DC has reportedly shut down Patty Jenkins’ proposal for Wonder Woman 3 just a day after star Gal Gadot told fans she was excited for the heroine’s “next chapter”.
“I’ve been so grateful for the opportunity to play such an incredible, iconic character and more than anything I’m grateful for YOU. The fans. Can’t wait to share her next chapter with you,” Gadot tweeted Tuesday (6 December) alongside a photo of herself as Wonder Woman.
However, The Hollywood Reporter reported Wednesday that a treatment (meaning a summary in film speak) submitted for a third instalment “did not fit in with the [studio’s] new plans”. The decision was also confirmed by Deadline.
According to THR, Gadot was due to receive $20m (£16.4m) for leading Wonder Woman 3 while writer/director Jenkins would have received $12m (£9.8m).
The Independent has contacted DC and Jenkins’ representatives for comment.
It’s a bold decision made by new the heads of DC, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran.
The duo were hired in October this year, taking over from DC Films boss Walter Hamada, in a move to compete with Marvel over the next decade.
“We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children,” Gunn and Safran said in a joint statement at the time.
“We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equalled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent.
“We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”
Jenkins’ first Wonder Woman movie (2017) grossed a colossal $823m (£724m) at the global box office, however, the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 (2021) grossed $170m after it was released in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
