This might seem like a silly idea to some. Why on Earth would Hollywood have made a Justice League picture in an age dominated by Silver Age silliness? It would be almost 20 more years before Richard Donner teamed up with Christopher Reeve to prove superheroes could be taken seriously -- no way would this movie ever have flown.
Or could it have? 1960 marked the comic book debut of the Justice League of America, which instantly became a smash hit. Perhaps on some alternate world, this movie could have been made and transformed the DC icons into veritable pop-culture legends.
We’ll never know -- but feel free to keep reading if you’d like to hear my ideas about how I think that movie could have panned out.
Crew
Robert Wise - Director
One of the most prolific directors of his time, Robert Wise gave us such classics as The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, Run Silent, Run Deep, and Helen of Troy. If there was any man who could have brought the Silver Age Justice League to life on screen, Robert Wise would have been that man.
Rod Serling - Screenwriter
In my opinion, Rod Serling (writer/creator of The Twilight Zone and writer of the original Planet of the Apes) is one of the best Hollywood screenwriters ever. His imagination is boundless, his stories are fraught with eerie tension, and most of all, he absolutely loves science fiction. That’s all I would need from a man writing a story about alien gods and human lightning bolts.
Cast
Gregory Peck as Clark Kent
“Superman”
Age (as of 1960): 44
Others Considered: Rock Hudson
You might say he’d have been a little old for the role, but personally I think Peck would be perfect as an older, Pre-Crisis Superman. If you need convincing, watch him as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird -- he’s patient, fair, wise, and kind-hearted. He’d have made a great Superman, in my opinion.
Elizabeth Taylor as Princess Diana
“Wonder Woman”
Age (as of 1960): 31
Others Considered: Audrey Hepburn
I can’t think of any single actress who might be better suited for Wonder Woman than Elizabeth Taylor may have been. Widely considered one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of all time, Taylor herself is a real-life cultural icon who could have brought grace and credibility to yet another cultural icon.
Marlon Brando as Bruce Wayne
“Batman”
Age (as of 1960): 36
Others Considered: Charlton Heston, Clint Eastwood
Brando hardly needs any explanation. He’s considered to be one of, if not the single greatest method actor of all time. Could he be charming, debonair Bruce Wayne? Absolutely. Could he bring darkness and intensity to Batman? Oh, hell yes. Sure, the Silver Age might have been a rough patch for Bats in the comics, but having an actor of Marlon Brando’s caliber attached to him could have made the character’s popularity skyrocket.
Paul Newman as Hal Jordan
“Green Lantern”
Age (as of 1960): 35
Others Considered: None
Paul Newman was not only a talented individual, but also a truly stand-up guy. If ever there was a definitive “man’s man,” it would have been Newman -- and that’s exactly why I chose him for Hal Jordan. It helps that Green Lantern artist John Broome was rumored to have modeled Jordan off of Newman to begin with.
Robert Redford as Barry Allen
“The Flash”
Age (as of 1960): 24
Others Considered: Anthony Perkins
At this point in time, Robert Redford was a complete unknown whose career as an actor was just getting started. A lot of modern depictions of the Flash portray the character as somewhat younger than his fellow Justice Leaguers, so I thought that could have easily worked back in 1960 as well.
Michael Rennie as J’onn J’onzz
“Martian Manhunter”
Age (as of 1960): 51
Others Considered: Peter O’Toole, Laurence Olivier
Michael Rennie has a history with director Robert Wise -- he played the peaceful alien Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still. I think that alone qualified him as the lovable, Oreo-munching Martian J’onn J’onzz.
Steve McQueen as Arthur Curry
“Aquaman”
Age (as of 1960): 30
Others Considered: None
The fallacy that Aquaman is a useless joke emerged from this exact time period -- so I thought it would be fitting (and quite hilarious) for him to be played by the “King of Cool” himself. If ever they wanted to make Aquaman a badass “Tarzan meets Judah Ben-Hur” character, all they’d have needed to do was cast Steve McQueen.
Charlton Heston as Lex Luthor
Age (as of 1960): 37
Others Considered: Cary Grant, Gene Kelly
Originally I wanted to cast this role against type, perhaps giving it to a charming “nice guy” actor such as Gene Kelly. Ultimately, though, I just really wanted to include Charlton Heston in this list. He was a really intense actor, and would have made a great Luthor back in the day.
And there you have it. That’s my idea for a vintage Justice League cast. Like it? Hate it? Comment below, let me know.
That’s all, folks -- for now, at least. Take it easy.