Had Warner Bros. not become Warner Bros. Discovery, the DC Extended Universe would have likely continued in its current form. Before DC Studios was created, the idea had been to build to a Crisis on Infinite Earths project which we've been led to believe was set to end in a reboot, albeit one not as drastic as the DCU.
Before then, Michael Keaton was going to take centre stage as the DCEU's main Batman, appearing in Batgirl, Batman Beyond, and even Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
We still don't know exactly what role he'd have played (Ben Affleck was later enlisted to reshoot the scene) but perhaps the plan was to set the stage for the Justice League to clash with the Legion of Doom?
While that may sound like a leap, concept art shared by VFX artist Valentin Petrov reveals just how much Black Manta's base in the Aquaman sequel resembles the Legion of Doom's "Hall of Doom" from the comic books and Super Friends TV series.
It was here that the villain refined Orichalcum in a bid to superheat the world, and we can't help wondering whether this might have been more than just a fun nod to the comics. In all honesty, we may be giving those Warner Bros./DC Films executives too much credit here, as planning ahead wasn't exactly their forte when it came to the DCEU.
Still, James Wan is a big fan of the comics and seeing as there was once chatter about Black Manta in a Suicide Squad sequel and his own spin-off project, there's every chance the Legion of Doom was discussed. After all, Joss Whedon's Justice League reshoots even teased the Injustice League's formation!
We'll likely never know, but we're sure you'll agree that this concept art is still awesome. You can see more by visiting Petrov's ArtStation page.
Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now playing in theaters.