Justice League Dark Reportedly Eying ‘It’ Director Andres Muschietti

Earlier today, fans of the DC Extended Universe were gutted to learn that Doug Liman was bowing out of the franchise. The director was tapped to oversee Justice League Dark after being hired back in 2016, but schedule conflicts have forced Liman to shift his focus elsewhere. Now, Warner Bros. is left to fill in the gap created by Liman’s leave, but the studio may already have some fresh talent in mind. According to new reports, it looks like Justice League Dark is eyeing some solid horror directors to get going once again.

After Liman’s leave was announced by The Hollywood Reporter, journalist Borys Kit went on to share additional information about the ordeal on Twitter. It was there Kit said Warner Bros. is already looking for a new director to helm the film. One source indicated that Andy Muschietti was being eyed in particular for the role, and fans will know that name thanks to the upcoming reboot of It.

While Warner Bros. is looking at other directors as well, the fact that Muschietti’s name was mentioned in particular has fans thinking he’s a top choice. There is no word on which other directors might populate the shortlist but names like J.A. Bayona and Scott Derrickson have been thrown around by hopeful fans.

For now, many are waiting to see how Muschietti’s take on It before they rally behind the director full on. The director got his first taste of fame after the horror film Mama gained critical praise back in 2013. Muschietti was then hired to direct the reboot of Stephen King’s classic horror story It. When the film’s trailer released, the video went on to become one of the most watched trailers ever within 24 hours. Hypes for Muschietti’s career has been growing as the release date of It draws closer, and Warner Bros. may want to tap into that kind of popularity. After all, the heroes of Justice League Dark aren’t as well-known as their Justice League counterparts. Having a vetted director on-board could give the film some much-need umph with a general audience.

Fans should also consider what Muschietti’s shortlist involvement means for Justice League Dark. With the director being eyed, it seems as if Warner Bros. wants the superhero film to be on the dark side. Before Liman left Justice League Dark, the director told CinemaBlend the movie was inspired by “real horror elements” from pop culture’s past.

“It’s going to have real horror elements, for sure. I love early horror films, be it The Exorcist, or Carrie, The Omen. In the same way that Bourne Identity, I went back to the ’70s paranoia,” Liman said.

MORE DC MOVIE NEWS: Why The DCEU Could Win Big in 2017 / Henry Cavill Continues to Tease DCEU Green Lantern / Justice League Cast Member Says It Won’t Be Better Than Marvel’s Avengers

In Justice League, fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Justice League is directed by Zack Snyder, from a screenplay by Chris Terrio, based on a story by Snyder and Terrio, and stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, J. K. Simmons, and Ciarán Hinds.