As with Ben Affleck getting chosen this summer to be the next Caped Crusader, news of Gal Gadot nabbing the monumental role of Wonder Woman caused a stir amongst fans.
Hollywood has been trying to bring Diana to life for years, from Joss Whedon's feature adaptation, to the unaired David E. Kelly pilot, to the CW's proposed "Amazon" which is currently "on hold". At long last, Wonder Woman will finally make her big screen debut in 2015's "Man of Steel" sequel.
For those unfamiliar with Gadot, she started working as a model after winning Miss Israel in 2004. She served a two-year term in the Israeli Army while still modeling. Her first acting role was on an Israeli TV drama in 2007.
Her U.S. credits include minor roles in Steve Carell and Tina Fey's "Date Night" and Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz's "Knight and Day". But some may recognize her better from the "Fast and Furious" franchise.
Taking all of this (and more) into consideration, Wonder Woman is just too large and important of a role to cast Gadot in. Yesterday's announcement was met with mixed reactions, to say the least, as fans expressed two major concerns…
HER ACTING ABILITY
One can't help but question Snyder's decisions so far.
While Affleck has grown as an actor, he's nowhere near the caliber of once rumored frontrunner Josh Brolin.
Affleck has received praise for his directing on features like "The Town" and Best Picture winner "Argo". But being a talented director doesn't necessarily make someone a better actor.
And while Affleck has Oscars for writing and producing, Brolin was actually nominated by the Academy for his acting. He received a nod in 2008 for his supporting role in "Milk".
So when someone like Brolin is passed over in favor of Affleck, it begs the question "How much of a priority is acting ability"?
That brings us to Gadot. All audiences have to go by are the bit roles she's had so far. As mentioned earlier, she's appeared in the "Fast and Furious" movies, a franchise known for its spectacle rather than the work of its thespians.
Yes, she is an unknown. And unknowns have been cast in superhero movies before.
But looking at previous superhero franchises where relative unknowns were chosen, these actors had solid bodies of work behind them. Christian Bale. Andrew Garfield. Henry Cavill. Neither was a household name when they were cast, yet they had already cut their teeth in meaty roles.
Some argue "Snyder must've seen something in her". This just says he preferred Gadot over the other two he brought in. It's like if Bryan Singer brought in Jessica Alba, Megan Fox and Kristen Stewart to read for a new Jean Grey part.
HER SIZE
The good news, she's 5'9" and stunning. The bad news, she's so thin.
Will Snyder throw her into the costume as is? Of course not. He's smarter than that. She'll undoubtedly train with Mark Twight's "Gym Jones". But, given her natural frame, realistically, just how much larger can she get? Amazonian warrior is far fetched.
Men pack on muscle for roles all the time but directors cast an actor already a reasonable size. See Chris Evans and Captain America. Chris Hemsworth and Thor. Christian Bale's transformation from emaciated to Dark Knight is an extreme case.
Wonder Woman is every bit Superman's equal and she looks like it. That's where Gadot has to get to. Only, in this case it would need to be Affleck's Batman not Cavill's Kal-El. Here's why…
Cavill bulked up for "Man of Steel" but he's still listed at only 6'1". Affleck, on the other hand, is an imposing 6'4". E! Online reported he's already started working out. Here's the article.
http://www.eonline.com/news/483262/ben-affleck-s-batman-body-don-t-get-too-pumped-up-yet
When cameras roll, Affleck will be more "Superman" in size and stature than Cavill. As an Amazon, it doesn't matter who Wonder Woman stands next to. Physically she demands just as much attention as the men in the Justice League and it's not because of her attire.
So Gadot can't just "bulk up", she'll have to completely transform. She'll need to be able to stand next to Affleck and not get consumed by his presence.
And not only will she have to build all of this muscle, she'll need to maintain it. (More on why later).
Then again, Snyder bringing in petite prospects like Olga Kurylenko and Gadot suggests the Amazon size may not be as important to him as casting an exotic beauty. Otherwise, wouldn't choosing an actress with an athletic build be more logical?
It's easier to see Gadot packing on a few pounds and getting toned rather than actually reaching the necessary physique. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough.
Audiences need to believe it's Wonder Woman on screen. A goddess. That just feels unreasonable based on where Gadot is now.
Then there's her other career to consider. Just look at the cover of any fashion magazine. Models today are a certain size. Wouldn't putting on muscle affect her modeling?
WONDER WOMAN 2015 AND BEYOND
This is a personal concern.
Whomever was cast in this role wasn't just being chosen for "Man of Steel 2". This would be the Wonder Woman for the entire run in the DC Cinematic Universe.
She was being cast for the "Justice League" film and, more importantly, her very own franchise.
There are a handful of women in Hollywood who can carry a movie. And they all have Oscars. Wonder Woman needed a solo adventure to prove the actress in the role could carry a film. That she could have an entire franchise built around her. This is so, very crucial.
The same goes for the actors cast as the Flash and the other Justice League characters rumored to appear. Actors can "hide" in an ensemble piece but a starring vehicle is entirely different.
Is Warner Bros ready to risk $150 to $200 million on a Gadot? Are they ready to bank on her and give her a franchise off of Snyder's word alone? If she doesn't pan out they can obviously recast. But then the question becomes "why cast her in the first place"?
IN CLOSING
Maybe Gadot will surprise everyone. Maybe she'll steal every scene she's in. It would be fantastic if she did. Time will tell. But her pulling off Wonder Woman just feels like a stretch. There's a lot more to the character than a pretty face.
As stated before, she's every bit Superman's equal - in power and mystique. She's breathtaking and simultaneously intimidating.
Wonder Woman exudes elegance and grace as much as she does strength and power. A warrior goddess. She's mother and protector to us all.
Ironically, Warner Bros. had already cast an actress who embodies all of these traits.
The pilot got a lot wrong but who Kelly cast as the lead wasn't one of them. She got the role for a reason. At 5'11 Palicki is already genetically blessed, which would've given Mark Twight a lot to work with.
Adrianne Palicki + Gym Jones = Wonder Woman.
What do you think about Snyder's choice?