James Gunn’s New Plans for the Amazons Exclude Wonder Woman (For Now)
James Gunn’s DC Universe was announced over a year ago, unveiling a slate of movies and live-action TV shows under Chapter 1: Gods & Monsters, with ‘Paradise Lost’ among them.
Details on the plot of ‘Paradise Lost’ are currently sparse. Peter Safran described it as a “Game of Thrones”-style narrative rich in drama and political intrigue.
The series is set on the island of Themyscira, the mythical home of the Amazons closely tied to the gods. Themyscira is a society exclusively of women, glimpsed briefly in previous Wonder Woman films, but now the show will fully explore the island, introducing a much-needed high-fantasy element to the DC Universe.
James Gunn remarked that ‘Paradise Lost’ will serve as an origin story for this mystical location, set in a timeline long before Wonder Woman‘s existence.
“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.”
The series has the potential to delve into the broader scope of Amazonian society and introduce significant characters connected to Diana and her world.
As for Wonder Woman’s involvement, she doesn’t factor into this series. James Gunn recently dismissed rumors about casting for Wonder Woman, stating that the role has yet to be filled.
It’s not uncommon that only a few major roles have been cast so far. Batman, for instance, hasn’t been cast yet, but that doesn’t preclude his potential involvement in the DC Universe. Since ‘Paradise Lost’ is set long before Wonder Woman’s existence, casting Wonder Woman isn’t necessary.
However, James Gunn did confirm that Gal Gadot will not be returning to the DC Universe.
‘Paradise Lost’ is likely based on a previously announced spin-off movie that never materialized.
In December 2019, a spin-off movie set in the Wonder Woman universe was announced to be in development. This project shared similarities with the newly revealed ‘Paradise Lost’ series, focusing on the island of Themyscira and exploring the Amazons rather than centering on Wonder Woman herself.
The spin-off was intended to depict the state of the island after Wonder Woman’s departure, bridging the timeline between ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and an unreleased ‘Wonder Woman’ movie that never materialized. Since then, significant changes have occurred, including Patty Jenkins stepping down from the directing role and the cancellation of ‘Wonder Woman 3.’
‘Paradise Lost’ marks the third attempt to create a spin-off within the Wonder Woman universe. While it doesn’t focus on Diana directly, it holds promise to introduce more magic, intrigue, and fantasy to the revitalized DC Universe.
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