Gal Gadot appears ready to leave Wonder Woman behind, at least when it comes to another movie requiring the kind of commitment her previous DC films demanded. The actor recently appeared on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast while promoting her Prime Video action film The Runner and admitted that returning for a third standalone Wonder Woman movie would probably not work with her life today. With four children and different schools to manage, Gadot said stepping away from her family for another lengthy production is no longer practical.
Her comments come years after the original Wonder Woman turned her into one of the most recognisable superhero stars in Hollywood. The character’s future had already changed dramatically after James Gunn and Peter Safran took control of DC Studios and moved away from the previous cinematic universe. Gadot’s latest remarks now make it sound as though, even if the opportunity were to return, her personal circumstances would make accepting it difficult.
Why Gal Gadot Is Hesitant About Wonder Woman 3
Gadot was asked about the possibility of playing Diana Prince again and gave an unusually personal reason for her hesitation. She explained that the problem is not a lack of affection for the character, but the amount of time required to make another major superhero film.
“For me to go to do another Wonder Woman, I am not sure I would at this point in my life with four children and different schools and all of that,” Gadot said. “To check out from all of them for such a long period of time, it doesn’t work for my life anymore at this point.”
The comment changes the way a potential Wonder Woman 3 comeback should be viewed. Even without the complicated history surrounding DC Studios, Gadot is now at a stage of life where a long international production comes with responsibilities that were different when she first became Diana Prince.
Gadot’s comments also stop short of saying she would never wear the costume again under any circumstances. Her wording leaves some room for interpretation, but the immediate message is clear: another lengthy Wonder Woman production does not currently fit into her family life.
How DC Moved On From Gadot’s Wonder Woman
Gadot first appeared as Wonder Woman in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before leading Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman in 2017. The standalone movie became a major commercial success, earning around $824 million worldwide and establishing Gadot as the face of the character for a new generation. She returned for Justice League later that year and reunited with Jenkins for 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984.
A third film was once expected to continue that story. Jenkins had been developing an idea for Wonder Woman 3, but the situation changed when Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios and began rebuilding the franchise around a new interconnected universe. The project was ultimately not taken forward as a Gadot-led sequel.
Gadot has now spoken more openly about that transition. She said the handling of Henry Cavill’s Superman exit and Jenkins’ departure from Wonder Woman 3 was not particularly elegant, although she stressed that everyone involved is an adult and that she is grateful for what the role gave her.
“I saw the way everybody else was handled. The Henry [Cavill] situation was not handled elegantly to say the least. Patty [Jenkins] was not handled elegantly. We’re all adults and we’re all good,” Gadot said.
She also offered a more reflective view of her time as Diana. “I am so grateful I got the opportunity to wear these boots and have the character be so celebrated. I can only wish whoever is next comes pure to this journey. This character means so much to so many of us. It was never mine. I was always just a vessel. This is Hollywood.”
That final sentiment is particularly revealing. Gadot appears to recognise that Wonder Woman is bigger than any one actor, even though her portrayal became closely associated with the character during the previous DC era.
Gadot’s Next Big Experiment Involves AI
While the future of Wonder Woman remains uncertain, Gadot is moving into a very different kind of filmmaking conversation with Doug Liman’s Bitcoin. The movie has attracted attention because its production used artificial intelligence to create sets and lighting, with the actors performing in a largely barebones space rather than conventional finished environments.
The approach has generated controversy within an industry that is still debating where AI belongs in filmmaking. Gadot said she spent six months with her lawyers working through potential scenarios surrounding the technology before agreeing to the project, with particular attention paid to protecting her performance.
“This was the longest contract I have ever worked on,” Gadot said of the movie. “It was six months from my lawyers to go through every scenario we could think about as far as the AI component of it. I did not want AI to have anything to do with my performance. We had to protect that, to such an extent that SAG called my lawyers to ask for pointers to update the SAG contract to protect other actors. As far as the performances, it’s all me.”
Her comments highlight one of the central issues surrounding AI in Hollywood: the difference between using technology to create production environments and using it to alter or reproduce an actor’s performance. Gadot says she was comfortable with the former only after ensuring that the latter remained protected.
Why Gadot Says Hollywood Has To Adapt
Gadot is not presenting herself as someone who is completely comfortable with AI. In fact, she openly acknowledged being afraid of the technology, but argued that ignoring it would not make it disappear.
“I am afraid of AI, but I am going to be afraid and look away? No. I am afraid but I am playing with it and learning it and trying to educate myself. The train has left the station. You’re going to work with it or be out of the game completely. I am trying to make the best of it and protect what I can protect. The AI component in this movie is for sets and the lighting. We had a broad crew and a lot of people were working on this movie.”
That approach reflects the increasingly complicated position actors face as studios experiment with artificial intelligence. Rather than rejecting the technology completely, Gadot is describing a model in which actors can participate while negotiating boundaries around their likeness, performance and creative control.
The production itself was unlike a conventional large-scale film shoot. Because Liman filmed the actors in a mostly empty space and planned to build the visual world later, Gadot compared the experience with performing in theatre. Without waiting for traditional lighting setups, the cast could continue filming for long stretches.
“It felt like a pure art form of creating a movie,” she explained. “I haven’t seen a single shot. As an actress, I wait so much. There’s the legendary quote: ‘You are being paid to wait as an actor.’ Here we would film nonstop because we didn’t have to wait for lighting. We would film on and on and on for 10 hours. It was amazing… as actors you’re always hot. You don’t cool off. We’ll see. It’s crazy.”
What Comes Next For Gal Gadot?
For now, Gadot’s career appears to be moving in several directions at once. Her comments effectively close the door, or at least leave it very difficult to open, on another long Wonder Woman production, while her upcoming work continues to explore action films and new filmmaking technology.
The most immediate focus is The Runner, which she was promoting during the podcast appearance. At the same time, Bitcoin puts her in the middle of one of Hollywood’s biggest ongoing debates: whether AI can reshape the filmmaking process without compromising the work and rights of the people who make movies.
Her Wonder Woman comments also underline how much the industry has changed since she first stepped into the role. The DC Universe has been rebooted, the creative team behind her films has moved on, and Gadot herself has reached a point where family commitments are playing a much bigger role in deciding which projects make sense.
For fans hoping to see her return as Diana Prince, that may be disappointing. But Gadot’s comments suggest that her decision is not simply about Hollywood politics or the end of the previous DC universe. It is also about where she is in her life now, and how much of it she is willing to give to another superhero production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Gal Gadot return as Wonder Woman?
Gadot has indicated that she would probably not return for another lengthy Wonder Woman movie at this point in her life. She cited her four children and their different school commitments as major reasons.
Why isn’t Gal Gadot doing Wonder Woman 3?
The original Wonder Woman 3 was scrapped after James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios and began rebuilding the DC Universe. Gadot has now also said that another long production would not fit her current family life.
How many Wonder Woman movies did Gal Gadot make?
Gadot headlined two standalone Wonder Woman films: Wonder Woman in 2017 and Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020. She also appeared as Diana Prince in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
Why was Wonder Woman 3 canceled?
Patty Jenkins had been developing a third film, but DC Studios’ new leadership under James Gunn and Peter Safran decided not to continue that version as part of its rebooted universe.
What did Gal Gadot say about AI in Bitcoin?
Gadot said she is concerned about AI but believes actors need to understand and work with the technology. She said her contract negotiations focused heavily on ensuring AI would not be used to alter her performance.
What is Gal Gadot’s next movie?
Gadot is promoting The Runner, a Prime Video action movie, and is also attached to Doug Liman’s Bitcoin, which has drawn attention for its AI-assisted production approach.
