Hey all,
Since the recent revelation that Warner Bros. was still developing a
Justice League movie, I have been going over various ideas as to how to tell the story of such a film. I don't think there's a film that I want to see more than a
Justice League film, and of course I want to see such a film done right. With that said, below is an outline for the plot for such a movie. It's set in continuity with
Green Lantern and
Man Of Steel, and takes place after a sequel to
Green Lantern (which would adapt the "Sinestro Corps War" storyline). I've included various influences, including Geoff Johns' New 52 run and the
Justice League: Unlimited animated series.
It has been two years since the war between the Sinestro Corps and the Green Lantern Corps. The Lanterns defeated Sinestro’s army, banishing the former Green Lantern to the planet Qward. There, Sinestro felt powerless (his ring was taken by the Lanterns at the end of the war) and thirsty for revenge. One day, however, a powerful being known as Darkseid appeared on the planet. Darkseid was the ruler of the planet Apokolips, and was interested in taking control of Earth as the beginning of his conquest of the universe. He was also impressed with what he’s heard of Sinestro, and decided to offer him a chance to avenge the Sinestro Corps (and to rebuild the Corps’ army). Sinestro remembered that Earth was the home of one particular Green Lantern, Hal Jordan (the first human to don a GL ring). So, he accepted Darkseid’s offer quickly. After three months, Sinestro’s army was restored, and even stronger than before. He sent a group to Earth to begin the attack.
Meanwhile, Darkseid traveled to Oa, the planet of the Green Lanterns. Interested to see just how powerful the Lanterns were, he attacked and easily defeated many. Even the Guardians were almost killed (and they were said to be immortal). After the attack, the Guardians summoned Hal Jordan to inform him of the attack. They said that this threat is so great, even the Green Lanterns can’t stop it. They then sent Jordan to Earth to find the World’s Finest heroes. People who would bring Darkseid and Sinestro to justice.
During this time, Wonder Woman (an Amazonian Princess) and US officer Steve Trevor were landing in Metropolis. During the past three months, Trevor crash landed on Wonder Woman’s home island, Paradise Island, and was consequently nursed back to health by the Amazonian. Wonder Woman (also known as Diana) eventually fell in love with the officer, and was interested in seeing the outside world with him. Trevor needed to meet with fellow officers in Metropolis, and decided to bring Diana with him. But when they landed, they noticed something that was terribly wrong. The Sinestro Corps invasion has begun. Three members of Sinestro’s army noticed Trevor and Diana landing in the city, and proceeded to attack them. Diana managed to fight them off long enough for Trevor to escape and call for back up. Soldiers came up and were firing at the Yellow Lanterns, but to no avail.
The soldiers were almost terminated when a red, yellow and blue object flew in and knocked out all of the Lanterns. This object was Superman, the hero of Metropolis. “Is everyone alright?” the Kryptonian asked everyone present, and they all nodded. Superman then turned to Diana and said, “I saw you fighting off those…things one by one. I was impressed.” The two then flew after the remaining Lanterns, engaging in an epic aerial battle.
Meanwhile, Hal Jordan landed in Gotham City. He has heard of a vigilante known as The Batman who protected the city from crime. After some flying around in the dark city, he noticed a man riding a motorcycle that looked a little larger than unusual. He also saw the man’s cape flying as he rode in the streets. This was Batman. The two were racing across the city until Batman noticed Jordan flying over him, and pulled over immediately. He then recognized who he was. “So you’re the Green Lantern,” he said.
Jordan: “Well, I’m not THE Green Lantern, but…”
Batman interrupted: “What’s here for you in Gotham?”
Jordan: “I…I need your help. A powerful being known as Darkseid is coming to Earth, and he can destroy the entire planet unless someone strong enough would stand up to him. I’m searching for the finest heroes that the world has to offer. If what I’ve heard about your work in Gotham is true, how would you like to help in saving the world?”
Batman: “Is there anyone else that you’re searching for?”
Jordan: “Well, I heard that there’s a Kryptonian in Metropolis.”
Batman: “Kryptonian? I thought the destruction of their home planet resulted in the loss of its entire population.”
Jordan: “My thoughts exactly. Must’ve been a Super one who survived.”
Batman: *grin*
After this, the two went to Metropolis to meet Superman. Batman flew in the Batwing.
Cut to Apokolips, the planet of Darkseid. Sinestro was informed by one of the Yellow Lantern’s in Metropolis that their mission is failing. Furiously, Sinestro prepared for his arrival to the city.
Back to Metropolis. Superman and Diana were finishing off the Yellow Lanterns that were invading the city. Superman was taking out three while Diana was engaged in a sword fight with two others. She took out one, but the other knocked her sword out of her hand. It also crushed her bracelets (which she used to ricochet bullets and such). As the Lantern was about to deliver the final blow, a shout was suddenly heard. “Heads up!” In the blink of an eye, Hal Jordan flew in and knocked out the Yellow Lantern. Jordan realized exactly what it was, and knew that it wouldn’t be long before Sinestro arrived. He removed the Lantern’s ring, sending it down to the streets. Batman then landed at the scene and jumped out of the Batwing to Wonder Woman’s aid. “Are you hurt?”, he asked. “I’m fine” was Diana’s reply. “Where’s Superman?”
At that instance, Superman arrived at the scene. He was surprised to find Batman at the spot, initially believing that the Caped Crusader was a myth. “Well, it’s good to know that you exist, Batman.” “Same to you,” the Dark Knight replied. Hal Jordan dropped in right then, and the four heroes took the time to properly introduce themselves.
During their discussion, Jordan warned that a far more powerful Yellow Lantern will be arriving soon. “Another Lantern is on its way,” he said. “His name is Sinestro, and he’s…well, let’s just say that we have a bit of a love/hate relationship.” A few minutes afterwards, Sinestro landed in Metropolis with a handful of Yellow Lanterns. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern went out to meet them. “I’m used to space freaks,” said Superman on the way. “But this is different.”
The two parties met in the middle of the devastated streets. Sinestro had a brief discussion with the heroes before they clashed, saying, “I’m merely the messenger compared to what will soon arrive on Earth. Jordan, you have temporarily ruined me, and now I will do the same. But permanently.” With that said, the two forces began attacking each other. Hal Jordan engaged Sinestro, while the others took on Sinestro’s forces. After dodging a blow from a Yellow Lantern, Batman pulled out an explosive Bataring and thrust it into the Lantern’s ring, destroying the ring in the process. Wonder Woman sliced off a Lantern’s finger with her sword, and then stomped its ring until it was dust. Superman used his laser beams to blow a Lantern’s hand away, and delivered a powerful punch which sent the Lantern flying across the city. Afterwards, Superman sent a blazing laser beam to Sinestro, which sent the villain crashing through several buildings. “Thanks,” said Jordan. “Don’t mention it” was Superman’s reply.
During this entire battle, in Central City, cop Barry Allen was watching the news with his fiance Iris West. He saw a report covering the battle in Metropolis, and he decided to run there to see if he could help. “Be careful”, said Iris. Barry grinned, replying, “Don’t worry. If everything goes well, I’ll be back in a flash.” He then started running outside, activating the ring that he was wearing. A red, white and yellow costume started covering his body, and his speed astronomically increased.
Back in Metropolis, Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman arrived at the site where Sinestro crashed. The Sinestro Corps leader acknowledged that he was outmatched…for now. He let out a blast from his power ring that sent everyone flying (even Superman, as he was not expecting such a powerful blast), and flew away quickly. As the heroes were picking themselves back up, Barry Allen (costumed as The Flash) came dashing up to them. “Hey guys. What all did I miss?” He then turned to Hal Jordan, immediately recognizing his old friend despite the Green Lantern garb. The two start talking for the first time in years, with Hal jokingly saying, “Your costume looks terrible.” “You’re one to talk,” snickers Flash. Afterwards, a large group of news reporters were asking the heroes various questions, such as whether or not Sinestro will be back. Among those in the group included the Daily Planet’s Lois Lane and Gotham City’s Vicky Vale. Superman spoke to a sea of microphones, saying, “Apparently, an even more powerful threat will be arriving soon. So I would advise anyone who’s listening to watch for trouble.”
Cut to the underwater city Atlantis. The city was ruled by Aquaman, whose wife, Mera, recently died in a war with Black Manta. Aquaman was informed by two of his friends that a possible invasion has commenced in Metropolis. Though discouraged from being in a war again so soon, he decided that helping to protect the Earth was the best thing to do.
Meanwhile, in their newly formed based underneath Metropolis, the group of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Flash were discussing preparation for the imminent threat that will soon be unleashed. During the discussion, Flash brought up the fact that Batman was the only one in the team who didn’t have super powers, and believed that he shouldn’t be on the team as a result. Lantern, Wonder Woman and Superman all disagreed. “I’ve only met Batman recently, and before then I, like others, always believed that he was merely a myth,” Superman stated. “But he is a valiant warrior, from what I’ve seen, and he is powerful for a human without any powers.” Hal Jordan added, “What Batman lacks in superhuman strength, he mostly makes up for in nobility and determination. Hell, he’s already starting to inspire me as a hero. A true hero.” Wonder Woman voiced her agreement with the two. Flash then said, "But why does he have to dress up like a bat, of all things?", to which Superman replied, "Stop it, Flash. You're acting like a teenager." Clearly annoyed, Flash stated, "Say the one who dresses up like a kid for Halloween," to which Superman had no response.
Overwhelmed by the support, Batman realized that, for the first time since he was a child, that there were more than a few people whom he can trust. He said, “Deep down, underneath all of our costumes, masks and unusual powers, we’re all alike.” He then removed his mask, revealing his secret identity as Bruce Wayne. Superman looked shocked, as he had previously met Wayne (as his alter ego Clark Kent) on a business trip to Gotham. Flash then asked, “Who the hell is Bruce Wayne?” Wayne replied, “My parents were murdered as a young child. Since then, I was determined to fight injustice, and that no other child should have to go through what I did. Since then, I have dedicated my life to cleansing Gotham of its criminals. Despite this, I believe it’s my time to help others in fighting a global threat.” Everyone was moved by Wayne’s comments, including Flash (who muttered “Wow”).
Superman walked up to Wayne, offering his hand and saying, “Thank you for joining us. And thanks to Green Lantern for bringing this team together. If it wasn‘t for him, we wouldn‘t be preparing for whatever threat is coming.” He then flew out from the base to check on the city, with Flash and Wonder Woman following him. Batman and Green Lantern were alone, with the former lowering his head. “What’s wrong?” asked Lantern. Bats replied, “I thought I lived in a more reasonable world.” Jordan responded, “Well, when the weirdest thing in your city is an oversized crocodile, who can speak? I’d say you’re lucky.” Batman grinned. Jordan then said, “You should come to Oa some time. We Green Lanterns can teach you a few things.”
Meanwhile, back in Apokolips, Darkseid is furious that Sinestro was defeated by merely four super heroes. He told the Yellow Lantern, “I believe that it is time for me to take manners into my own hands.” The two villains then boarded a large ship (almost as large as The Avengers’ Helicarrier) to take them to Earth, with about 30 Yellow Lanterns accompanying them.
Back in Metropolis, Superman was flying across the city while Wonder Woman and Flash were on the ground. The latter two were getting to know each other, when suddenly, Superman met them in the middle of the city. “You may want to take a look at what just landed on the coast outside the city. Call Batman and Green Lantern in.” Flash then pulled out his walkie talkie (Batman also had one), informing Bats and Green Lantern to come quickly. The five met on the shore to meet an Ark-sized ship. A larger than usual Yellow Lantern flew out of the ship, aiming directly at the heroes. Suddenly, a figure with a pitchfork sprung out of the water, stabbing the Lantern through the chest. This was Aquaman, the King of Atlantis. He then swam up to shore to greet the heroes. “I am Aquaman, ruler of Atlantis.” Flash snickered, “Atlantis? That city still exists? And why is Fish Man its king?” Aquaman ignored Flash’s jokes, continuing, “I was informed that an invasion was coming, and I felt that it was my responsibility to help.” Superman responded, “And what do you have to offer our team, other than a pitchfork and the ability to breathe underwater?”
With that said, five Yellow Lanterns sprung out of the ship that was in the middle of the sea. Aquaman let out an unusual call, and five sharks popped out of the ocean, devouring each of the Lanterns. Aquaman then looked at the team with his eyebrow raised. The entire team agreed to accept Aquaman.
A minute after, Sinestro was seen rising out of the ship with two guards. He confronted the team, stating, “You may have defeated me before, but vengeance has now arrived. Prepare to meet your new master…Darkseid.” With that said, Darkseid jumped out of the ship and onto the shore to confront the heroes. The villain then began his speech. “I have been watching you humans for years, and I can say that you are all rebellious. But you will be ruled. Surrender to me, or perish in my conquest of this planet.” Superman defiantly replied, “You underestimate our will to fight. Our will to act. We may not be perfect, but we will do whatever it takes to keep this planet protected from anyone who wishes to steal our freedom. We will not submit to the demands of a tyrant. We will fight for our right to live and to flourish, no matter what the cost.”
Darkseid, while impressed by Superman’s defiance, wasn’t preparing to back down any time soon. He let out a laser beam so powerful, not even the shield formed from Hal Jordan’s ring could stop them from being blown away. Sinestro flew upwards, with Hal saying, “I’ll go after Sinestro, the rest of you take care of the big guy.” before he went after the villain. Superman flew into Darkseid, throwing him into the city. While there, a group of soldiers (led by Steve Trevor) were firing on Darkseid, but to no avail. He let out a laser beam which blew away the entire army, killing them all. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman all began attacking Darkseid, resulting in a battle of epic proportions.
During the fight, Wonder Woman noticed Steve Trevor lying on the ground. Horrified, she rushed to his aid. She succeeded in waking him up, but the damage was done. Trevor said, “Diana, it’s okay. You’re doing a good thing here.” Before his final breathe, he whispered, “This city needs you. Your team needs you. Go-”, and he died. Furiously, Wonder Woman jumped at Darkseid, unleashing a powerful kick which sent the leader of Apokolips flying. She jumped on top of him, delivering blow after blow to his head. He then grabbed her, and was about to crush her before he saw the Batwing flying towards him. Batman guided it towards Darkseid, crashing into the villain and letting out a great explosion. The explosion resulted in nearly everyone being thrown off, and when the dust cleared, there was no sign of Batman. This made Superman upset. He picked up Darkseid and started flying upwards, but before he could deliver a blow, Darkseid grabbed him and threw him into the ground with all his might. The Man of Steel crash landed into the heroes’ base, with Darkseid following. He started to beat the Kryptonian brutally. The other heroes were about to help him, but the rest of the Yellow Lanterns started to swarm in.
While all this was happening, Hal Jordan caught up with Sinestro. The two engaged in a climatic battle over the city. Hal pleaded with Sinestro, saying, “This world deserves so much more than what you and Darkseid have to offer. These innocent lives can’t be harmed. They have done nothing to you. If you want revenge on me, then let it be me who you want to hurt.” Sinestro smiled, and as Hal was standing down, the villain formed a huge fist from his ring and punched Jordan to the ground, knocking him unconscious. As he was falling to the ground, Batman suddenly jumped out and grabbed Hal, resting him on top of a building. The Dark Knight then turned to face Sinestro, who said, “There’s literally no way that you can defeat me, human.” He then formed a machine gun from his ring, but before he could fire, Batman jumped higher than usual and kicked Sinestro in the face. Hal Jordan then woke up. Batman let out his grappling hook, but Sinestro sliced it with a knife formed from his ring. Bats started to fall to the ground, but a hand formed from Hal’s ring caught him. Jordan then flew in and told Bats, “I suppose that that makes us even.” before resuming their fight with Sinestro.
Meanwhile, in the battle between Darkseid and Superman, the former still had the upper hand. He gave Superman a beating unlike any other. “None of us will give in until we exhale our final breathe,” Superman stated. Darkseid grinningly replied, “Then so be it.” As Darkseid was about to let out a final punch, Superman grabbed it and pushed Darkseid away. They took the fight to the streets, with Superman giving a little speech. “Never have I fought an enemy like you before. Everyone else I've fought could take the weaker side of me, but you…you’re in for a treat. What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose, and to show you just how powerful I really am.” With that said, Superman let out a punch which was more powerful than any punch he let out in his entire career. The punch sent Darkseid flying through several buildings, and Superman met him at the end of the streak of buildings to let out another punch. This one sent Darkseid deep into the ground. When Supes landed at the spot, the two both let out laser beams. For a while, it didn’t look like either of them were going to give in.
Cut to the rest of the heroes fighting Yellow Lanterns. Flash was running swiftly around one Lantern, making him dizzy, before delivering a spree of punches which knocked him out. Wonder Woman slice several with her sword, while Aquaman repeatedly stabbed others with his pitchfork. During the sequence, a Yellow Lantern sliced off Aquaman’s right hand, but the King of Atlantis was still going. Finally, cut back to Sinestro fighting Hal Jordan and Batman. The Lanterns were engaged in a sword fight, with Batman landing a Batarang into Sinestro’s side while he was preoccupied. Jordan managed to remove Sinestro’s ring and destroy it. The two heroes interrogated the villain to find out how to defeat Darkseid, with Sinestro revealing that their ship has a portal which would send Darkseid back to Apokolips. Jordan left to find Superman.
Cut to Superman and Darkseid still engaged in a laser beam showdown. Several minutes passed before Supes’ had the upper hand, smashing Darkseid in the face and letting out a red explosion. Exhausted, Superman went in to deliver the final blow. Hal Jordan then arrived. He told Superman about the portal, and the team brought Darkseid onto the ship (all of the Yellow Lanterns were defeated). There, they sent Darkseid back to Apokolips. Jordan decided to bring Sinestro back to Oa, where he would be judged by the Guardians.
Following this battle, the team of heroes were all honored by the President of the United States. “I would like to thank these courageous heroes for standing up to evil itself. We need more people who should do just that.” Medals were given to all six heroes, with a memorial for those lives that were lost. Wonder Woman stood by Steve Trevor’s casket, with Batman approaching her and offering his condolences.
Several months after the event, Batman revealed his Watchtower in space for the team. Everyone was impressed, with Superman acknowledging his desire for the team to always stay together. “Any further threats to the world, if not the universe, are always expected. There will always be a need for us to be together. And if that’s the case, then we’re gonna need a name.” Flash suggested The Super Friends, but no one else liked the idea. Green Lantern said, “I was thinking of something a little classier, like…” Superman butted in with “Justice League?” Everyone agreed that it would be a good name.
Soon after, Batman was seen looking out the window of the Watchtower, gazing at the wonders of outer space. Hal Jordan approached him, asking, “Well, what do you think?” Bats replied, “It’s…overwhelming. Never have I imagined that I would be seeing this.” Superman then came in. “By the way, I’m wondering if we could use some more recruits. Six heroes is fine, but there’s always a chance that there’ll be a situation when we six can’t get to it.” Batman suggested a couple, including a “Green Arrow”. Jordan immediately replid, “No. One Green member is enough.” The three walked away from the window, further discussing the team’s future.
After Credits Scene: Back in Apokolips, Darkseid is sorely displeased with his defeat. Suddenly, a being known as Brainiac came in to see Darkseid, proposing an idea to create a creature so powerful, it could be equally as powerful as Superman. Darkseid smiled.
Comments/feedback/constructive criticism is always welcome.