Justice League Dark First Look Revealed at NYCC

Justice League Dark is the next animated feature from DC Animation, a film that will break into the supernatural side of the DC Universe, with a collection of fan-favorite characters.

Panel: Jay Oliva / James Tucker / Matt Ryan / Phil

Moderator Gary Miereanu introduced the panel, and the crowd went WILD when Constantine actor Matt Ryan came out. They chanted for him to recite a spell, but Ryan said he's "all spelled out."

After Ryan came DC's animated Batman for 7 films - and Agents of SHIELD's new director/superhero, Jason O'Mara. The crowd went wild again.

CLIP #1: We were treated to a first look at the intro to Justice League Dark. It was a sequence in which the Justice League are meeting around their HQ table discussing a possible mystical phenomenon. Batman is, of course, skeptical, telling the League members that they should spend more time on the streets "instead of flying over them." Only thing is, when Batman gets home, and is shaving, he gets a crazy supernatural message: in the span of a moment, someone (or thing) writes "Constantine" all over his bedroom. Suddenly, Batman is less skeptical.

CLIP #2: A second clip showed Matt Ryan's Constantine in a battle scene alongside Jason Blood/aka Entrigan the Demon. At first, Blood won't assist Constantine, but when the demon enforcers surround him, Constantine uses a spell to force the demon out. There's actually a great bit of humor in the scene, with the demons asking Entrigan if they can "just talk." Once the demons are decapitated, they are still talking trash "Your ass is grass, Constantine!" before their heads roll away in escape. When Jason Blood gets control he berates Constantine, who just cracks wise that breaking Blood's disciplined hold over the Demon was less important than him getting eaten by demons.

CLIP #3: A third clip featured a scene with Constantine, Zatanna, Batman and Deadman seeking out a friend, Richie, whose home is surrounded by "shrouds," waiting to collect his sould after his iminent death (think Dementors in Harry Potter). Deadman has to explain to Batman what's happening (Batman can't see the supernatural beings); the shrouds surround Batman, explaining, "this one has evaded us many times. It is vexing." They talk about wanting to collect his should one day - but even the soul-collectors are spooked when Batman says "boo." right back into their faces. The shrouds are banished by Constantine, while they threaten that they will be there one day to get his soul. Richie comes to the door, and is fascinated by the collection of heroes there. Especially Batman, who makes him say "What the hell?!"

CLIP #4: Clip 4 was set in a swamp (hint...). Jason Blood asks why they're in that "godforsaken" place; Constantine tells of Alex Holland, who has been transformed into something... else. They hear a voice in the swampland distance, saying "Go... Away..." Constantine used magic to created a floating flame disk to float out over the water and tell Swamp Thing "Come out, or the posies get it!" That statement certainly provokes a reaction, as the woods come alive and... the moderator cut the scene, totally teasing fans with a Swamp Thing reveal that never came.

Jay Oliva used Final Fantasy and Full Metal Alchemist as the basis for his magic and mystical combat in the film. The magic is color-coded, with Constantine's being blue, and Zatanna's being white, for example.

Jason O'Mara was asked if he wants to conquer both animated and live-action Batman, like Matt Ryan has with Constantine. O'Mara dodged the blogger headline (darn!) by joking that he already does wear the cowl in real life. "You perch on your roof, make sure the neighbors get home safe..."

O'Mara joked about the crowd cheering Batman's "ani-muscles" in the post-shower shaving scene. He went to talk about evolving Batman's voice over the films and trying to do it justice. He also praise Stuart Allen's voice work as Damien Wayne, and his evolution (Damien's not in this film, FYI).

Matt Ryan talked about how difficult it can be to get his "mouth around" the Constantine spells. Jay Oliva praised Camilla Luddington's work as Zatanna, as she had to all her spell chants backwards.

Ryan was asked if he'd ever return to Arrow. He said that this is the first time he's been free in awhile, but in this crazy ride of acting he's learned to "not rule anything out." He said that in terms of Arrow return, he's open to it, because "I love the character."

James Tucker was asked if we will ever get a Lucifer animated feature. "Buy this one, and yeah sure," Tucker responded. After a pause he added, "Yay for the devil." Fans loved that one.

Matt Ryan was asked how it is playing two different types of Constantine (animated and live-action). Ryan said that to get back into it he dove into the New 52 comics; he confessed that he stole a trench coat from the set of the show, and thought he might wear it in the vocal booth - but that didn't happen.

Jay Oliva talked about wanting to get more horror into the DC experience, and how this film allowed him to do that. He doesn't get to choose his projects, as they ask him if he wants to do something, and "I say yeah, I need a job." But in this case, he asked if Matt Ryan could do it, and when he got that, he was thrilled.

It was reveaeld that while time may have passed since the events of the last film, Justice League Dark will indeed be in the new DC animated feature continuity. James Tucker answered one fan's question by saying while a Young Justice season 3 is more of vague prospect, there are indeed other characters, properties, stories from the New 52 that are in discussion for film (like... Wonder Woman?). Oliva said that if Justice League Dark gets a sequel, he (like one fan) would like to get the Spectre in there.

Justice League Dark was not given a release date, but will be out sometime in "Early 2017."