With Superman introducing the Justice Gang into the DC Universe, the building blocks for an eventual Justice League are clearly being set up in this franchise. For now, those members include Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, and Hawkgirl, but upcoming DC Universe projects like Lanterns, The Brave and the Bold, and a Wonder Woman reboot promise to deliver further founding members of this team. David Corenswet’s Clark Kent/Superman is just the beginning of a new age for the Justice League on screen.
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Considering how exquisite the casting has been so far for the DC Universe, it’s well worth asking who could inhabit the iconic superheroes filling out the rest of the Justice League roster. Now that this franchise has cast Superman and multiple Green Lanterns, which artists would be best playing foundational Justice League members Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, The Flash, and Batman? Read on to see some incredibly choice picks for these characters, who would bring so much artistry and craft to the DC Universe.
1) Katy O’Brian as Wonder Woman
After her extraordinary work in Love Lies Bleeding, Katy O’Brian should be on everyone’s casting radar for all future movies. For the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, though, she’d be an especially great pick. She’s certainly got the muscles and convincing aura in fight scenes that this role would require. However, her more vulnerable and sweet sequences in Love Lies Bleeding also show that she could effortlessly imbue this warrior with real emotional range. Plus, O’Brian so naturally emanates the commanding presence Wonder Woman requires in any medium.
2) Colman Domingo as Martian Manhunter
Among the traits anyone would need playing Martian Manhunter are a strong voice (all the better to stand out for a character that would require extensive makeup and/or CGI to bring to life) and a screen presence that suggests years of caked-in experience. Colman Domingo could deliver both of those qualities without even blinking. The DC Universe would be lucky to have such a masterful performer lending weight to this cosmic superhero. Plus, Martian Manhunter could be an especially exciting role for Domingo given that the character’s never properly appeared in a live-action theatrical movie. Since Domingo previously said he only wants to take on a comic book movie role that he could make entirely his own, Martian Manhunter in the DC Universe really could be a dream come true.
3) Dev Patel as Aquaman
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman was profoundly popular and memorable in pop culture with his boisterous personality, party-dude energy, and outsized delivery of lines like “YEAH!” and “my man!” For the next version of this hero, the DC Universe can’t just do a retread of that character, especially since Momoa is now playing Lobo. The solution should be going in the opposite direction by casting Dev Patel as the ruler of the oceans. This actor could imbue Aquaman with tons of gravitas, a sharp contrast to Momoa’s enjoyable take on the same hero. Plus, Patel always commits 110% to any role he gets, which could result in some amazing acting when he’s acting opposite sharks, whales, and other digital undersea critters.
4) Austin Abrams as The Flash
Who knows if the Barry Allen iteration of The Flash will be the primary version of the character seen in the DC Universe, especially since Ezra Miller and Grant Gustin’s takes on that character are still fresh in people’s minds. However, if James Gunn and company do go down that direction, Austin Abrams would be a perfect speedster. After his extraordinary work as James in Weapons, it’s clear Abrams has the chops to play anything Hollywood can throw at him.
That particular horror movie turn demonstrated that Abrams has an excellent grasp on physical acting, not to mention wringing tremendous audience emotional investment in heightened circumstances, that would be perfect for making a new live-action Flash something people actually wanted to see.
5) Jake Gyllenhaal as Batman
With titles like Road House, Ambulance, and Spider-Man: Far From Home as some of his most recent acting credits, it’s clear Jake Gyllenhaal is on an action movie kick. Why not take that obsession to the next level by playing Bruce Wayne/Batman in the DC Universe? Gyllenhaal has grown so much as an actor that he’d now be perfect for conveying complicated paternal energy as a version of Batman who is working alongside Damian Wayne/Robin.
Even better yet, Gyllenhaal is always at his most entertaining when he cuts loose and goes wild, like in movies such as Nightcrawler and Okja. Michael Keaton and Robert Pattinson previously proved Batman often excels when there’s more than a touch of madness to the man behind the cowl. Gyllenhaal could absolutely rock those unhinged parts of Batman with as much conviction as the veteran crime-fighter aspects of the personality. Plus, Gyllenhaal could keep on punching things like he enjoyed doing in Road House.
Superman is now playing in theaters.
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