HBO Max Boss Reveals Who Pitched Justice League Dark

In a matter of hours, HBO Max will be the latest streaming service to enter the fray. The platform – which will look to take on giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ – will include WarnerMedia’s expansive library, something which includes virtually anything released under the DC Entertainment umbrella. Before too long, that will include superhero shows produced entirely for the streamer, including a live-action take on Justice League Dark. In one recent press stop to help promote the launch of the service, HBO Max executive Kevin Reilly revealed it was JJ Abrams himself that ended up pitching the Justice League Dark series to the streamer.

“Yes, he’s always loved it,” Reilly tells Business Insider. “He always felt that there was a lot of opportunity there and an explored territory, and kind of a pond that he could play in exclusively.”

Justice League Dark, of course, includes many of DC’s horror-based characters, from John Constantine to Zatanna and Deadman. Constantine is a character beloved by fans of The CW’s Arrowverse, where the occult detective is played by Matt Ryan. The actor recently told us he’s yet to be contacted for a role in the series and admits he’ll be disappointed should he not be approached.

“I’m a theater actor, you know? That’s where I spent most of my life,” Ryan told ComicBook.com. “I always say to them, ‘Just get me in the room.’ And then if they don’t want me for the role that’s their choice. But I would be very disappointed if a project like that went ahead without even sitting down and seeing what I could do with the material.”

The Justice League Dark deal is one of the first under Abrams and Bad Robot’s new deal with Warner Media, one of the most expensive first-look production deals Hollywood has ever seen.

“What an amazing start to our association with the wildly imaginative Bad Robot team under J.J. and Katie,” Reilly said when the show was first announced. “What could be better than an original J.J. idea and then Warner Bros. letting them loose on iconic IP from Stephen King and the DC Universe and to provide more must-have programming on HBO Max.”

Justice League Dark has yet to set a release date for HBO Max. Other upcoming DC shows for HBO Max include Green Lantern from Arrowverse architect Greg Berlanti, and an anthology series.

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