by The Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has captivated audiences with her portrayals of badass female characters on the big screen. From her breakout role as Gisele in the Fast & Furious franchise to her career-defining performance as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, Gadot has proven herself as a bonafide action movie star.
However, there are a few major blockbuster roles that slipped through her fingers over the years. As a die-hard Gal Gadot fan, I can’t help but wonder…what if? What if she had said yes to some of those once-in-a-lifetime, mega-budget movie opportunities earlier on in her career?
In this article, I want to highlight two movie roles in particular that I really wish Gadot would have accepted when they were offered to her. I’ll analyze why she likely passed them up, as well as why her hardcore fans are still longing to see her take on parts like these someday. Get ready for an explosive confession from this self-proclaimed president of the Gal Gadot Fan Club!
Mera in Aquaman
Let’s rewind to 2014 when Warner Bros. was actively casting for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and their planned expansive DC movie universe. In the comics, Mera is the Queen of Atlantis and wife of Aquaman himself, Arthur Curry. With Jason Momoa already locked in for the role of Aquaman, the studio needed to find their Mera.
Numerous reports from entertainment journalists back then stated that Gal Gadot was actually one of the top contenders for the role along with Nicole Kidman and a few other actresses. Obviously, Gadot ended up landing the career-changing part of Wonder Woman shortly thereafter. But what if she decided to portray Mera instead?
It’s easy to see why Warner Bros. had their sights set on Gadot to play Mera. She has the perfect blend of beauty, toughness, and genuine screen presence to bring the Queen of Atlantis to life in a compelling way. And starring alongside Momoa with their off-the-charts chemistry would have set the screen on fire!
The filmmakers ultimately decided on Amber Heard for the role. While Heard did fine in the part, I think Gadot would have knocked the role out of the park and brought so much more depth and complexity to Mera. Aquaman went on to gross over $1 billion worldwide as part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). So if Gadot played Mera, she would have yet another massive blockbuster franchise under her belt today.
Selene in the Underworld Franchise
Years before she landed the role of Gisele in Fast Five or Wonder Woman, Gadot was reportedly in the mix for another ass-kicking, supernatural character. Back in 2012, there were rumors that she was being considered for a reboot of Selene in the Underworld franchise.
For those unfamiliar with the films, Kate Beckinsale originally played the vampire Death Dealer Selene in the first Underworld movie back in 2003. Selene is a powerful vampire warrior who gets caught up in the ancient war between vampires and werewolves (Lycans). The movie was a surprise hit and spawned several sequels and a prequel centered around Selene as the protagonist of the franchise.
After Underworld 4, there was chatter that Lakeshore Entertainment wanted to reboot the property with a new actress. And Gal Gadot was apparently near the top of their wish list to take over the role of Selene. Ultimately, the proposed reboot never happened and Beckinsale returned for 2016’s Underworld: Blood Wars.
Still, I would have loved to see Gal Gadot sink her teeth into the role of Selene (pun intended). At that stage of her career, it would have been her first major leading role before breaking out in the Fast movies. Gadot has the physicality, presence, and acting range to do the character justice. And the Underworld franchise was in need of some new blood, so to speak. She could have reinvigorated the series and introduced Selene to a new generation.
Why She Passed on These Blockbuster Roles
Looking back on both Mera in Aquaman and Selene in Underworld, it begs the question…why didn’t Gadot jump at either of these opportunities? They were both established blockbuster properties offering her a chance to lead a mega-budget studio franchise.
Well, the most logical explanation is that her acting career was still steadily on the rise at that point. Starring as Mera or Selene would have required filming sequels back-to-back for years to come. And that level of commitment and typecasting is extremely restrictive for a performer looking to expand her range.
Gadot likely saw more potential in pursuing other acting challenges instead of tying herself down to those genre franchises. And it’s hard to argue with her decisions considering where her career has taken her since then.
But that doesn’t make me long for those roles any less as a loyal Gal Gadot supporter. Aquaman ended up grossing over $1 billion globally while the Underworld series has a built-in cult fanbase. So I can’t help thinking how massive her stardom could have been if she anchored either of those successful franchises.
The Roles That Got Away…For Now
While Gal Gadot passed up on Mera and Selene several years back, I still cling to hope that she might revisit roles like those someday. After all, she’s one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood following her meteoric rise to A-list status.
Gadot has stated she’d love to portray more strong, complex female comic book characters moving forward. So whether it’s returning to the DCEU as Mera or headlining an Underworld reboot as Selene, I’ll never give up on those fan-casting dreams completely.
In the meantime, I’m thrilled to see her continue blazing new trails as Wonder Woman while expanding her acting range in other genres. She has clearly proven herself as a versatile leading lady who can anchor any blockbuster franchise.
But for this diehard Gal Gadot supporter, Mera and Selene will always be the ones that got away. At least for now, until she hopefully claims one or both of those rightful roles someday…
