Gal Gadot May Quit ‘Wonder Woman 2’ If Brett Ratner Remains Involved
Sources say Gadot is taking a stand against a man accused of sexual misconduct.
Actress Gal Gadot is reportedly refusing to sign on to star in the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel unless alleged sexual harasser Brett Ratner is removed from the franchise.
An influential director and producer in Hollywood, whose production company RatPac-Dune Entertainment helped produce the first Wonder Woman film in partnership with Warner Bros, Ratner has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and assault in recent weeks, allegations which he has denied.
Earlier this week, actress Ellen Page accused Ratner of outing her on the set of X-Men: The Last Stand when she was 18 years old, in an incident that she said left her feeling “violated”.
According to Page Six, who quote “a Warner Bros. insider”, Gadot is taking a stand against Ratner and demanding the Warner Bros. buy RatPac-Dune Entertainment out of its share of the financing deal.
“She’s tough and stands by her principles,” said the source. “She also knows the best way to hit people like Brett Ratner is in the wallet. She also knows that Warner Bros. has to side with her on this issue as it develops. They can’t have a movie rooted in women’s empowerment being part-financed by a man accused of sexual misconduct against women.”
Warner Bros. has already severed many of its ties with Ratner since the news of the allegations broke. According to The Los Angeles Times, the studio will not be renewing its production deal with Ratner, while the fate of the financing arrangement with RatPac-Dune Entertainment — which is due to expire in early 2018 — remains unclear.
In October, Gadot wrote on Instagram that “bullying and sexual harassment is unacceptable”. A short time later, she backed out of a Jewish National Fund event where she was due to present Ratner with an award — although her publicist claimed the decision was based on a scheduling conflict.
Representatives for Gadot and Ratner would not comment on the Page Six story, while a spokesperson for Warner Bros. described it as “false”.