While it was to be expected, the Peacemaker season 2 premiere officially culled the DCEU's Justice League from continuity, replacing them with the DCU's Justice Gang.
Despite being a necessary step to move on from the past (and a clever way to establish that this season takes place in a similar world to the DCEU timeline), the decision has still upset many fans. After all, Aquaman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman are no more.
With that in mind, now seems like a good time to revisit filmmaker Zack Snyder's plans for his two Justice League sequels. Revealed as rough storyboards when his director's cut was released on HBO Max, we learn that his ambitious trilogy included the Injustice League, war with Darkseid, several major deaths, a new Batman, and some potentially very controversial changes to DC lore.
You can get a breakdown of what might have been in Justice League 2 and 3 by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
10. Justice League's Sequel Setup
Following the events of Justice League, the team reassembles to deal with a natural disaster, but ultimately go their separate ways as they each have things to deal with in their personal lives.
An earlier version of the film was set to include romance between Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane, and while that wasn't part of the "Snyder Cut," it was once set to heavily influence the sequel. Lois may have gone back to Superman, but she and Bruce are working together secretly to find Lex Luthor. However, the Dark Knight knows she's hiding something.
Lex, meanwhile, is assembling a team. Tracking down Doctor Poison, Captain Cold, Orm, and Black Manta, the villain puts a group together, intending to destroy the League.
Each of those baddies was, of course, set to be introduced in Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Aquaman, respectively.
9. The Riddler Gets The Jimmy Olsen Treatment
While all this is happening, Superman struggles to return to his normal life now that Clark Kent is "dead," and learns Lois is pregnant. Wonder Woman discovers a way to return to Themyscira, and Cyborg helps the Flash clear his father's name.
Menalippe, the Amazon who warned Diana of Steppenwolf's attack, helps her see a vision of her home. Wonder Woman, meanwhile, sees herself becoming the God of War and killing Superman.
Aquaman is embroiled in Atlantean conflicts as that plays out, and struggles to "Unite the Seven" following a battle with the Unseen. Batman is also pretty busy, tracking The Riddler to an abandoned cabin. He learns that Lex approached the villain and tasked him with solving the Anti-Life Equation...which he did.
With that, he shoots himself in front of the Dark Knight.
8. Superman Falls To Darkseid
Lex manages to activate the Mother Boxes and plans to take the Anti-Life Equation for himself.
Much to his surprise, it's then that Darkseid arrives, taking the power from Lex as he had hoped to so thousands of years earlier when he sent Steppenwolf to Earth in Justice League. Superman asks Batman to protect Lois ("his world") and heads off to battle the villain. Bruce and Lois argue, revealing that he's not the father when he admits knowing she's pregnant.
Lex tells Darkseid he has the power to kill Superman, but that's not what he wants. Instead, he wishes to make the Kryptonian subservient to him, and to do so, he must be broken. Luthor points Darkseid in Lois' direction, and he arrives in the Batcave. Bruce, feeling powerless and overwhelmed, is frozen as Darkeid uses the Omega beam to kill Lois.
Superman witnesses this, but is too slow, and falls under Darkseid and the Anti-Life Equation's control.
7. The Knightmare Begins
Lex's team attacks. Doctor Poison unleashes a special gas on Themyscira, which kills the Amazons, including Wonder Woman (who dies in her mother's arms after returning home). Aquaman, meanwhile, is overpowered by Orm and Black Manta, and Mera only barely manages to escape.
That explains their absence from the Knightmare timeline, and while Flash survives thanks to Cyborg's intervention, Victor Stone ends up being torn in half.
Batman barely escapes Superman, and when the Man of Steel comes face-to-face with Lex...he burns him where he stands.
Five years later, we're in the Knightmare timeline. What's left of the Justice League struggles to survive a world ruled over by Darkseid, and as they approach the dilapidated Wayne Manor, they need to hurry because "he's coming."
6. Green Lantern's DCEU Debut
That's how Justice League 2 concludes, and the third film opens with Green Lantern's introduction.
He arrives on this desolate Earth searching for his partner, and finds an unexpected ally in Batman (who helps shield him from the Parademons). Deadshot shows up to lend a helping hand, as does the Flash.
The Dark Knight warns Barry to stay out of the fight because he's too valuable, but the Scarlet Speedster doesn't listen and is almost killed. Green Lantern saves him, and their iconic friendship begins. They return to Wayne Manor, Batman explaining that he has a plan to stop Darkseid.
The space-faring superhero is on board, but wonders how they plan on defeating the villain...
5. Fixing The Timeline
Cyborg is building the Cosmic Treadmill, but there are a lot of complications that come with time-travel. For starters, they don't know where exactly Barry will end up, and it's something they can only try pulling off once a year (when the planets align).
Earth's population has fallen to Darkseid, becoming his new Parademons or Superman's soldiers. That's how Deadshot lost his daughter, and it's why the team need to steal a Mother Box. That powerful weapon can power the Cosmic Treadmill, but only for 10 - 15 seconds. What can the Flash possibly tell Batman in that time?
They all agree on "You have to stop Lex," but Bruce later pulls Barry to one side and whispers something else in his ear that will be more effective. The Scarlet Speedster is shocked.
With that, the mission to retake a Mother Box begins.
4. Superman vs. The Justice League (Again)
They get it, but not without attracting Superman's attention. Deadshot attempts to slow him down with a Kryptonite bullet, but is killed by the Man of Steel.
Mera is crushed after trying to remove the water from his body, and Green Lantern proves to be no match for Superman after he uses his corrupted heat vision to blow apart the hero's ring...and him along with it! Cyborg is tossed to the Parademons and ripped apart, leaving only Batman and his Kryptonite spear standing.
He fails to stop Superman and is impaled by his one-time ally.
Just before he can reach the Flash, however, the Fastest Man Alive finally manages to race back in time, escaping the Kryptonian's wrath.
3. The Timeline Is Repaired
The Flash arrives in the Batcave moments after Bruce argues with Lois, telling him something only he would know: she lied, and Batman is, in fact, the baby's father.
Lois overhears and is now able to tell Batman what she wanted to last time they met before Darkseid's attack: Lex has assembled a team he plans to use to target the Justice League.
Again, Darkseid attacks, and history appears to be repeating itself. The Flash vanishes from existence, and the Caped Crusader leaps into action, saving Lois, but taking a shot from the Omega Beams. An empowered, angry Superman forces Darkseid to retreat and races into action to stop Lex from killing his fellow heroes.
The Injustice League is defeated, but Bruce is dying, and tells Lois he wishes they could have had a life together outside the cave. He heads into battle for what may be his final mission.
2. A Final Stand Against Darkseid
Earth has united against Darkseid. The countries of the world come together and combine their forces to stop the villain (and Lex), with Wonder Woman leading Themyscira, and Aquaman bringing the Atlanteans back into the fight.
Even the entire Green Lantern Corps get in on the action, and the entire DC Universe (men, Amazons, Atlanteans, and even aliens) assembles to save the planet.
There are casualties - Hippolyta dies in Diana's arms - but the League is unstoppable; Flash is now so fast, he can be in two places at once, while Cyborg takes control of the Mother Boxes and destroys them to weaken Darkseid.
Ultimately, it's Batman who sacrifices his life to put an end to the villain once and for all.
1. Gotham City's New Batman
Following the battle, Wonder Woman becomes the new leader of Themyscira. She negotiates peace between every country in the world, ushering in a new era for the planet.
Aquaman is crowned the rightful ruler of Atlantis, and Cyborg has evolved, becoming a God of the digital age and transforming himself to once again look human. Superman knows Bruce is the father of Lois' child, but still loves her and wants to be a father to the boy. With that, he has a reason to be Clark again.
There are a couple of missing pieces (what happened to Lex and the Flash?), but twenty years later, a memorial service for Batman sees Commissioner Barbara Gordon ask Lois when she plans to tell her child the truth about his father. Surrounded by the League, Lois reveals to her son that his dad was Batman.
The movie ends in Gotham City with the emergence of a familiar figure. Bruce and Lois' son has decided to take over the mantle to protect his father's home and legacy: Batman lives again!