Summary
James Gunn subtly talked aboutWonder Woman on social media. The filmmaker addressed the casting concerns some fans brought to his attention, but Gunn had no intention of changing his process.
Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed as the co-CEO and co-chairman of DC Studios, giving them creative control overDC Universe(DCU). The duo is creating creative, cohesive, and interconnected films, TV series, and animated projects similar to what Marvel Studios has done with theMarvel Cinematic Universe(MCU). They have already recastSuperman, with David Corenswet headliningSuperman: Legacyin 2025. One fan recently asked aboutWonder Woman’scasting, and Gunn addressed it.
One took to Thread and asked if Gunn does casting calls. The comic nerd said it was “a very limiting viewpoint on casting” if they would only accept “accomplished stars.” The same social media user pointed out thatGal Gadot wasn’t famous when she got the role. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Gunn replied onThreads. “I only have hired the best actors for the role. But no I don’t do open casting calls. If you go back my old threads I explain why (they don’t work except in rare situations).” In anotherdiscussion on Threadsin January 2024, the director explained that he had open casting before and stopped doing so. “I’ve done open casting calls & they’re difficult because you get thousands upon thousands of people auditioning & less than 0.1% of them are as good as the average actor who comes through the door with an agent,” he explained. However, the screenwriter, director and producer said he was still open to it and might do so when “auditioning someone of a very specific type.”
Another DC fan also asked Gunn about the difference in height between the DC superheroes. Based on the text accompanying the artwork, Wonder Woman should be taller than Superman and the latter should be taller thanBatman. “How do you feel about this?” the social media user asked. “Not good,” Gunncommented. “I don’t know where I’d find an accomplished and talented actress 6'5” or over." Gadot is 5'10" and her portrayal of Wonder Woman has been well-received. She has the charisma and physical presence, giving the film a critical success. Gadot’sWonder Womanwas considered a symbol of hope and strength, empowering women and young children.
Making the nextWonder Womantaller than Superman is probably a challenge because the current Superman, Corenswet, is 6' 3". So, Gunn was right not to take the superheroes' height seriously. As for the open casting, Gunn’s reason was acceptable. Of course, it isn’t easy dealing with thousands of auditions. Anyone will likely take their shot at landing a breakout role. Gunn does his thing well. He is a talented filmmaker, and many love his work because he effectively blends humor, action, and heart in his projects in surprising ways.
For sure, Gunn knows what he is doing because he made brilliant casting choices before. For instance, casting Dave Bautista as Drax inGuardians of the Galaxywas unexpected but was well-received. Additionally, many were skeptical when he chose Chris Pratt as Star-Lord. Pratt was known for playing comedic roles, including playing Andrew Maxwell “Andy” Dwyer in the sitcomParks and Recreation. The role was a temporary character, but Pratt’s portrayal was so likable that producers asked him back. Gunn saw Pratt’s charisma and how he could blend it well with his humor to pull off the role. Pratt has since become one of the breakout stars in the MCU. So, it’s best to leave Gunn alone in how he approaches casting forWonder Womanand other DCU movies because it’s one of the things he does best.
