DC Studios head James Gunn has revealed one factor that won't be much of a consideration in the casting process for the DCU's new Wonder Woman. The DCU has successfully cast new actors as several heroes already, including David Corenswet as Superman, Milly Alcock as Supergirl, and Nathan Fillion, Aaron Pierre, and Kyle Chandler as variations of Green Lantern. Wonder Woman is one of four heroes highlighted as important to DC Studios, but her role has yet to be cast.
As fans begin to ask questions about who the new actress behind Wonder Woman may be, Gunn has outlined some things that won't be integral to her casting. Earlier in the year, fans on Threads posted that Wonder Woman should be taller than Batman and Superman, as she often is in DC Comics. Gunn responded that he did not feel good about finding "an accomplished and talented actress 6’5" who could rival Corenswet's height.
In a follow-up post, Gunn clarified his intention with these comments, saying: "I don't think extreme height is the most important factor in casting [Wonder Woman]." He added that he would be okay with Wonder Woman being taller than Superman, but that this would "never" be the defining factor in casting someone for the role:
"I don't think extreme height is the most important factor in casting WW. That's all I said earlier as well. I never said I didn't feel good about her being taller than Superman - I just said that would never be what I considered most important in her casting."
Gunn has taken to Threads to debunk several casting misconceptions before. Another rumor circulating was that DC Studios was looking to cast someone with a "TV-centric resume" for Wonder Woman, which Gunn denied, saying the casting process for the new Wonder Woman film wouldn't begin until there was a finished script.
Gunn's mantra for casting at DC Studios appears to be finding whichever actor is best for the role, rather than being weighed down by superficial details. Like Superman, Wonder Woman's casting will pass the torch from previous DCEU star Gal Gadot to a new actress who will shepherd Diana Prince into the DCU. However, while Wonder Woman's script is still being written, fans shouldn't expect any imminent casting announcements.
Does Wonder Woman's Height Matter?
Wonder Woman's height has varied significantly throughout different comic runs. It's never been a consistent factor that her character is taller than that of her Justice League colleagues. However, hailing as the Amazonian Princess from Themyscira, it's become a common conception that Wonder Woman is depicted taller than the average man.
In the DCEU, Gal Gadot (who is 5'8" in real life) was tall, but her height was not greater than her Justice League co-stars Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, which was never considered a detriment to her casting in the role.
Similarly, when it's time to choose an actress for Wonder Woman in the new DCU, Gunn and his DC Studios colleagues will look for talent rather than height. If it eventually becomes important that Wonder Woman is taller than her male co-stars, there are still ways to achieve this in costuming that won't preclude actresses of a certain height from auditioning for the role.
