The DCU Has Just Revealed Who Its Current Justice League-Level Heroes Are.
Which DC Universe characters are Justice League-caliber heroes has just been verified by DC. The DCU is entering a new age thanks to the changing of the guard at DC Studios. The long-term plans of James Gunn and Peter Safran are still a secret, but there is a lot of speculation about what will happen next. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Harley Quinn are all part of the future, according to the co-CEOs of DC, and Gunn has hinted at a number of new DCU heroes who may play significant roles in what is to come. Everything points to the Justice League being reformed.
The Justice League-level individuals that will be crucial to the future have reportedly been announced thanks to a DCU banner at CCXP 2022. Warner Bros. Discovery prominently showed the Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Batman (Robert Pattinson), Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Superman (Jason Momoa) banner (Henry Cavill). With a new DC’s Trinity, a new Justice Leaguer, and a significant new anti-hero, the DCU now has a “Big 5” of heroes who may play a role in the Justice League movie’s future. The marketing choice is also notable for the absence of Justice League members.
DC’s Justice League-Level Heroes Make A Lot Of Sense For WB’s Approach
James Gunn DCU Plans Justice League Suicide Squad
One of the most important orders of business of James Gunn and Peter Safran when it comes to shaping the DCU’s future is determining what comes next for the Justice League. While there will surely be new characters who rise up to take on prominent roles, the current landscape of the DC heroes makes sense of the DC CCXP Justice League tease. Three of the characters featured have already been part of the Justice League team, while Black Adam is connected to Superman already. Robert Pattinson’s Batman might not be part of the Justice League currently, but he is still the version of Batman audiences have most recently seen.
The banner lacks a few DC heroes, but the ones who are present are all Justice League-caliber fighters. Two of the most popular DC Universe heroes and founding members of the Justice League are Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Likewise, Superman has rejoined the fray as a result of the post-credits scene starring Black Adam. The appearance of Black Adam is understandable given the recent success of his film and the star power of Dwayne Johnson. It also makes sense to choose Robert Pattinson to play Batman rather than Ben Affleck. Pattinson is the next person to wear the mantle, despite the fact that he currently lives in a different universe.
The DCU is in a period of transition and rebranding (including ditching the unofficial DCEU franchise title), so using CCXP to begin marketing this Big 5 as the franchise’s biggest heroes makes sense. Wonder Woman and Aquaman have headlined the two highest-grossing solo films in the main DCU continuity. They also have sequels currently in development, confirming their importance to the DCU’s future. Black Adam and Superman are expected to cross paths again in another movie too. Meanwhile, Robert Pattinson is meant to lead a The Batman shared universe to keep one of the brand’s biggest characters front and center even if he does not cross over.
Will DC Make Another Justice League?
Jason Momoa Aquaman Justice League 2
The tease of the DCU’s Justice League-level heroes is a strong sign that the team will return to headline another movie. The original Justice League released in 2017 was not the movie anyone expected it to be when it was originally announced. After Zack Snyder’s exit and Joss Whedon’s reshoots, the film was met with a poor response, leading to the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign, Ray Fisher’s claims against WB, and more. The fallout of Justice League’s controversies will not prevent another movie from being made featuring the team.
DC Studios, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran, should be preparing for a new Justice League film. It might take a while longer as the franchise starts to take shape according to their vision, but it would be astonishing if the DCU didn’t use the franchise’s most powerful squad. Whatever it is, it won’t be anything like Zack Snyder’s intentions for the Justice League sequel. Gunn and Safran may decide to distance their movie from what came before, in which case the title may be Justice League Unlimited, Justice League Rebirth, or something else entirely.
Will Black Adam Join The Justice League?
Black adam The rock Justice League
Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is prominently featured in the CCXP 2022 banner, further tying his DC Universe future to the Justice League. Johnson continues to be one of the most well-known performers connected to the DC Universe, even though Black Adam’s box gross may not have reached the levels that were anticipated. He currently portrays one of the strongest characters in the popular superhero franchise. Because of this, it has long been expected that Black Adam will interact with the Justice League in some way, whether as the villain in Justice League 2 or as a member.
The focus on Black Adam’s DCU future has been on him eventually fighting Henry Cavill’s Superman. DC continues to connect the characters through their shared space on the promotional material, teasing audiences once again that Black Adam’s post-credits scene is the first of many times they will cross paths. Since the Justice League might not assemble for some time, there is a chance that Black Adam’s anti-hero status will be fully shifted toward him being a hero, so he can fight alongside Superman.
Why Pattinson Is DC’s Main Batman (& Not Affleck)
Robert Pattinson and Ben Affleck as Batman
The Justice League-level heroes featured in the CCXP banner also re-affirms that Robert Pattinson is DC’s main Batman. Even though Ben Affleck is Batman in the main DCU timeline that all the other characters are associated with and Michael Keaton has upcoming appearances scheduled, Pattinson is the one who is DC’s focus. His prominent placement on the banner makes sense considering The Batman is the most recent Batman appearance. The only confusing part is that Robert Pattinson’s Batman is in a different universe. That does not appear to be much of a concern for DC, though.
The fact that Robert Pattinson is the overall main Batman for DC will remain unchanged even if Ben Affleck were to return as Batman in the DC Extended Universe and serve as the main version of the Dark Knight in this reality. If there are any other appearances, they will presumably be in supporting roles similar to Affleck’s planned appearances with DC. On the other hand, Pattinson is the protagonist of a fresh franchise and fictional universe. Regardless of whether he ever enters the main DCU timeline so Robert Pattinson can be a member of the Justice League, the Batman actor stands for the future of the mantle.
Who Is Missing From The DCU’s Justice League-Level Heroes
Ben Affleck’s Batman and Zack Snyder’s Justice League
The DCU’s Justice League-level heroes are missing a few of the franchise’s bigger characters. Ben Affleck’s absence makes sense considering Robert Pattinson’s appearance, but other Justice League members in The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) are also missing. Flash’s absence could be tied to their many recent controversies and the possibility that DC will recast Miller after The Flash releases. Cyborg missing from the banner might be the result of Fisher’s allegations against the old DC Films regime.
Also surprising is the lack of any indication that Shazam (Zachary Levi) is regarded as a Justice League-caliber hero. Shazam has canonically encountered Superman, and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran is already working with the series. The next DC Universe film to come out is Shazam: Fury of the Gods, thus his presence would have made sense from a marketing standpoint alone. Shazam appears to be absent because he is a lesser-known character. Many future Justice League members are also absent, including a Green Lantern and DCU heroes like Black Canary, Hawkman, and others.