After two Wonder Woman movies (and a third on the way), it’s hard to see Gal Gadot as anything but a beaming, benevolent superhero. But she’ll be putting her shield and superpowers aside for an equally juicy role with a bit more of a poisonous bite: the Evil Queen in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Snow White.
Deadline reports that the actor — who’s also a Fast and Furious series alum; has a new Netflix action movie co-starring Dwayne Johnson, Red Notice, arriving soon; and is apparently still working on that Cleopatra movie with Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins — is in “final negotiations” to play the iconic villain. The previously announced Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, Shazam: Fury of the Gods) will co-star as Snow White in the film, which will be directed by Marc Webb (Amazing Spider-Man) with production beginning next year. It’s obviously a particularly special project for Disney since it will be a re-do of the studio’s very first animated feature; after it became a hit in 1938, a barrage of fairy-tale films followed and, well, haven’t let up since.
Deadline notes that “the live-action film will expand upon the story and music from the original,” with new songs composed by the Oscar- and Tony-winning team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen). The trade also suggests that Gadot was always the top choice for the role, after similar Disney turns by other Hollywood heavy-hitters like Angelina Jolie (Maleficent) and Cate Blanchett (Cinderalla), as well as Melissa McCarthy in the forthcoming Little Mermaid — not to mention previous live-action Evil Queen portrayers like Charlize Theron and Sigourney Weaver.
What do you think of Gadot playing the Evil Queen — and who do you think Disney should cast as the actual best character in this story, the Magic Mirror?