Director Joss Whedon denies Gal Gadot's accusations about his behavior on the set of Justice League.
Speaking to New York Magazine, Whedon claimed that some of the tension surrounding him and Gadot stems from her comprehension of the English language. The director believes that because English is not the Wonder Woman actor's first language and his sentence structure can be "annoyingly flowery," Gadot misinterpreted several of his jokes as threats against her. Whedon, who took over for Zack Snyder during Justice League's production, further contested the accusations against him, saying, "I don't threaten people. Who does that?" In a statement delivered to New York Magazine, Gadot denied Whedon's explanation, saying, "I understood perfectly."
In 2021, Gadot made numerous accusations about Whedon's behavior on the set of Justice League. The actor claimed that Whedon bragged about arguing with her over Wonder Woman's direction in the film and that he could make her look "incredibly stupid." Gadot later expanded on her experience, saying that Whedon threatened her career on the production's set, which led to an intervention from Warner Bros. executives. Speaking about the encounter, Gadot said, "Going back to the sense of righteousness that I have...you're dizzy because you can't believe this was just said to you. And if he says it to me, then obviously he says it to many other people. I just did what I felt like I had to do. And it was to tell people that it's not okay."
Gadot isn't the only Justice League star to express their contempt for Whedon's actions on set. Cyborg actor Ray Fisher says that many of Whedon's choices, which included digitally lightening the film's color grading, were racially motivated. Fisher was also critical of Whedon's decision to cut out much of Cyborg's plot, which the director claimed "logically made no sense." Furthermore, the actor has criticized Justice League producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, who he says enabled Whedon's actions.
Justice League's tumultuous production led to a lukewarm release, with many unimpressed by Whedon's contributions to the project. Actor Jeremy Irons, who portrayed Alfred Pennyworth in the film, recently admitted that he hated Whedon's Justice League, agreeing that the film was "dreadful." Batman actor Ben Affleck echoed this sentiment, calling the film's production "the worst experience."
While Whedon's Justice League was a bomb, fan support ultimately led Warner Bros. to revisit the film's original vision with "The Snyder Cut." This extended version of Justice League removed Whedon's contributions and added scenes cut for the theatrical release, including Cyborg's original story. The success of "The Snyder Cut" has led many to support a similar movement for David Ayer's Suicide Squad, which faced its fair share of issues throughout its production.
Source: New York Magazine