WONDER WOMAN, FLASH/GREEN LANTERN. Justice League Movie Series Revealed

One of the greatest joys of being a comic book fan is guessing which properties the studios will adapt as movies. Marvel is easier to predict since they often mention characters they would like to see on the big screen, but DC and Warner Bros.  keep things closer to the chest. Aside from Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, we have no official information on what they have planned…until now.

Journalist Nikki Finke, former head of Deadline, launched her self-titled website today, and to kick things off with a bang, she’s released the DC Comics film schedule that will supposedly be announced at San Diego Comic-Con, although she does admit that “a lot of stuff remains in flux.” Keep in mind that these haven’t been confirmed, but if they’re true, Warner Bros. is really going all out!

May 2016 – Batman v Superman
July 2016 – Shazam
Xmas 2016 – Sandman
May 2017 – Justice League
July 2017 – Wonder Woman
Xmas 2017 – Flash and Green Lantern team-up
May 2018 – Man Of Steel 2

Finke also revealed other important pieces of information. Although there were plans for Metal Men and Suicide Squad films, those projects have fallen through. While stating that Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was delayed to make it a launching platform for Justice League (we already knew that), the team-up film will also include “cameos of superheroes for future installments.”

The cameos will include the already known Cyborg and Flash. Green Lantern [not played by Ryan Reynolds, thank god] may be introduced.  And Aquaman will be seen in the Justice League movie. Problem is, Warner Bros Pictures was still negotiating with the actors for those cameos and future roles, meaning major contracts for multiple JL/character films to follow. The studio didn’t want to move forward until they had more of this secure so they held off starting production for a few months. Seemingly simple reason, but the implications are pretty darn huge.”

The cameos aren’t too surprising considering they’ve been hinted at for months. However, look carefully at her wording. “The already known Cyborg and Flash.” Ray Fisher was cast as Cyborg back in April, but why does she say Flash is already known. Here’s one possibility: could the DC TV shows be connecting to the movies? DC hasn’t said one way or the other, but many fans have expressed excitement at Arrow and The Flash taking place in the same universe. Does this mean Grant Gustin will portray Barry Allen in the movies as well? Again, we don’t know whether this is the case or not, but it would certainly be cool.

It could work.

As for the films themselves, we’ve got a lot of diversity here. Fans have been crying for a Wonder Woman film, and if there’s any character deserving of a solo outing, it’s her. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been attached to Sandman, so it was inevitable it would eventually come out barring a production fiasco. Shazam is curious given that not long ago, it was said that he wouldn’t get his own film because he’s too much like Superman. Well, if it really is happening, this could mean that our long-held dream of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson playing Black Adam may become a reality. Oh yeah!

Since Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is no longer a straight-up Man of Steel sequel, it’s good that DC will eventually get back to giving Superman his own adventures. However, it’s the Flash/Green Lantern team-up film that has me curious. Although the two hang out together a lot in the comics, their team-ups aren’t World’s Finest status. Is DC afraid these two can’t sustain solo films (although if it’s Grant Gustin Flash, he’s already leading his own TV show for God’s sake!), and so they’ll just put the Emerald Knight and Scarlet Speedster together?

Granted, Green Lantern did suck, but I’d like to think with better direction, his film franchise can be relaunched. By the way, if Ryan Reynolds isn’t returning, does this Hal Jordan will be recast, or will John Stewart take the lead? I’m cool with either, although Stewart would make relaunching easier, and I know many of you have been eyeing Idris Elba for the part, and when I say many, I mean A LOT.

“Damn cool.” Sinestro Corps War reference, anybody?

As for the three films in one year…that’s tricky. Even Marvel limits themselves to two a year. I know DC is separately trying to play catch-up, but if they over-inflate the market with their films, people may get tired of the DC characters really quickly. Tread lightly, Warner Bros. You’ve held these characters back for too long, so don’t fly to the other end of the spectrum and five us an overdose of them.

SOURCE: NikkeFinke.com