‘Woman Woman 3’ Cancelled By New DC Boss James Gunn After Disappointing ‘Wonder Woman 1984’: Report

Wonder Woman’s journey may be coming to an end. It has been reported that DC Studios will not be moving forward with the third installment in Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman film franchise.

The news broke yesterday (Dec. 7) that Wonder Woman 3 will not be moving forward and is now considered “dead,” per sources at The Hollywood Reporter. How it allegedly went down is quite scandalous.

In October, filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran were named co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros.’s DC Studios, much to the excitement of fans. The two combined carry a plethora of experience across genres, but most notably within the superhero category, with works including Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, Aquaman and the HBO Max series Peacemaker.

THR reported that Jenkins submitted her film treatment (which is a breakdown of the storyline, often completed before writing the script) but it wasn’t met with a warm reception. Gunn and Safran, along with their fellow co-chairs and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, allegedly told her that “the project — as it stood — did not fit in with the new (but still unfolding) plans.”

THR suspects that the movie’s price tag did not play a part in the decision making, despite Gal Gadot, who plays the role of the iconic heroine, and Jenkins set to earn $20 million and $12 million, respectively, for their work.

This news came as a shock to fans as Gadot tweeted her excitement for the “next story” in the franchise the day prior.

“A few years ago it was announced that I was going to play Wonder Woman.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,” she wrote on Dec. 6.

The cancellation comes after Woman Woman 1984 underperformed in the box office upon its release on Dec. 25, 2020, bringing in $169.6 million on a $200 million budget. Many recognize that its theatrical performance was, in part, due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the traditional moviegoing crowd shrink. The delayed release date and simultaneous release on HBO Max likely didn’t help, either.

That said, the movie also pulled in mixed reviews from critics and viewers who were left underwhelmed by the character development, overall plot and technical aspects.

The movie’s tragic fate isn’t the only shocking news revealed by THR. They also stated that Black Adam 2 is unlikely to happen and Man of Steel 2 – which saw Henry Cavill’s reprisal of Superman – and Aquaman 3 are at risk of shutdown. Gunn and Safran are set to present their ideas to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav next week to lay out their plans for the future of the studio.

But don’t worry, The Flash is still safe (eye roll).

UPDATED 12/8/22 AT 3:30PM ET: James Gunn responded to The Hollywood Reporter’s story in a Twitter thread, saying “some of it is true, some of it is half-true, some of it is not true, & some of it we haven’t decided yet whether it’s true or not.” He didn’t reveal specific details, but added, “As for more answers about the future of the DCU, I will sadly have to ask you to wait.”