Despite Gal Gadot's time as Wonder Woman seeming to come to an end, the character will be appearing in some capacity in the DCU much sooner than expected, but not as many fans know her.
Many fans excitedly noticed footage of a familiar shoulder, then gauntlets, all seeming to belong to the beloved Justice League member, in trailers for March 17's Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Before the announcement of Gunn and Safran's DC reboot, Gadot had been set to appear as Diana of Themyscira in multiple projects. With the report that Wonder Woman's role may have been cut from the upcoming The Flash movie, some expected the hero to be removed from the Shazam! sequel too.
Luckily, Wonder Woman fans don't have to wait too long to see their favorite hero, but it isn't exactly in the manner one may assume.
Wonder Woman with a Twist in Shazam 2
A new press release revealed that Taylor Cahill will be playing "Fake Wonder Woman" in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
No exact information about Cahill's role was noted.
It is unclear how Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman's rumored appearance in the movie will interplay with the fake version of her character, given the recent footage pointing towards the real Diana's inclusion and the "fake" designation being absent from new Shazam 2-branded merch of her hero.
Further, the press release disclosed that one of the songs in the film will be "Is She With You? (Wonder Woman Theme)" written by Hans Zimmer and performed by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL. This indicates that either the theme will play as a gag with "Fake Wonder Woman," in earnest as she does something to warrant such a song, or for Gadot's own hero.
Why a Fake Wonder Woman?
While unclear what exactly "fake" in the "Fake Wonder Woman" title entails, the specificity implies either something funny or noteworthy with Cahill's version of the character.
The first Shazam! film had a fun ending scene with Superman attending lunch and sitting with the Shazam Family, but the actor's face was never shown — so, essentially, the first film featured a "fake Superman," in a sense.
Perhaps, "Fake Wonder Woman" will serve a similar role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Throughout the first film, Billy Batson repeatedly expressed having a small crush on the iconic heroine, so just as Freddy's hero worship for Superman was acknowledged with a fun gag, maybe Billy will see something similar with his hero.
Whether Gadot will cameo herself is still unknown, though there is a humorous sense of irony of the actress having another actor take on the role in Shazam 2 amid talks of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods releases in theaters on Friday, March 17.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
