Summary
- The Wonder Woman TV series, Paradise Lost, will differentiate itself from the old DC Extended Universe and set the stage for the rebooted universe's Diana Prince.
- It is unclear if the show will feature Wonder Woman herself, let alone Gal Gadot's comic-accurate iteration. The future of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman in the DCEU is also uncertain.
- Paradise Lost will likely serve as an effective way to build hype for the DCU's Wonder Woman mythos and potentially introduce a new version of Superman before their respective solo outings.
The DC Universe’s Paradise Lost, not only sets the stage for the rebooted universe’s Diana Prince but also differentiates itself from the old DC Extended Universe. In their announcement of the DCU’s slate of movies and TV shows, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran noted that the DCU is only a partial reboot of the old DCEU, with some elements remaining relatively unchanged while others will be completely different in the new universe. While the announcement of Paradise Lost is promising, it is not clear if the show will feature Wonder Woman herself, let alone Gal Gadot’s comic-accurate iteration.
Following Wonder Woman 3’s cancelation, the future of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman has been unclear. With some DCEU stars due to reprise their respective roles in the DCEU and Gadot’s Wonder Woman being one of the old franchise’s most well-received characters, keeping her in the role makes far more sense than recasting her. For the time being, however, an unrealized DCEU project focusing on the Amazons of Themyscira has been revived in the form of the DCU’s Paradise Lost.
DC's Wonder Woman Show Flips The DCEU's Hero Introduction
Amazon’s listing for the graphic novel Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, by Kelly Sue Deconnick, refers to the book as “required reading” for those excited about the Paradise Lost. This, the show’s status as a Wonder Woman prequel, and its initial early development under Patty Jenkins’s direction strongly suggest that Wonder Woman herself will be either absent or have a limited role. Moreover, this implication, combined with what is known about Superman: Legacy thus far, implies that the DCU will have a different and possibly more successful approach towards world-building than the old DCEU.
What The DCU's Introduction Hints Suggest About The Franchise
Assuming that Paradise Lost does not include Diana Prince in any form, the series will build hype for the DCU’s Wonder Woman, who would likely have a revamped history, even with Gal Gadot possibly returning to play her. Gadot herself has hinted that negotiations regarding her return to the Wonder Woman role are underway, with an official announcement potentially being made soon. If Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman does return in Paradise Lost, her role will likely be small, with Diana perhaps introducing the show’s narrative and appearing yet again in the present day at the end to bookend the story and set up her next solo outing.
In either case, Paradise Lost will likely be an effective way to build hype for the DCU’s Wonder Woman mythos, however little they might differ from the DCEU’s iteration. Superman: Legacy will be introducing a new version of Superman to a world with plenty of superheroes already active, and Paradise Lost will establish Wonder Woman and her corner of the DCU before Diana stars in her own property. This is a slow yet potentially effective way for the DC Universe to build towards its larger stories and introduce its new (or slightly altered) superheroes.
