Warner Bros. is reportedly stuck with Wonder Woman 3 in a rather shocking development.
New DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran were reportedly in Aspen to finalize their plans for the superhero company before next week, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav unveiled their sweeping plan for the next five years and beyond submitted to The Hollywood Reporter.
Those plans don’t appear to include a new Wonder Woman sequel, which ironically comes just a day after Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot took to social media to say she “can’t wait to share her next chapter with you.”
No Sequel: Those plans don’t appear to include a new Wonder Woman sequel, which ironically comes just a day after Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot took to social media to say that she “can’t wait to share her next chapter with you.” “.
The first Wonder Woman film debuted in 2017 and kicked off with a whopping $103 million opening weekend en route to $412 million domestically and $822 million worldwide.
The 2020 sequel to Wonder Woman 1984 hasn’t been nearly as successful as its predecessor, thanks largely to a depleted cinema environment due to COVID-19.
The sequel grossed just $46.8 million domestically and $122.8 million overseas for worldwide sales of $169.6 million, while the sequel also simultaneously hit streaming service HBO Max was released.
The sequel was also not nearly as well received as its predecessor, with the original Wonder Woman earning a strong 88% rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics, while the sequel received a 58% rating.
Wonder Woman 3 was officially announced in December 2020, just days after Wonder Woman 1984 hit theaters, although there has been little news about the project since then.
Sources claim that Jenkins and co-writer Geoff Johns recently handed over their treatment for Wonder Woman 3 to the studio.
However, Gunn and Safran — along with Warner Bros. co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy — reportedly told Jenkins that the sequel doesn’t currently align with their new plans for DC Studios.
While it has been said that the cost of the sequel was not a major factor in the decision, sources also claimed that under this new regime led by Gunn and Safran, DC Studios “will not have overly onerous financial constraints.”
The studio will apparently save tens of millions of dollars just by scrapping Wonder Woman 3, as Gadot was reportedly on course to take $20 million upfront while Jenkins was supposed to make $12 million for taking the helm, and those numbers aren’t included were exit bonuses.
While DC, Gadot, and Jenkins have not publicly commented on this report, Gadot took to social media on Tuesday to reflect on her original cast as Wonder Woman.
“On that day a few years ago, it was first announced that I was going to play Wonder Woman,” Gadot began, while showing a picture of her in the costume from the first Wonder Woman film.
“I was so grateful for the opportunity to play such an incredible, iconic character, and more than anything, I’m grateful for YOU. The fans. The most amazing, warmest and loving fans in the world,” she added.
“I’m still pinching myself to see if I wake up. I can’t wait to share her next chapter with you,” she concluded.
As for Gunn and Safran’s plans for DC Studios, nothing has been confirmed ahead of next week’s meeting with Zaslav, although there are several scenario rumors.
The main rumor emerging – related to Wonder Woman 3’s closure – is that Gunn and Safran will be completely abandoning and dismantling what is known as the “Snyderverse.”
These are the superheroes assembled for director Zack Snyder’s Justice League, including Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill’s Superman, Ben Affleck’s Batman, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Ezra Miller’s The Flash, and Ray Fisher’s Cyborg.
If that happens, it is understood that the Man of Steel 2 sequel, which is in development with Henry Cavill, will be shelved and there will be no future Aquaman films, likely beyond Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which will be released on September 1st 25. 2023.
Both Aquaman and Superman are said to have cameos in DC Studios’ next film, The Flash, which is currently slated for release on June 16th.
Sources claim that the studio is currently debating whether or not to keep the Superman cameo that Cavill filmed in September, as it could indicate that the studio had plans to continue expanding on that character, although they don’t seem to have the intend to do so.
However, a studio insider claimed that The Flash doesn’t have a completed picture yet and no plans are finalized.
Cavill also had a cameo in Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, and even announced on Instagram in October, “I wanted to make it official — I’m back as Superman.”
Gunn and Safran’s plan also likely won’t involve a sequel to Black Adam, which was also previously teased.
The film grossed $165.3 million domestically and $384.8 million worldwide, although the film reportedly cost between $190 million and $230 million, which does not include marketing costs.
While another report from Deadline, which surfaced Wednesday, claimed Warner Bros. could post a profit of between $52 million and $72 million, a number The Rock itself confirmed in a recent tweet, rising costs would likely hurt the prospects decrease a sequel.