JUSTICE LEAGUE: A Closer Look At 5 Of The Biggest Reveals From The Recent Set Reports
From the introduction of Atlanteans, to a more chilled-out Dark Knight, to the perception that WB has decided to "Marvelize" their DCEU - here are 5 of the biggest talking points from those revealing set reports.
The internet exploded with a whole host of reports from the London set of Zack Snyder's Justice League the other day, and fans were treated to a wealth of new information about various aspects of the production. To reveal so much about a movie that's really only commenced shooting fairly recently is pretty much unheard of, but after the overall negative reaction to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, it's probably something Warner Bros. felt was necessary.
Indeed, the whole point of the set visits is being interpreted as damage control, and an attempt to assure fans that the perceived mistakes of BvS won't be repeated.
Below you'll find 5 of the biggest revelations from these reports. Take a look, and be sure to sound off in the usual place.
5. There Will Be No Justice League "Part 2"
This was one of the first big revelations to come out of the set reports, and it seems to have triggered a bit of confusion. We were originally told to expect Justice League Part 1 in November 2017 and Part 2 in June 2019, but according to producer Deborah Snyder, "we were only ever planning, and we are only doing, Justice League." Some took this to mean that both movies had been condensed into one, but apparently there will still be a Justice League sequel in 2019, it just won't be as direct a continuation from the first film as we thought.
So, we can probably expect a standalone Justice League movie that will end on a more definitive note, setting up a sequel rather than leading directly into one.
4. The Atlanteans Will Play A Major Role In The Plot
We knew Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard) would feature in Justice League, but some interesting new details from the set reports definitely suggest that their undersea world of Atlantis will factor into the plot in a much bigger way than we expected it would.
Firstly, there will be more principal Atlantean characters. Willem Dafoe will actually portray Aquaman's mentor Vulco, and, though Game of Thrones actor Kristofer Hivju won't be playing him, we assume the "ancient Atlantean King" he was up for will still appear. Ocean Master and/or Black Manta are also rumored to appear as villains.
Apparently Atlantis will be home to one of the MaGuffin-y Motherboxes that the League will be searching for, which explains why we'll be introduced to several of Aquaman's countrymen, and spend some time beneath the waves.
3. Expect A More Optimistic, Less Murderous Batman
One of the biggest criticisms leveled at Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was the introduction of Ben Affleck's Dark Knight as a violent, ruthless thug who had no qualms about taking the lives of the criminals he faced. While Batman is a dark character and has been portrayed similarly in the comics before, it's not how the majority of fans want to see their heroes depicted on screen.
Well, you'll be pleased to hear that ol' Bats will have lightened up a bit by the time Justice league roles around. Word is, Bruce Wayne finds himself deeply affected by the sacrifice and death of Superman, and pledges to honor his memory by uniting the League to protect the people of earth from the looming threat of Steppenwolf and the Parademons.
And yes, that almost certainly means less murder!
2. Superman Will Return... But Don't Expect To See Much Of Him
To the surprise of no one, the Man of Steel will indeed be back for Justice League following his "death" at the hands of Doomsday during the climactic battle in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. We all knew he'd be resurrected of course - but from the sounds of things he won't play as big a part in the proceedings as many fans will have expected.
Though we don't have any direct quotes on the matter, most of the reports seem to indicate that Supes' role in the story will be minor - possibly even restricted to the final act of the film. There are rumors swirling that he may even return as a villain, but we haven't seen any evidence of that yet. It's far more likely that the Big Blue Boy-scout will make his presence known just as things are looking bleakest for the League, and sway the course of the final battle before leading the team into the sequel.
Oh, and he might just do it all while rocking a mullet.
1. Justice League Will Have A Lighter Tone, More Humor
If you thought Batman V Superman was far too "grimdark" and could have used a few more jokes here and there, you'll be happy to hear that Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. have decided to lighten their next DCEU movie up considerably. All of the set reports relayed the same message: from the colorful costumes, to the funny character interplay, to the optimistic tone; Justice League is looking like it'll be a much more fun viewing experience.
This is clearly a direct response to the backlash from critics and fans that felt BvS was too bleak, but Snyder and co. maintain that it was always the plan to ease up on the misery for this ensemble outing.
Whatever the case may be, the "damage control" has paid off, because even the most ardent haters of Snyder's last effort seem happy with what they've been hearing.