When DC Studios was formed and a reboot was first promised, comic book fans were eager to see what James Gunn and Peter Safran had planned. That's still the case after the big "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" reveal, but we'd be lying to say the whole thing isn't a tad confusing.
Superman has been recast, but Margot Robbie will return as Harley Quinn. One star of The Suicide Squad has gone from playing T.D.K. to Green Lantern, while another will reprise their role in an animated series. Peacemaker and Waller TV shows are on the way but when it comes to Wonder Woman's future...who the f*** knows what's happening?!
Neither a full reboot nor a proper continuation, we're hoping plans will become clear down the line. In an ideal world, everyone would have been recast to insure a real fresh start when the DCEU becomes the DCU; still, there are some actors who definitely shouldn't reprise their respective roles as part of this status quo.
To find out who we think should be replaced (or simply forgotten), hit the "Next" button below!
8. The Joker
Suicide Squad director David Ayer continues to insist that there's a better version of Jared Leto's Joker in his "Ayer Cut." Alas, not even that Knightmare cameo in Zack Snyder's Justice League is enough to make us want to see more of this particular Clown Prince of Crime.
We appreciate what Leto tried doing with the iconic villain but it simply didn't work and a fresh start is now a necessity. Oh, and let's not forget that James Gunn doesn't actually like the actor based on past social media posts.
In some respects, The Joker is a character who should probably be left on the shelf for a while (we're not even sure we want to see what Matt Reeves and Barry Keoghan come up with in The Batman franchise). He's overexposed and there are plenty of other villains the Dark Knight can face.
7. Aquaman
A year or two ago, we'd have said any reboot should put Jason Momoa's Aquaman front and centre. After all, the 2018 movie grossed over $1 billion, and while the actor's interpretation isn't exactly comic-accurate, it is one that has resonated with moviegoers.
Ironically, a series of cameo appearances have watered the hero down and there's nothing but bad buzz surrounding this December's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Rumour has it Momoa will soon leave Arthur Curry behind, instead taking on the role of the DCU's Lobo. That might be for best all things considered, with the King of Atlantis put back into the ocean until DC Studios can reimagine the hero for a future project.
6. Shazam
Zachary Levi was fine in 2019's Shazam!, but this year's critically panned sequel - Fury of the Gods - proved he's a one-trick pony (unicorn) when it comes to portraying the Big Red Cheese on screen.
While the bit-part actors around him had altered their performances to be more in line with the kids-turned-adults they were supposed to be playing, Levi delivered more of the same with a goofy Billy Batson who wasn't remotely like the version portrayed by the far more talented Asher Angel.
Throw in his whiny social media comments and various controversies surrounding his political beliefs, and the sooner the DCU gets a new Shazam, the better.
5. Batgirl
Warner Bros.' decision to scrap the near-finished Batgirl movie remains borderline unforgivable, and we feel for each and every person who worked on it.
It's hard to buy the story about the movie being unreleasable, particularly after watching disasters like Black Adam and The Flash. Still, as much as we'd love to see this movie, and its cast, get a second chance, there's simply too much negativity at this stage. As a result, it might be best for Leslie Grace to move on.
We'll be keeping everything crossed that she gets a second chance at playing a superhero (preferably in the MCU), though Barbara Gordon should probably be a teenager in the DCU. Grace would make a great Oracle but there are better roles out there for the actress.
4. Cyborg
It feels a lot like we'll never know the full story when it comes to what happened on the set of Joss Whedon's Justice League. There are conflicting accounts from multiple sources and denials are plentiful; however, it's fair to say Ray Fisher wasn't treated well.
He's become one of Warner Bros.' biggest detractors in recent years, refusing a role in The Flash and making it clear which heads he'd like to see roll.
It's understandable, but even in the "Snyder Cut" of Justice League, his Cyborg didn't blow us away (despite the actor delivering a solid performance with a meatier role). The baggage surrounding Victor Stone could see him now sidelined for the foreseeable, a shame when another young actor could make the role their own.
3. Wonder Woman
In a series of interviews promoting Netflix's Heart of Stone, Gal Gadot talked enthusiastically about her future as Wonder Woman in the new DCU. Since then, the trades have all concurred that there are no definitive plans and that the actress may have been speaking out of turn.
Whether Gadot was lying, confused, or simply misled by DC Studios is unclear. What we do know is that she's had a good run as Diana Prince and there's now no reason another actress can't be given the chance to put their own spin on the Amazon warrior.
As such a big part of the DCEU, Gadot's Wonder Woman will stick out like a sore thumb alongside the new Batman and Superman, reminding moviegoers of a period DC Studios wants us all to forget. And, if it means we never have to hear that damn theme again, then recasting is a must.
2. Black Adam
In many respects, Dwayne Johnson's fate as Black Adam was sealed the second DC Studios was formed. Sure, they put out a statement claiming the door was open to working with him again, but no one - including Johnson himself based on a recent interview - was buying it.
He'd hoped to build the DCEU around his anti-hero, with a new Superman movie and various Justice Society projects part of that. Johnson had no interest in a Shazam! crossover but seemed adamant his character was key to this franchise's future.
That's an ego DC Studios really doesn't need to deal with while attempting to create a shared world. Plus, Black Adam was a stinker, with few redeeming qualities. We'd love to see the character get a second chance one day, hopefully alongside a brand new Shazam...
1. The Flash
Over budget and long-delayed, The Flash raced into theaters this past June and swiftly bombed. That came after a marketing campaign which bordered on repulsive, with bogus praise and blissful ignorance about Ezra Miller's real-life action put front and centre.
There is no scenario where Miller should be allowed to reprise this role. While everyone deserves a second chance, we've yet to see any evidence that the actor has reformed and they were, unquestionably, the worst part of a movie which saw them deliver not one, but two dismal performances.
Zack Snyder did a lot of good things in the DCEU, but casting Miller was his biggest misstep as they were never the right pick for a character like Barry Allen.