Before we begin, let's take a look at the current DCEU Film Schedule:
8/5/16: Suicide Squad
6/23/17: Wonder Woman
11/17/17: Justice League Part 1
3/16/18: The Flash
7/27/18: Aquaman
10/5/18: Untitled DC Film
4/5/19: Shazam
6/14/19: Justice League Part 2
11/1/19: Untitled DC Film
4/3/20: Cyborg
6/19/20: Green Lantern Corps
5) Replace Justice League Part 1 with "Batman - Under the Red Hood"
Ben Affleck's Batman won almost universal acclaim in Batman v Superman. WB would be foolish not to capitalize on the one thing that everyone agrees worked best. There are rumors that Affleck already has a script ready to go. Can they get the film out in time for a late 2017 release? Probably. Affleck is an experienced filmmaker and there probably isn't a great deal of CGI work that would go into adapting this particular story. One has to wonder if its even possible to make Justice League in such a short timeframe. This seems like an easy swap. Also, delaying Justice League allows WB to let some of the DC films exist in a world without a Superman, which would be a very compelling thing to explore.
4) Cancel the Flash Movie and announce Grant Gustin will play The Flash in Justice League
Nothing against Ezra Miller. He's a fine actor and I'm sure he'd make a great Flash - in a world where we didn't already have a nearly perfect Flash. At some point, WB has to stop turning their backs on what the fans want. This is a very easy way for WB to say "We hear you." With such great Flash stories being told on TV, there's really no compelling reason to do a Flash movie. Just have Gustin play the part in the Justice League films. With James Wan already working on Aquaman, it shouldn't prove too difficult for him to get the movie done 4 months early.
3) Replace the Flash movie on the schedule with "The New Gods"
DC fans were thrilled to see a Mother Box during Cyborg's origin video in Batman v Superman. A deleted scene showed what many believe to be Steppenwolf. So it's clear that this is the direction WB is going in. As it currently stands, Justice League Parts 1 and 2 will be a very cluttered story: They have to bring Superman back from the dead, introduce audiences to the New Gods, introduce all the Justice League members, have Batman and Wonder Woman bring them together, and oh yeah - they need to tell some sort of story as well. It's too much, even split into two movies. A New Gods film will give WB time to properly introduce and flesh out these compelling characters, including and especially Darkseid. The movie can end with Darkseid turning his attention to Earth, helping to build anticipation for an eventual Justice League film.
Update - No hard feelings for Zack Snyder, as he gets to direct this film before starting work on Justice League!
2) Push Back Shazam and replace it on the schedule with "Superman Lives"
The resurrection of Superman can't be a 2 minute afterthought in a Justice League movie. It needs to be given it's own film. The choice for the movie's title is both obvious and sublime - a reference to the failed Superman Lives movie, and a partial admission that Zack Snyder perhaps killed Superman in more ways than one. I don't believe there's a need to replace Henry Cavill, but he needs to be
Superman, not a mopey, dour, self absorbed jerk. WB can send another clear message to fans by featuring the John Williams music in the teaser. Cavill returning to life as the real Superman in a wonderfully retro Superman movie would be consistent with what is trending in Hollywood right now and would surely please fans more than Cavill's first two outings.
Cyborg would move up to April 2019 to allow Superman the chance to return in what would surely be one of the biggest blockbusters of Summer 2019. It also makes sense for the Cyborg film to directly follow New Gods, since his origin is tied to the Mother Box in Batman v Superman. And again, you've now got another film that takes place in a world without a Superman.
1) Release Justice League in 2020
This isn't about copying Marvel. This is about REPLACING Marvel. More specifically, it's about filling the giant void in Billion Dollar films that will be left after Disney releases Avenges Infinity War 2 and Star Wars Episode IX in 2019. Marvel hasn't released their official plans for 2020 yet, but it's unlikely anything they can come up with could compete with a Justice League film set in a fully established DC Cinematic Universe. One with a proper Superman, fan favorite versions of Batman and Flash, and what we all hope will be equally loved versions of Cyborg, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern.
While I understand that WB has to compete now, they can do so while keeping their eyes on a long range plan to win in 2020 and beyond. And they can do so by building their Universe and keeping proper focus on their two biggest characters - Batman and Superman. Relegating those two to appearances in Justice League films over the next 4 years just doesn't feel right.
Let's take a look at the revised DCEU slate with these changes: UPDATED! Now Shazam can be added back onto the schedule, and 10/5/18 can be a sequel to Suicide Squad OR Wonder Woman. More likely Suicide Squad.
8/5/16: Suicide Squad
6/23/17: Wonder Woman
11/17/17: Batman: Under the Red Hood
3/16/18: Aquaman
7/27/18: The New Gods
10/5/18: Suicide Squad 2 or Wonder Woman 2
4/5/19: Cyborg
6/14/19: Superman Lives
11/1/19: Shazam!
4/3/20: Green Lantern Corps
6/19/20: Justice League, Part 1
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