With all the frenzy around the recent announcement by DC that Man Of Steel 2 (aka Batman vs. Superman) will feature Superman and Batman on the big screen together for the first time, I felt it was necessary to just take a step back and think about how this going to affect the future Justice League film penciled in for 2017. DC have clearly been aching for a way to quick-fix the problem of getting a Justice League film up and running with all their heroes introduced to us in time, and it seems this latest announcement may either prove to be a stroke of genius or the downfall of the Justice League before it even begins. DC looked to have taken a similar approach to the Marvel Phases with a very interesting twist. They will have one of their biggest characters show up in another character's franchise, as not just a cameo or supporting role, but playing a major role as a threat (and then probably an ally). This will, of course, play a huge role in how not only the Justice League film will play out, but also the stanalone films of other team members i.e. The Flash movie which was also announced in San Diego. Now, forgive me if I keep mentioning the Superman/Batman film, but it really will be the making or breaking of the JLA. I will try to focus on all variable outcomes a JLA film could take, so let's get started, shall we?
5. The Characters/Cast
This is more than likely to divide the infinite fan boys on the infinite forums. The choice of team members to feature in the film will surely not please everyone. The character of Aquaman, for example, is one that divides many fans on whether he is worthy of being in the JLA or not, so maybe past members such as Martian Manhunter can make a return along with Hawkgirl? OK, you may be thinking that I want to see the JLA animated series ensemble on the big screen and honestly...you'd be right, but more on that later. Whatever characters they go for, they must do everyone justice and not just have Bats and Supes steal the show, tempting as that may be. The reason The Avengers was received so well was that everyone had their moments to shine. DC must recognise this and give us characters that can truly hold their own against the two giants of the DC universe. Characters that have already been confirmed are, of course, Superman, Batman, The Flash, and Green Lantern (for better or worse I'm thinking a re-cast is in order?) So, we have possibly four characters we can start theorising on how they will play into the story. As long as they have the right chemistry with each other, we should see something as special as we got with The Avengers, and maybe even more so? Just so you can't say I'm sitting on the fence here, I'm going to stick my neck out and give some suggestions for actors to play those parts. For Batman, an unknown actor since no one is really standing out. We already have our Supes in Mr Cavill, with Green Lantern I would love to see Idris Elba as Jon Stewart, and for The Flash, I would go for Chris Pine or even a surprise choice in Justin Timberlake. So, there you have it - my picks for the basis of the Justice League. While we still have the possibilities of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Hawkgirl etc, we will just have to wait that little bit longer for further confirmations.