James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s DC Universe (DCU) got the explosive hit it needed with 2025’s Superman starring David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, and Rachel Brosnahan, bringing in over $600 million worldwide at the box office. That’s just the beginning, as the HBO series Lanterns recently released a trailer ahead of its August debut, a Clayface movie is in the works, and the highly-anticipated Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock, is flying into theaters June 26.

Gunn is often careful not to reveal too much about what the growing franchise has in store, but it has been confirmed that another Wonder Woman movie is on the way, one that will surely reboot the iconic hero for the new DCU. In July 2025, Gunn stated casting for the titular character wouldn’t begin until the script is complete, and mere days later, news broke that Supergirl writer Ana Nogueira will work on it. Though Wonder Woman is quite a ways off from even starting pre-production and there are several projects ahead of it on the DCU timeline, it’s never too early to start envisioning what this movie might ultimately look like. There are countless directions Gunn and Nogueira could take, but one thing is absolutely clear: Wonder Woman must be directed by a woman.

2017’s ‘Wonder Woman’ Was a Cultural Sensation Largely Thanks to Patty Jenkins

To understand why the DCU’s choice of director for Wonder Woman is so important, one must look back at the last time Diana of Themyscira got a debut movie in an ongoing franchise. After Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice established Gal Gadot‘s iteration of the character, she led her own film that covered her World War I-set origin story. Released in 2017, Wonder Woman was the character’s first-ever solo movie, a momentous moment considering she originated in comics back in 1941.

At the time of its release, the superhero genre was properly booming thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) unprecedented financial and critical successes, and, to a lesser extent, the DC Extended Universe’s (DCEU) attempts to keep up. However, while superheroes as a whole were in the spotlight, female characters didn’t have nearly the same level of attention as their male counterparts. Wonder Woman was the first solo female-led movie to arrive from either franchise and, more notably, the first to be directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins. It was a huge step forward for female representation both behind and in front of the camera, and that helped make Wonder Woman a cultural phenomenon.

‘Wonder Woman’s Box Office Results Speaks for Itself

Grossing over $820 million worldwide and earning the DCEU’s best reviews to date, Wonder Woman proved there was an appetite for blockbusters led by women and made by women. Jenkins was able to bring a different perspective to Diana’s character that helped differentiate her from other heroes audiences were accustomed to seeing. Speaking to The New York Times prior to the film’s release, the director discussed how she pushed to make Diana more vulnerable, which prompted plenty of discussion with the studio. “That’s been a problem with some of the female characters they’ve tried to put forth. They’re too hard or too strong,” she explained.

A Variety story from 2017 revealed that it was a rare blockbuster that nearly achieved male-female parity in its audience demographics, indicating more women were going out to see it. Thanks to the television series from the 1970s, Diana was already a symbol of strength and courage for fans across the globe, but the movie introduced her to a new generation, one that was already hungering for better female-led stories. Though the DCEU ended on a downbeat and the 2020 sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, was far less warmly received, Jenkins’ film remains a high-water mark for the franchise.

James Gunn’s DCU Wonder Woman Movie Needs To Honor Her Legacy

Already, the DCU’s Wonder Woman is saddled with high expectations. Even beyond the passion for the brand, Gunn’s Superman won over audiences and reignited interest in a wider DC world. That movie’s portrayal of the Man of Steel gave an idea of how this franchise is going to handle its characters, and Wonder Woman fans are going to want to see the same care given to their favored hero. Considering all that she means to people around the world, it’s only fitting that her movie be directed by a female filmmaker.

This is hardly to say that a man isn’t capable of directing a female-led story. Several beloved blockbusters led by women have been directed by men, such as Alien, Wicked, and the entire Hunger Games franchise. The DCU’s own inaugural female-led movie, Supergirl, is helmed by Craig Gillespie, who, it should be noted, has already successfully brought complicated female characters to life with I, Tonya and Cruella.

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Hey, James Gunn, We’re Still Waiting for That Wonder Woman Animated Series

He’s been “working on it” for about two years now.

Wonder Woman, though, is different. She’s the superhero who broke the glass ceiling in so many ways, making her a feminist symbol in a way that few other female heroes are viewed. Much like how Jenkins fought to include Diana’s vulnerability alongside her strength, a female director can bring nuances to the character and story that even the most well-meaning man cannot. This has been proven several times over, including outside the superhero realm. Famously, one of Barbie‘s most lauded scenes — the moment where the titular doll bonds with an older woman on a bench — was something director Greta Gerwig had to fight for. It’s the kind of scene other filmmakers might find expendable, but it ultimately spoke to women of all ages.

There’s still a lot that must happen before the DCU’s Wonder Woman can get underway, as the script must be completed and the already-announced television show Paradise Lost, about Diana’s home of Themyscira, likely needs further development as well. Whenever it does come to fruition, though, it needs to have a female director at the helm. Wonder Woman means so much to so many people, and she needs a creative who understands that. It’s the best — and only — option for her reinvention in this new DC Universe.