience in Hollywood thanks to the 1975 television series starring Lynda Carter. The show ran for a total of 60 episodes before coming to an end in 1979.
In addition to Affleck's Batman, the Man of Steel sequel is also set to star Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Lawrence Fishburne as Perry White. Warner Bros. has dated the film for release on July 17, 2015 and David Goyer is currently working on a screenplay that is being based on a story developed by Goyer and Snyder. Production is set to start up early next year. In addition to the casting of Gadot, Variety also adds that Zero Dark Thirty actor Callan Mulvey is being considered to play the film's villain (though at this time it's unclear who he would play) and that there is a good chance the movie will also find a way to include the superhero The Flash ( it's unknown if it would be a full role or just a cameo).
But what do you think of Gadot's casting? Do you think she is the right actress to take on the iconic superhero role, or would you have rather seen the production cast somebody else? Answer our poll below and tell us what you're thinking in the comments section below!
