Doug Liman has finally gone into more detail over the circumstances that led him to depart Justice League Dark as director. When Liman first left the DC Extended Universe film, he confirmed that is was due to a “scheduling nightmare” that conflicted with the director helming the upcoming Edge of Tomorrow sequel as well as Chaos Walking for Lionsgate. A recent interview, however, suggests that there was more than just scheduling conflicts that led to Liman’s departure.

A live-action version of Justice League Dark has been in development for quite some time (an animated Justice League Dark was released earlier this year), with Guillermo del Toro originally intended to direct before Liman was announced as director. Following Liman’s departure a few months back, DC has yet to find a replacement director for the film, though it’s rumored that Justice League Dark is set to start filming after Aquaman wraps. With that in mind, it’s likely DC will find a suitable replacement sooner rather than later.

Speaking with Cinema Blend, Liman revealed that a big reason for his departure was over issues with where the script was going. He also emphasized that there’s a “weed-out process” to how he chooses which films to develop and which he inevitably ends up directing. For Liman’s full comments on his departure from Justice League Dark, read below:

Doug Liman Director

“You know, I develop more movies than I make. There's a weed-out process, and it's just that when you get to the comic book one, suddenly everybody hears about them. So, the script never got to a place that was special enough for me. Not for lack of trying.”

This certainly differs from Liman’s earlier comments about scheduling conflicts, though in a way it could explain why he prioritized the Edge of Tomorrow sequel and Chaos Walking over a chance to direct a high profile comic book movie. When Liman was attached to Justice League Dark, he made it clear that his goal was to tell a more personal and character driven story (something that the DCEU so far hasn’t exhibited a particular interest in).

While fans may never truly know the exact details behind what led to Liman’s exit, it’s quite clear that the script never got to a place that matched the director’s vision for a more personal story. This leads to questions of what direction DC will take Justice League Dark in tone and who will replace Liman? While there’s been no definitive news on the latter in quite some time, IT director Andrés Muschietti was at one time rumored to be a potential candidate. Either way, fans will likely have to wait a little longer while DC considers the future of the live action Justice League Dark film.

Next: Justice League Dark & Batgirl Likely to Film Next After Aquaman

Source: Cinema Blend

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