Zack Snyder's Justice League sets up multiple DCEU movies that have since been canceled, reworked, or shelved. Part of reshooting Justice League in 2017 meant laying the foundation for future stories that didn't rely on the story Snyder constructed. For example, the big tease in Justice League's post-credits scenes was Lex Luthor's Injustice League, but although there's a similar sequence in the Snyder Cut, the dialogue and implications are quite different.
Originally, the plan was to have a shared universe fleshed out with two movies a year through 2020 - beginning in 2016 - but even when removing the pandemic from the equation, only half of those planned films have released in theaters by 2021. The rest have been stuck in development hell or were completely redone (as was the case with Justice League). But looking back at the original slate, as well as additional movies that were added in the midst of development on Batman V Superman and Justice League, there's a lot of setup in Zack Snyder's Justice League that could've launched the DCEU's future.
Unfortunately, ever since Joss Whedon's reshot version of Justice League that released in 2017, the only movie from Warner Bros.' initial slate that remains on the docket is The Flash, which will presumably tell a different story than the one that was envisioned way back in 2014-2016, albeit with similar DNA to the arc DC Films outlined. Everything else set up in Zack Snyder's Justice League likely will never happen, unless the film's success on streaming results in a miracle greenlight for a sequel.
Justice League 2 & 3
Of course, the main DCEU movies that have been canceled or shelved for the time being are Justice League 2 and 3. The concept of shared universes permeated Hollywood throughout the 2010s and the DCEU is no different in that regard, intertwining individual stories and characters who may have their own spinoffs down the line, but the aspect that sets the DC universe apart from the rest is that it had an end in mind - a definitive end. Snyder's five-part plan would've seen the Knightmare sequences come to life fully, with Darkseid and his fellow Apokoliptians taking on all the heroes of Earth, not just the core six League members.
Since the stories changed several times during development and pre-production on Justice League, it's unclear what the final drafts were for the two sequels. However, going based on the revealed story treatments for the two films, Justice League 2 would've taken place almost entirely in the Knightmare future; as shown in Zack Snyder's Justice League, Darkseid would've killed Lois Lane and taken control of Superman using the Anti-Life Equation. In the sequel, as well as in Justice League 3, Batman's Knightmare team would've fought to send Flash back in time to prevent the world from falling - hence Lois Lane being the key - and upon succeeding, the entire League (including Superman) would've had one final battle with Darkseid and his army of Parademons - another Age of Heroes culmination.
The minute details of Justice League 2 and 3 are unknown, but the large brushstrokes have been revealed - including Clark and Lois' son being the new Batman. Unless the Snyder Cut is an outstanding success on a level that would warrant dropping hundreds of millions of dollars and securing all-new contracts for talent, it's unlikely the Justice League sequels would move forward. However, Snyder himself has said he's open and wanting to return for more, as have some of the actors involved.
The Batman
Two years after Ben Affleck was cast as Batman yet another year before Batman V Superman hit theaters, it was reported Affleck would return as Batman in a spinoff film that he would write, direct, and star in. As teased in the Lex Luthor and Deathstroke scene in Zack Snyder's Justice League, The Batman film would've seen Slade Wilson hunt down Bruce Wayne - after learning his identity as the Batman - and attempt to destroy his life. Joe Manganiello confirmed that he would've returned in the film, but unfortunately, that's not happening anymore.
Instead, Affleck stepped down as writer and director in early 2017 and then later chose to distance himself from future roles as Batman in the DCEU altogether (with the exception of one more appearance in The Flash). Now, The Batman movie has been reshaped into a completely standalone adaptation that exists outside of the DCEU. Matt Reeves is directing with Robert Pattinson taking over as the Caped Crusader; the film is expected to be the first installment in a new trilogy. But since the Multiverse exists in the DC franchise, it's possible The Batman could one day tie into the other movies; however, that's not in the cards for the near future.
Deathstroke
Although it wasn't on Warner Bros.' 2014 slate, a Deathstroke solo movie would've spun out of the character's story in Zack Snyder's Justice League as well as Affleck's version of The Batman. In 2017, it was reported Gareth Evans would be writing and directing a Deathstroke movie, which he later described as being an unforgiving origin story. Three years later, though, Evans said he was no longer involved in the project and never had been in any official capacity. But according to Manganiello, who would've been involved in that film, there were seven different Deathstroke projects in the works throughout the time he was attached as Wilson, though it's fair to assume he meant seven different versions of this film. And it wouldn't have been the only one he was involved with, seeing as early Suicide Squad 2 plans had Deathstroke in it as well. Manganiello still appears interested in returning as Deathstroke in the future, but a solo film isn't on the table.
The Atom
One of the many characters whose entire story arc was removed from the theatrical version of Justice League was Ryan Choi, a STAR Labs scientist who worked alongside Silas Stone in researching alien technology. In the comics, Ryan Choi is the third person to take on the Atom mantle, following in his mentor Ryan Palmer's footsteps. It's unclear if Palmer is a character in the DCEU, but Ryan Choi would've become the Atom regardless if Palmer existed or not.
His future as the Atom was teased in Zack Snyder's Justice League with his job title, the Director of Nanotechnology. It's nanotechnology that gives Atom his ability to shrink and grow at will. Upon the Snyder Cut's release, the director mentioned he had pitched an Atom movie to Warner Bros., which would've been set in China and seen Zheng Kai reprise his role as Ryan Choi alongside an all-Chinese cast. That was the first time anyone had heard about plans for an Atom movie, so it's unlikely to happen, especially since Ryan Choi wasn't in the theatrical (read: canon) version of Justice League.
Cyborg
Aside from the Justice League sequels, the most lamentable outcome of the Snyder Cut not releasing in theaters and becoming canon is the story continuation fans would've gotten in Cyborg, a spinoff film with Ray Fisher as Victor Stone. For years, it was touted Cyborg was the heart of Justice League, and that was very much true. Fisher delivered an exceptional performance in Zack Snyder's Justice League that would've been expanded on in a solo film three years later, after the release of Justice League 2.
But the fact the Snyder Cut didn't happen originally, as well as WarnerMedia investigating improper conduct by Joss Whedon and Geoff Johns on the set of the Justice League reshoots, means there's little to no chance of ever seeing Fisher return as Victor in a future DC movie. Fisher's strife for accountability has been anything but smooth, and it's unclear consequential actions have been taken against the filmmakers. Plus, Fisher has openly stated his refusal to work with DC Films president Walter Hamada, who Fisher accused of attempting to quash the investigation. Because of that unwillingness, Cyborg's role in The Flash movie was removed and, presumably, the Cyborg film itself canned entirely.
Green Lantern Corps
Rebooting Green Lantern in the DCEU after 2011's film starring Ryan Reynolds would've been ambitious. It's not that people aren't used to different iterations of superheroes - there have been multiple Batmans, Supermans, and even Spider-Mans - but having an entire group of Green Lanterns in one film would mean there was a chance Reynolds could return, and indeed there was. Snyder has said that he planned to incorporate Reynolds' Hal Jordan in some way, but the plan was to have a different Lantern appear in the Snyder Cut's ending. Although Yalan Gur appears in the History Lesson in Zack Snyder's Justice League, with a dead Killowag showing up in the Knightmare future, the Snyder Cut would've had a more direct throughline to a future Green Lantern movie with John Stewart showing up in the end. However, Warner Bros. nixed that idea because they had their own plans for Stewart. It's possible that would've been for Green Lantern Corps.
The final movie part of Warner Bros.' 2014 slate was Green Lantern Corps, taking its name from the organization of the same name from DC Comics. The name itself implied that the movie wouldn't be about one Lantern but the entire group, who patrol and guard the galaxy from threats. The Dark Knight trilogy and Man of Steel writer David S. Goyer was hired with Terminator: Dark Fate scribe Justin Rhodes to write the script for Green Lantern Corps, which would've been based on a story from Goyer and Geoff Johns. But following a reorganization at DC Films, Johns took over to write his own draft in 2018. The plan was to have that story completed by the end of 2019, but there hasn't been an update since. Instead, HBO Max is moving forward with their own Green Lantern series, thus potentially negating the need for a movie at this time.
Man of Steel 2
The most requested DCEU sequel has been Man of Steel 2 with Henry Cavill as Superman. Batman V Superman was a follow-up to Man of Steel, sure, but a dedicated sequel to 2013's film is something fans have been clamoring for since the original movie hit theaters. Talks of a sequel had been going on throughout the 2010s, with filmmakers like Matthew Vaughn having been attached to develop a version of the movie. But with Cavill reportedly moving on from Superman, there's little to no chance of Man of Steel 2 ever happening - which is unfortunate given the trajectory he was on and how the sequel could've continued his journey towards becoming classic Superman by Justice League 3.
Although Cavill has said he hopes to play Superman again in the future, Warner Bros. is moving forward with a Superman reboot, one that would see a Black Superman as the lead. Now that doesn't mean there can't be two versions of Superman in the franchise, but if one film is being made on the same superhero, then there's little reason to believe the studio would greenlight a second one. It's possible Cavill could turn up as Superman in Black Adam alongside Dwayne Johnson as Teth-Adam, or in a cameo in another film similar to Affleck's Batman in Suicide Squad, but all of that is unknown.
Wonder Woman 2
Wonder Woman 2 already happened as Wonder Woman 1984 - a prequel - but based on the ending of Zack Snyder's Justice League, a separate Wonder Woman story was being set up for Diana Prince to return home to Themyscira. Steppenwolf told her that her people were dead, and that her mother, Queen Hippolyta, begged for her life in her dying moments; Diana refused to believe the New Gods' words, calling him a liar, but that doesn't mean the idea of her going back to her island, with the Arrow of Artemis guiding her along the way, wasn't on her mind. Given Wonder Woman's story after Justice League is a mystery since her follow-up film was a prequel, this storyline could still happen in the future, but it would then need to take Zack Snyder's Justice League into account or find another workaround. So while Wonder Woman 2 wasn't canceled, this version of the story seemed to have been retooled - or at least shelved for another time.
- The Suicide Squad (2021)Release date: Aug 06, 2021
- The Batman (2022)Release date: Mar 04, 2022
- DC Super Pets (2022)Release date: May 20, 2022
- The Flash (2022)Release date: Nov 04, 2022
- Aquaman 2 (2022)Release date: Dec 16, 2022
- Shazam 2 (2023)Release date: Jun 02, 2023
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