Over the past couple of weeks, some very interesting new details about the DC Extended Universe has started popping up on Reddit. While the site is known for providing bad information due to anyone being able to sign up and post, it's also been a pretty reliable source for intel on this shared world in the past, something which is evident from this post detailing all the confirmed leaks from there.
Needless to say, you should definitely take the following with a pinch of salt but the couple of leaks we've lifted this information from line up not only with each other but a lot of what we've been hearing in recent months. Plus, with Comic-Con right around the corner, it's easy to imagine this sort of thing leaking online before the event as Warner Bros. looks to make some big announcements.
So, from details on what to expect from Green Lantern Corps, The Flash, and The Batman to some pretty sizeable reveals about what happened behind the scenes of Justice League and a possible rebranding of the DCEU, all you have to do is click on the "View List" button below. Reliable new intel or glorified fan-fiction? We'll let you be the judges of that but it makes for very interesting reading...
Green Lantern Corps's Leads
While it's previously been reported that Green Lantern Corps will be a buddy cop movie of sorts, various sources have noted that the leads will be Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Well, this leak claims that the real plan is to put the spotlight on Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz instead and that they will be tasked with rescuing Hal after he was lost deep in space without his ring (which would explain why we didn't see anything of him during the events of both Batman v Superman and Justice League).
We'll talk a little more about these two later on in this post but it's said that Warner Bros. already has a director in mind for Green Lantern Corps and that an announcement is coming at Comic-Con.
No More Cyborg For Ray Fisher?
Cyborg may very well have been the worst character in Justice League and Ray Fisher reportedly isn't happy! It's said that the young actor is "very upset" with the way the character was handled in the critically panned ensemble and the fact that he was first removed from The Flash and then later had his solo outing dropped from the release schedule has obviously soured him somewhat on the DCEU.
Throw in the fact that Warner Bros. is going to make the hero a lead in that planned Doom Patrol TV series on DC's streaming service and it appears as if Fisher's days as Cyborg are definitely numbered.
A New Look For The DCEU?
It's no secret that Warner Bros. has a lot of work to do before catching up with Marvel Studios but following the response to Justice League - a franchise which should have been the crown jewel of the studio's slate moving forward - it appears as if they're now looking to rebrand the DC Extended Universe. The leaker claims that Comic-Con will see the studio unveil a new title and logo for this shared world, something which could go a long way in helping the move on from past mistakes.
Zack Snyder And Joss Whedon May Have Both Been Fired
As we've all suspected for a while now, it sounds like Zack Snyder was indeed fired by Warner Bros. when the studio decided to take Justice League in a different direction and many in the company reportedly viewed the movie as a sinking ship from fairly early on. While Geoff Johns did have some issues with some of Snyder's decisions, it's said that he was never really that involved as he's so busy with other DCEU projects, particularly those coming to that small screen streaming service.
So, what was the deal with Joss Whedon? Well, it's said that Patty Jenkins took issue with much of what the filmmaker decided to do with Wonder Woman in Justice League and made it clear that she didn't want him anywhere near anything she would be working on. Between that and the response to the superhero ensemble, Whedon was apparently fired from both Batgirl and the DCEU in general.
Ben Affleck And The Batman
With Jake Gyllenhaal on the way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel, it seems as if the ball is back in Ben Affleck's court when it comes to him still playing the Caped Crusader. Not much is said in this apparent leak but I find this particularly hard to believe: apparently, the Justice League star is having "money issues" and is looking to renegotiate his deal with Warner Bros. to continue playing the iconic DC character. Well, he did just get divorced!
Directors Who May Be On The Studio's Radar
It's not clear whether or not Warner Bros. is eyeing these directors specifically for movies set in the DCEU but among the names who could be about to make the leap to this world are Joseph Kosinski, Quentin Tarantino, Miguel Gomes, David Yates, Andy Muschietti, Brad Peyton, Gary Ross, Ridley Scott, Dan Trachtenberg, David Yates and a number of others. Pretty much all of them would be a good fit for any number of projects but Tarantino? I just don't see him working with Superman, somehow.
A Female Lead For Green Lantern Corps
Going back to this long-delayed release, it's said that while Baz is rightfully chosen as Sector 2814's new Green Lantern Corps member, Hal's ring tracks down Cruz and that is how Earth ends up with two Lanterns. It's said that she's the movie's true lead, something which makes sense seeing as female-led superhero movies are really taking off now. Baz, meanwhile, would be a secondary lead in the film.
Apparently, Hal's ring - which has seemingly been through a lot if he ended up lost in space somewhere - increases her anxiety and insecurities and that would actually fit in nicely with the struggles the character initially went through in the comic books when she was gifted with Power Ring's abilities.
Another Villain For The Flash?
Over the weekend, we heard that The Rogues could end up being the lead villains in The Flash and this leak also points to that being the case. However, it could be that we'll see someone else join the team.
That's said to be Double Down, a bizarre character who gained powers when a cursed deck of cards bonded to him. Warner Bros. reportedly wants Walton Goggins to take on the role, while it's also noted that Kiersey Clemons will be given a great deal of creative control over how Iris West is portrayed in the movie (which makes sense considering her recent admission that she'll star in the planned movie).
Henry Cavill Was A Fan Of Joss Whedon's Superman
It's claimed that Henry Cavill was a fan of Joss Whedon's portrayal of Superman, something which makes sense considering the fact that the vast majority of fans agree (well, aside from the Man of Steel's horrendous CGI mouth which was a result of Justice League's extensive reshoots last year).
However, lining up with some of the other intel revealed on the site is the fact that not only was Ray Fisher unhappy with how Cyborg was portrayed but so Ezra Miller! I'm not sure what he didn't like about his version of The Flash but it probably boils down to having the hero's backstory cut.
No Black Adam In Suicide Squad 2
With that Black Adam movie seemingly put on hold for Warner Bros. to focus on next year's Shazam!, we have no idea when and where Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Black Adam will first show up. There have, of course, been rumours that he'll be Suicide Squad 2's big bad but with movement on that project coming to a halt, it probably won't surprise you to learn that there are no plans for him there.
As a result, Johnson's future as this iconic DC Comics villain is back to being up in the air for now.
The Snyder Cut Lives?
This seems ridiculous to me but I'll let you guys be the judge. While Warner Bros. has no interest in spending more money in Justice League at this point, they would be open to allowing Zack Snyder to finish it off...if his production company Cruel and Unusual Films foots the bill! I mean, that's possible but seems highly unlikely even if that being released would make fans happy and win some back.
Snyder did, of course, shoot an entire movie but would the studio really want to confuse people by revealing a totally different Justice League movie? What would that achieve aside from a very small number (in the grand scheme of things, that is) of Blu-ray sales? Maybe this is just an idea which has been batted around but don't go getting your hopes up about seeing this become a reality just yet.
When Will Warner Bros.'s DCEU Plans Become Clear?
So, there you have it! These details are all very interesting but best taken with a very large pinch of salt for the time being. Chances are that we'll start seeing just how legitimate these are over the coming weeks, especially with Comic-Con right around the corner. After all, with Marvel Studios sitting that event out this year, that gives Warner Bros. and the DCEU the opportunity to finally steal the show.
Either way, it's about time the studio starts clearing things up and get fans excited about what comes next, especially after so many high profile failures. Only Wonder Woman has been a legitimate critical and commercial hit for the studio and while they must have high hopes for Aquaman, Shazam!, and Wonder Woman 1984, a rebranding and some clear plans would help turn things around in a big way.
What do you guys think about these leaked DCEU details? Are they legit sounding to you or do you have your doubts? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.