Approximately a year and a half ago DC Comics and Warner Bros. announced that Fast & Furious star Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Despite not being one of the eponymous heroes, the Amazonian is set to have a key role not just in that film, but the overall DC Extended Universe. Playing arguably the world’s most famous superheroine is a tremendous opportunity for any actress, but it’s an especially big deal for Gadot given that the character matches key criteria the actress looks for in a role.
Gadot told Interview Magazine that when she started out as an actress in Los Angeles, she originally told writers and directors that she had an open mind for roles, but eventually changed her stance and made it clear she wanted to be "able to show the stronger side of women." As Gadot put it:
I didn’t want to do the obvious role that you see in Hollywood most of the time, which is the heartbroken girl who’s waiting to be rescued by the guy, blah, blah, blah.
Not long after, Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a character who is by no means a damsel in distress. This is one female hero that doesn’t need a male superhero rescuing her…well, unless her Amazon powers have somehow been absorbed by an adversary and she needs to be moved out of the way before being incinerated. Other than that, beware of her fury.
As for her role in this DC cinematic world, director Zack Snyder described Wonder Woman as the "gateway drug" to the Justice League, who will band together for the first time in theaters in late 2017. However, beyond that details have been scarce about her latest live-action iteration. In the San Diego Comic-Con Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer, she can be seen in evening wear (presumably in her civilian identity Diana Prince) at a gala event Bruce Wayne is also attending. Later in the preview, viewers see her in her traditional Wonder Costume fighting an unknown foe armed with her lasso, sword, shield, and energy wave-producing bracelets. Other reports indicate that she may be hundreds of years old, giving her centuries of experience as a warrior. More official details about her background will likely be coming in the near future, but at the bare minimum we can expect to see her kick some major ass in her upcoming film appearances.
You can see Wonder Woman’s big screen debut when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is released on March 25, 2016, and her solo film will follow on June 23, 2017.
