Gal Gadot's casting in Disney's next live-action offering, , could be a bad sign after her recent Netflix failure, . Audience and critic enthusiasm for Disney remakes has been flagging in some quarters as the movie giant continues to release mostly uninspired remakes of its classic animated films. This means could already be on precarious footing, and Gadot's casting as the Evil Queen only raises more questions about how it will be received.
follows a lackluster performance from this year's live-action adaptation of
, starring Halle Bailey, which found itself lagging behind other Disney remakes at the box office. In another worrying sign, adapting 1937's has already proven controversial, with actor for its casting of people without dwarfism. Disney responded that it wasto the dwarfs. Although casting a big-name actress like Wonder Woman star Gadot might initially seem to be a strategy to paper over some of these problems, it could in fact actually make matters more risky.
's prospects could be rescued with a strong cast, but the filmmakers' choice of lead actresses isn't a particularly good omen. Rachel Zegler is playing the Disney Princess herself, but her role comes after her recent movie, . Similarly, Gal Gadot, who has been cast as the villainous Evil Queen, recently struggled to impress critics with her latest major role in the Netflix movie , a glossy spy thriller that largely failed to make a dent on the movie scene.
, which follows Gadot as an international agent in the vein of
, did not have the latter's skill in winning over audiences and critics. Currently, has a 32% critics score on , and while audiences generated a kinder 61% rating, the numbers were decidedly lackluster. This could signal tides being against the star, making her a risky choice for Disney's .
Even more worryingly, isn't a one-off; Disney's upcoming Evil Queen hasn't found much critical success since her breakout playing Wonder Woman.
As well as being accused of shaky performances in whodunnit and Netflix's, Gadot has also taken on more DC fare in the form of , , the sequel and ― which all attracted a lukewarm reception at best. Even as the actress suggested she was returning as the character before reports contradicted her.
While could be a return to form for Disney, there is nothing to suggest the new remake will necessarily do better than fellow Disney Princess flick . On top of its problems with cultural baggage from the original, Gadot's ropey resume, particularly the criticism aimed at
, is a worrying sign. Zegler was a delight in her breakout role in Steven Spielberg's remake, but Gadot is, unfortunately, proving that she may not be able to carry a movie. It remains to be seen if can come to the rescue for both Disneyand Gadot.
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