James Gunn's new DC Universe slate curiously misses out on five major Justice League characters, but they could still appear in future DCU projects. On January 31, 2023, James Gunn revealed ten new projects which will form part of the first Chapter in the new DCU, following the universe's reset during The Flash. These projects, delivered across film, television, and animation, will introduce new heroes to the DC Universe as well as delivering new twists and different perspectives on some of DC's most iconic superheroes, some of whom were featured during the previous run of DCEU projects centered around the core members of the Justice League.
While the likes of Superman and Batman will see a full revamp in the DCU's future, with projects such as Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold detailing fresh stories for these legendary heroes, the futures of the DCEU's Justice League's other members is currently unclear. During his announcement, James Gunn stressed that the confirmed projects were only a piece of the DC Universe puzzle, though he neglected to reveal any endgame along the lines of Justice League or Marvel Studios' The Avengers, which would see heroes from solo projects team up against a common enemy. This has left the fates of some fan-favorite DC heroes hanging in the balance.
Wonder Woman
Introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman became a founding member of the Justice League, with her backstory being fleshed-out in Patty Jenkins' smash-hit, Wonder Woman. While its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, didn't perform so well, Gadot was set to have a long future in DC's shared universe. This future was expected to continue throughout Peter Safran and James Gunn's new DCU slate, so it came as a surprise when no mention of a Wonder Woman project was announced, though there will be a Game of Thrones-style HBO Max series, titled Paradise Lost, that will explore the land of Themyscira, Wonder Woman's home.
While Jenkins' script for a planned Wonder Woman 3 was scrapped by Gunn and Safran, the pair still remain open to Gal Gadot reprising her role, or perhaps taking on a new role, in future DCU projects. During a DC Studios press event (via Comicbook.com), Gunn mentioned that "[Gal's] up for doing stuff. We're not sure what we're going to do with that," emphasizing that while Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill wouldn't be returning, other former DCEU actors could. Even so, Wonder Woman's future in the DCU is still a mystery, but it doesn't sound as though this is the end for Gal Gadot's portrayal of the Amazon warrior Demigoddess.
Cyborg
Ray Fisher portrayed Cyborg/Victor Stone during previous DCEU projects, most prominently in Justice League and its director's cut, Zack Snyder's Justice League, which saw his character's backstory fleshed out a lot further. In 2020, Fisher accused director Joss Whedon, who took over Justice League after Zack Snyder left the project, of toxicity and abuse on the set of the film, and then extended these criticisms to Warner Bros. bosses in the following months. This left Fisher's future as the DCEU's Cyborg unclear, as he was originally supposed to cameo during The Flash, but his scenes ended up being removed from the script.
2022 saw Ray Fisher dish out more criticisms on social media, specifically focused on James Gunn's Twitter account in the weeks following his appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios. Fisher's rough experiences working with DC probably means that he wouldn't return as Cyborg in future DC Universe projects, but since Superman and Batman will be recast by Gunn, it's possible that Cyborg could be too. Even so, there was no mention of Cyborg in the DCU's Chapter 1 during Gunn's announcement, so the character's future as a member of the DC Universe's future Justice League is currently unknown.
Martian Manhunter
After Harry Lennix debuted as General, later Secretary of Defense, Calvin Swanwick in Man of Steel, the first project in the DCEU, fan theories posed that he could actually be J'onn J'onzz, a.k.a. Martian Manhunter. Originally cut from Whedon's Justice League, Lennix reprised his role of Swanwick for Zack Snyder's Justice League, where he was officially revealed to be Martian Manhunter, a humanoid Martian from DC Comics who found himself trapped on Earth, assuming the form of a human to allow himself to blend in. Martian Manhunter didn't get a lot of development in the DCEU, despite being an original member of the Justice League in the comics.
Gunn didn't reveal whether a potential DCU Justice League reboot would feature Martian Manhunter, despite the character being one of the most iconic and recognizable DC properties. The fact that the last canon appearance of Lennix as J'onn J'onzz was as far back as 2013's Man of Steel could mean that Gunn and Safran would instead decide to put a new spin on the character, perhaps putting more emphasis on his importance in the DCU. There's been no mention of Lennix reprising the role in future DCU projects, though it would be a shame to ignore such a remarkable hero in the fresh DC Universe slate.
The Flash (Beyond The Solo Movie)
The Flash is one of DC's most memorable and longest-running superheroes. Grant Gustin portrayed Barry Allen in the CW's The Flash, part of the Arrowverse, and Ezra Miller brought the character to life in DCEU projects including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Zack Snyder's Justice League. Miller is set to reprise the role in 2023's The Flash, which will reset the DC Universe. However, despite creating the opportunity for new heroes to take their place in the DC Universe, the future of Miller's Barry Allen in the franchise is unclear, though Gunn and Safran seem open to the actor returning in future projects.
This, as stated by Safran (via Variety), is dependent on Miller's recovery from a previously undiagnosed mental health condition following a number of public controversies. Even so, Gunn mentioned in his January 2023 announcement that "The Flash is probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made," so he seems to be fully embracing the film's role as a backdoor reboot for the DCU, and seems very open to Miller returning as the Flash. When, and if, this happens, though, is yet to be seen, as Gunn didn't include any mention of a future Flash-centric project in the DC Universe's Chapter 1.
Aquaman (After The Lost Kingdom)
Originally appearing as a cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Jason Momoa had a much more prominent role in Justice League before performing as Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman, in 2018's Aquaman, which went on to become the highest-grossing film in the DCEU. Aquaman's massive success made a sequel inevitable, with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom scheduled for release in December 2023, months after the DC Universe's reset during The Flash, which suggests that Momoa will continue to play Curry in future DCU projects. This has been reinforced by comments from Momoa, Safran, and Gunn, who all seem confident that Aquaman will return in the DCU's future.
After Gunn and Safran's promotions to co-CEOs of DC Studios, there was speculation that Jason Momoa would instead portray Lobo, an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter from DC Comics. However, Gunn assured (via Digital Spy) that DC Studios "won't have an actor playing two different roles," so it seems as though Momoa will continue to play Curry in future projects, especially since he always envisioned the Aquaman story to be a trilogy. Even so, the status of a potential Aquaman 3 hasn't been confirmed by DC Studios, and there was no mention of Aquaman in Gunn's new DC Universe slate.
Will The DCU's Missing Justice League Members Appear?
While there's been no official confirmation of these five iconic heroes appearing in the DCU, there is a lot to dissect from Gunn's comments. Wonder Woman, being one of the "big three" heroes in the DCEU, seems likely to continue on into the DCU, potentially with Gal Gadot reprising the role. This could even come about during the DCU's Paradise Lost series, which will detail the lives of the women living on Themyscira. Gunn has teased Jason Momoa receiving a trilogy as Aquaman, so there's a high chance that Arthur Curry will be making appearances in future DCU projects, especially since Aquaman was the most commercially successful DCEU film.
Ezra Miller's return as the Flash is dependent on their recovery, though Gunn and Safran seem passionate about the Flash having a part to play in the instigation of the DC Universe, so it's likely Miller will return. On the other hand, it's harder to comment on whether Ray Fisher and Harry Lennix will fill roles in the DCU. Fisher's public criticism of Warner Bros. and DC probably mean that, if Cyborg is to be included, the role will be recast. Lennix didn't see much development as J'onn J'onzz during the DCEU, so it's likely this role will also be recast if Martian Manhunter is to be included in the DCU.
Who Else Could Join The DCU's Justice League?
Given its past history, the Justice League is probably quite a sensitive issue for DC Studios, so Gunn and Safran have perhaps made the right choice to distance their new slate of DC Universe projects from the crossover team, at least for now. Only part of the DC Universe's Chapter 1, subtitled Gods and Monsters, has been revealed, so it's possible that this Chapter could end with a team-up of the new Justice League, though nothing has yet been confirmed. In any case, it's interesting to wonder which heroes might take part in the new team, especially if the likes of Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, and the Flash don't return any time soon.
Kicking off with Superman: Legacy and featuring The Brave and the Bold in the new DC Universe probably means that Superman and Batman will still have a pivotal role in any Justice League-focused events. Gunn's new slate seems to be focused more on introducing solo projects, though the likes of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Lanterns, and Booster Gold will all debut remarkably powerful characters into the franchise who could easily fill spots on a future Justice League team. Even so, it's not yet known whether the new DCU will set up another Justice League, so only time will tell what overarching storyline will unfold.
