'Batman vs. Superman' movie casts Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

After months of speculation about whether or not Wonder Woman would appear in Batman vs. Superman, the upcoming 2015 sequel to Man of Steel, news broke via Deadline on Wednesday that director Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. have cast Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot for the role.

This is the first official confirmation that the Amazonian would play a part in Man of Steel 2, and now fans know exactly who will play the part. Gadot is an up-and-coming actress who has starred in three of The Fast & The Furious films, the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz film Knight and Day and the Steve Carell/Tina Fey movie Date Night.

Director Zack Snyder said the following about Gadot's casting:

"Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character."

Henry Cavill will return as Clark Kent/Superman for the film and Ben Affleck will portray Bruce Wayne/Batman. With a high-profile star coming on board in Affleck and a returning face in Cavill, it could be a smart play for Warner Bros. to cast up-and-comers in the other superhero roles. Marvel did just that with Thor and Captain America and it has worked out well for the studio.

It seems almost certain now that Warner Bros. and DC are building towards a Justice League movie with the official inclusion of Wonder Woman in Batman vs. Superman.