Gal Gadot And Husband Seize Control Of Massive Book Franchise In Shocking Paramount Deal
Gal Gadot is making moves, and she is taking the whole family with her. In a development that has industry insiders whispering about "power couple" syndrome, TMZ has learned that Paramount Pictures has officially acquired the rights to Janet Evanovich's massive bestselling Recovery Agent book series. But here is the kicker: this isn't just a starring role for the Wonder Woman actress. It is a full-blown takeover.
Sources confirm that Gadot isn't just showing up to recite lines and look pretty while things explode behind her. She is producing the project alongside her husband, Jaron Varsano, under their Pilot Wave banner. That means Gadot is cutting the checks, calling the shots, and ensuring the spotlight stays firmly on her. It is a bold, aggressive play for an actress who has seen her flagship franchise, Wonder Woman, stuck in limbo at DC.
The deal, which insiders describe as "highly competitive," puts Gadot in the driver's seat of what Paramount hopes will be their next billion-dollar franchise. But let's be real—Hollywood is littered with the corpses of "potential starring vehicles" that never made it out of development hell. With the ink barely dry on this contract, the pressure is already mounting. Is this a genius business move, or is Gadot surrounding herself with yes-men (and a yes-husband) in a desperate bid to stay relevant?
The 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' Vibes Are Getting Weird
You cannot ignore the irony of the plot. The book series centers on Gabriela Rose, a "globe-trotting recovery agent" who retrieves stolen high-value items. Standard action fare, right? Wrong. The character is paired with her "unpredictable ex-husband," Rafer Burke. You read that correctly. Gal Gadot is producing a movie about a woman forced to work with her ex-husband, while currently working with her real husband to get the movie made.
We are told the script is being adapted by Ellen Shanman, known for her work on Voltron. She has the impossible task of turning this "ex-lovers" dynamic into screen magic. Hollywood whispers are already circulating that casting the role of the ex-husband is going to be a nightmare. Who do you cast opposite Gal Gadot to play an ex, while her actual husband is sitting in the producer's chair watching every take? It is a recipe for on-set tension that we are absolutely living for.
The dynamic in the books involves Gabriela and Rafer bouncing from tropical islands to international hotspots, outsmarting criminals and rival treasure hunters. It sounds expensive. It sounds chaotic. And with Gadot's real-life partner pulling the strings behind the scenes, one has to wonder if the lines between fiction and reality are going to get blurred. Are we looking at the next Brangelina situation, or just a very expensive vanity project?
Paramount Bets The Farm Amidst Merger Chaos
This deal didn't happen in a vacuum. It is coming right off the heels of the massive Skydance-Paramount merger drama. Gadot previously worked with Skydance on the Netflix spy thriller Heart of Stone, which topped charts but got absolutely shredded by critics. Now, she is bringing that same energy to the new Paramount regime. Is Paramount desperate for a hit?
Insiders say the studio is scrambling for content that can compete with the Marvel machine and the Fast & Furious saga (which Gadot has already abandoned and returned to multiple times). By latching onto Janet Evanovich's work, they are hoping to tap into a built-in fanbase. Evanovich has sold over 200 million books worldwide. That is a lot of potential ticket buyers.
However, let's not forget the last time Hollywood tried to adapt Evanovich. Remember the Katherine Heigl disaster One for the Money? It flopped harder than a lead balloon. Paramount is taking a massive risk here, betting that Gadot's star power can break the curse of Evanovich adaptations. If this goes south, it won't just be a bad movie; it will be a black mark on the new studio leadership.
Is Gal Gadot A One-Trick Pony?
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. The description of this role—a globe-trotting spy/agent hunting for treasure—sounds suspiciously like Red Notice. And Heart of Stone. And practically every other movie Gadot has signed on for in the last five years. Critics are already sharpening their knives, accusing the star of playing the exact same character in different outfits.
We have seen her do the "tough female agent" thing. We have seen the "glamorous heist" thing. Does the world really need another version of this? Sources say Gadot is looking for a franchise she can own completely. With Fast & Furious being dominated by Vin Diesel and The Rock, and Wonder Woman being rebooted or shelved depending on the day, Gadot needs a safety net. The Recovery Agent is that safety net.
But there is a danger in repetition. Audiences are fickle. If Gabriela Rose feels too much like "Diana Prince goes on a treasure hunt," the box office numbers could be brutal. Gadot is repped by WME and Sloane, Weber & Dern, and you know they are pushing for a massive payday here. But if the audience rolls their eyes at the trailer, no amount of agency muscle can save the opening weekend.
Fan Reactions: The Internet Is Skeptical
As soon as the news broke, the internet did what it does best: judge. The reaction to Gadot's new gig has been mixed, to say the least, with many fans wondering why Hollywood refuses to cast her in anything that requires actual emotional range.
so she is playing herself again? cool. love gal but can she please do a drama or something where she does not hold a gun?
producing with her husband gives me bad vibes. remember when angelina and brad did that movie by the sea? look how that ended. just saying.
Janet Evanovich books are fun but they are pure cheese. Gal is going to have to work hard to make this not look like a Hallmark movie with a budget.
The skepticism is real. Fans are tired of the "Girl Boss Spy" trope, and Gadot is dangerously close to becoming the face of generic action streaming content. While Red Notice was Netflix's second most-popular film of all time, the cultural impact was zero. Nobody quotes it. Nobody memes it. Paramount needs The Recovery Agent to be a cultural phenomenon, not just background noise for people folding laundry.
The Team Behind The Curtain: CSI Meets Voltron?
The production team attached to this project is a bizarre mix of TV procedural royalty and cartoon adaptation writers. Carol Mendelsohn and Julie Weitz are producing under their Carol Mendelsohn Productions banner. Mendelsohn is the titan behind the CSI franchise. That suggests they are looking for a procedural, episodic feel—maybe setting this up as a long-running series rather than a standalone film.
Then you have Ellen Shanman adapting the screenplay. Her credit on Voltron implies a heavy focus on action and set pieces, but can she capture the witty, romantic banter that Evanovich is famous for? The tone of these books is specific—it is screwball comedy meets high stakes danger. If the script takes itself too seriously, it fails. If it is too silly, it fails. Threading that needle is going to be a nightmare.
Insiders question whether a TV producer and a cartoon writer are the right fit for a massive theatrical blockbuster. It feels like a "design by committee" situation where the studio throws random successful names into a pot and hopes it tastes good. Usually, it tastes like a flop.
Gal's Desperate Pivot To 'Serious' Cinema
While she is locking down this cash-cow action franchise, Gadot is also frantically trying to prove she can act. She was recently seen starring in Julian Schnabel's In the Hand of Dante, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. That is artsy, serious, Oscar-bait territory. She starred opposite Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa (because apparently, she can't escape the Aquaman connection).
This dual strategy—one foot in the "pretentious art film" world and one foot in the "mindless action blockbuster" world—is a classic Hollywood survival tactic. But it rarely works. You are either the action star or the serious actor. Trying to be both simultaneously usually confuses the audience. Is she chasing a golden statue, or is she chasing the bag? This deal with Paramount answers that question loud and clear: She is chasing the bag.
She also has The Runner coming up for Amazon International, directed by Kevin Macdonald. It seems Gadot is intent on flooding the market with her face until we have no choice but to watch. But overexposure is a real killer in this town. Just ask Jennifer Lawrence circa 2016.
The Stakes For 2026 And Beyond
The second book in Evanovich's series, The King's Ransom, is set to hit paperback in June 2026. Paramount is likely eyeing a release date that capitalizes on that momentum. But 2026 is a long way away. In Hollywood time, that is an eternity. Projects die on the vine every single day. With the volatility of the market and the studio's shaky financial ground, The Recovery Agent is far from a sure thing.
We are also hearing rumors that casting for the male lead—the ex-husband Rafer Burke—is going to be the deciding factor. If they cast a nobody, the movie sinks. If they cast a superstar, Gadot risks being overshadowed in her own production. She needs a co-star who is famous enough to sell tickets but not so famous that he steals her thunder. It is a delicate ego balance that has destroyed many productions before cameras even started rolling.
Will this project ever see the light of day? Or will it join the pile of "announced but never produced" press releases that stars use to keep their names in the headlines? We wouldn't bet the farm on it just yet. But one thing is for sure: Gal Gadot and her husband are cashing checks, and they are daring Paramount to stop them.
The Verdict: A Billion Dollar Gamble
This is a defining moment for Gadot. She is trying to transition from "actor for hire" to "Hollywood mogul." By bringing her husband into the mix as a producer, she is signaling that she wants total control over her image and her career. But control comes with accountability. If The Recovery Agent flops, she won't be able to blame the director or the studio. The failure will be on her name and her production company.
Paramount is handing her the keys to the kingdom. They are trusting her to turn a book series into the next Mission: Impossible. It is a high-stakes game of poker, and Gadot is all in. We will be watching closely to see if she folds or if she cleans out the house. Until then, get ready for a lot of PR spin about how much she "loves" the character and how "empowering" this story is.
But we know the truth. This is about money, power, and survival. And in Hollywood, that is the only story that matters.
