The Evolution of Wonder Woman in the DC Universe
In 2017, nearly 76 years after her debut in All Star Comics #8, Wonder Woman finally made her live-action feature film debut. This milestone came just one year after Gal Gadot first portrayed the character in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Over time, plans for a third Wonder Woman film were once considered following the release of Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020. However, as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has transitioned into the broader DC Universe (DCU), a complete reboot of the Wonder Woman franchise is now in the works.
James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has addressed recent reports that this upcoming movie is being fast-tracked. During an interview with Rolling Stone, he emphasized that the next Wonder Woman film remains a top priority for the new shared universe. While he acknowledged the idea of fast-tracking, he also noted that the process isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.
"I don’t know what they mean by fast-tracking. [Laughs.] I’ve always had Wonder Woman as a priority. But we got the first few things started, and there’s some other things that are really close to green-lighting — like there’s a television show that I hope that we’re gonna be green-lighting in the next few days. So now a little time has passed, and we really need Wonder Woman and we really need Batman, because they’re so important to us. And so it’s become a little bit more like going to everybody at DC and being like, we need to figure this out."
The Importance of the DC Trinity
As part of the DC Trinity alongside Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman plays a central role in the DC Universe. This makes her return essential for the success of the new cinematic landscape. However, several other projects within the DCU are further along in development, which means they will likely see the light of day before Wonder Woman.
Gunn has repeatedly stressed that the script must be solid before any project moves forward. He also mentioned that while he doesn’t want the writer of Wonder Woman to take too long, the quality of the work must remain a top priority. In his words:
"We have good writers on Wonder Woman and we just have to make sure it’s working and they have to not be somebody who’s gonna take two years to write a script."
Ana Nogueira Steps In
According to The Wrap, Ana Nogueira has been chosen to handle the scripting duties for the upcoming Wonder Woman film. This marks her third project under the DCU, having previously written Supergirl and worked on Teen Titans. Her involvement signals confidence from Gunn and the team at DC Studios, who believe she can deliver a strong first draft within a reasonable timeframe.
Despite these developments, there is still no official release date for the film. Similarly, the Batman-focused The Brave and the Bold remains without a scheduled release. For now, the focus is on other upcoming titles.
Upcoming Releases in the DCU
On the theatrical front, Supergirl is set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026, followed by Clayface on September 11 of the same year. On the TV side, Peacemaker Season 2 will premiere on August 21, and Lanterns is expected to arrive on HBO sometime in early 2026.
With the DCU continuing to expand, fans can expect more exciting stories and characters to come. As the team at DC Studios works through the challenges of bringing back iconic heroes like Wonder Woman, the future of the DC Universe looks brighter than ever.