Robin Wright wants to be in James Gunn's 'Wonder Woman' series in the new DC Universe: 'I haven't received that call yet'
The actress would love to reprise her "Wonder Woman" role in "Paradise Lost."
Sounds like James Gunn's in-the-works Wonder Woman prequel series, Paradise Lost, may have found its first cast member... and it's someone that DC fans already know and love. Robin Wright has been part of the DC Extended Universe since 2017's Wonder Woman playing the rock-'em-sock-'em Amazonian general Antiopie opposite Gal Gadot's Diana in the beloved character's first solo big-screen blockbuster written and directed by Patty Jenkins.
Wright went on to reprise the role in Jenkins's 2020 sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, as well as in both versions of the ill-fated Justice League team-up adventure. And The Princess Bride star tells Yahoo Entertainment that she's more than ready to don the armor again for Paradise Lost, a planned HBO Max series set on Themyscira centuries before Wonder Woman's DCEU arrival.
"I loved playing an Amazon," Wright says during a joint interview with her son, Hopper Penn, about their new drama, Devil's Peak, which is playing in theaters now and premieres on VOD on Feb. 24. "I kinda feel like I was the leader of an Amazon tribe in my past life. I haven't received that call [about Paradise Lost] yet. Maybe I'm too old!"
Before Gunn and co-leader Peter Safran took over DC Studios last year, the plan was for Jenkins and Gadot to make a trilogy-capper to their Wonder Woman series. But when the filmmaker turned in her first treatment for Wonder Woman 3, interim leaders Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy reportedly decided that it didn't fit in with the DCEU's evolving direction — a decision that Gunn and Safran agreed with — and the project fell apart. Jenkins later took to Twitter to deny early reports that she had walked away from the film.
"It was my understanding that there was nothing I could do to move forward at this time," she wrote. "I have loved and been so honored to be the person who got to make these last two Wonder Woman films. She is an incredible character. Living in and around her values makes one a better person every day. I wish her and her legacy an amazing future ahead, with or without me.”
Asked whether Wright had been privy to any early details about Wonder Woman 3 before it collapsed, the actress says she wasn't aware a third film was even a possibility. "I thought they were finishing with Wonder Woman 1984," she says. "But Patty and I both agreed that the Amazon section was such a great part of that film. I was like, 'Why don't you write the Amazon movie?' Young girls want to see that — it's real female empowerment."
When Gunn and Safran unveiled their vision for the next phase of the DCEU last month — a 10-project storyline spanning movies and television called "Gods and Monsters" — it made room for new versions of Superman and Batman, but lacked a Wonder Woman-led feature or series. And while Gadot's rumored cameo in The Flash has reportedly been cut from that yet-to-be released movie, the duo notably declined to say that the Israeli actress wouldn't be playing the role again.
Even though Paradise Lost is a prequel, it's possible that Gadot could appear in any present day-set sequences that might find their way into the show. Since Antiope has been living and fighting on Themyscira for several millennia, Wright could easily be a series regular — if Gunn and Safran wise up and call her. "Make that happen for me," she jokes.
Speaking with DC.com last month, Gunn and Safran compared the tone of Paradise Lost to Game of Thrones. "[It] involves all of the darkness, drama and political intrigue behind this society of only women," Safran noted. Added Gunn: "It's an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who's in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top? I think it's really exciting."
If Wright doesn't ultimately return to the DCEU in front of the camera, she has another pitch for the studio's new leadership team. As it turns out, her son prefers DC movies to Marvel fare and particularly enjoyed Christopher Nolan's take on Gotham City's Dark Knight. "DC's good and Marvel's cheesy," Penn says of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, adding "I love Robert Downey Jr. [as Iron Man], but the rest of them can go."
Gunn and Safran have already revealed that a new Caped Crusader will be part of their "Gods and Monsters" storyline in a Brave and the Bold movie that will partner Bruce Wayne's Batman with his son, Damien Wayne, as Robin. And Wright happens to be looking for new projects to direct after making her feature filmmaking debut with the 2021 drama Land.
"Let's do Batman," she suggests to Penn. "He'd be a great Batman! Just picture those eyes peeking through that mask." Needless to say, her son is onboard. "Good deal," Penn laughs, adding that he'd happily be in any film that Wright directs, Batman or not. "That'd be the first thing I do if its offered."
Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984 and Justice League are all streaming on HBO Max; Devil's Peak is playing in theaters now and premieres on VOD on Feb. 24.
