Actor 'stunned' billion-dollar movie franchise didn't get a sequel even though he almost never took part

Chris Pine has voiced how shocked he was that Wonder Woman 3 never went ahead, even though he almost turned down the original.

Set to release in theaters on Friday, May 10th, Poolman is the latest movie from American actor Chris Pine. Although the comedy-mystery film currently sits at a crushing 23% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, plenty of audiences are likely to check it out based on the 43-year-old’s heavy involvement alone. Cherished for the likes of Star Trek and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Chris is arguably best known for playing the role of Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman movies, which he can’t believe ended after just two installments…

Chris Pine ‘stunned’ that Wonder Woman 3 was kicked to the curb

The Hollywood star played the love interest of Gal Gadot’s titular superhero in the 2017 blockbuster Wonder Woman, reprising the role in the 2020 sequel Wonder Woman 1984.

Fans would have loved to see a third installment that reunited Chris and Gal as their on-screen counterparts. However, those who loved the DC Comics fans will be as surprised as Chris that it never materialized.

“I’m stunned that they said no to a billion-dollar franchise and decided to pivot elsewhere,” Chris said of the Wonder Woman franchise during a recent interview with Business Insider.

“I don’t know what the reasoning was behind that; it’s above my pay grade, but Wonder Woman is an incredible character,” he argued. “Patty [Jenkins] is such a thoughtful director,” he also added, praising the filmmaker who helmed both installments.

On the other hand, he admitted he wouldn’t have been up for round three regardless. “Me. No. Homie is dead,” he insisted. “Steve is gonzo. It would be ridiculous to try to bring me back.” Although his character died in the first movie, he came back as part of Wonder Woman’s wish in the sequel.

Both films were part of the DC Extended Universe, a cinematic universe of superhero movies based on DC Comics characters. However, the media franchise ended with the 2023 film Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, bringing an end to the DCEU, which raked in more than $7 billion at the box office across its history.

A third Wonder Woman epic was ultimately canceled because James Gunn and Peter Safran stepped in to take charge of DC Studios. A new cinematic universe called the DCU is in the works to take its place, kicking off with a new Superman in 2025.

Chris Pine nearly turned down Wonder Woman before director’s unique pitch

The 2017 Wonder Woman movie was loved by critics, audiences, and it was even a massive box office success, grossing $824 million dollars. And yet, Chris almost said no to the first film, never mind a third.

“I had no interest in playing the boyfriend, and it sounded like second fiddle,” he recalled. “Then, in talking to Patty, the way she described it was, ‘Forget the superhero of it all, this is a romance, this is Casablanca, that’s the movie I want to make.’”

This caught his attention right away: “I was like, ‘Oh, now that is very cool because when have you seen a superhero film that was a love story, ultimately?’ That had nothing to do with blowing s**t up.”

Fans may never see another round with Gal and Chris, but at least there are still two exhilarating screen adventures to kick back with.

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