Looking Back…Recasting JUSTICE LEAGUE

One of the first casting posts that I ever wrote–waaaaay back in 2008–was for a Justice League movie. Now, while DC and Warner Brothers continue to spin their wheels, Marvel makes all of the movie money. Why? Why is it so hard for DC to get its cinematic act together? Sure, some of you might say that DC should focus on making good comics (and maybe not hiring vile bigots, while they’re at it), but that isn’t the world we live in. The 21st century is all about multimedia synergy. Let’s face it, comic book movies are here to stay, so we might as well make the best of them.

Now, I have been a proponent of thinking a bit outside of the box with a Justice League movie, quietly hoping that a League movie would feature Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, and several other lesser-known DC heroes (even though Marvel recently poached my Guy Gardner). However, we all know that DC is going to want to highlight their top talent in a Justice League movie, which is why I’m here to reevaluate a movie starring the “Big Seven.”

The Plot: One word: Starro. Yes, everyone wants the villain in this movie to be Darkseid. But, let’s face it, Darkseid is a pretty big deal. Do you want to shoot your wad that early? No. Plus, Starro gives you a nice body-snatcher thing to work with.

The Cast:

Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent

 

I know, I know. Superman Returns. Look, I did not love everything about that movie (Superman as a deadbeat dad, I’m lookin’ at you!), but Routh was pretty good. I’d give him a second shot at playing the big blue boy scout in a heartbeat.

Ian Somerhalder as Batman/Bruce Wayne

 

Time to wash the taste of those awful Nolan movies out of our mouths. Somerhalder appeared in an early season of Smallville as a bait-and-switch Bruce Wayne named Adam Knight. Now he’s in a show about vampires, which kinda works with the whole bat motiff.

Jaime Murray as Wonder Woman/Princess Diana

 

Watch Murray on Warehouse 13, then come back to me and tell me you don’t want her to play the Amazon warrior.

Lance Reddick as Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz

 

This is what I wrote in 2008–

On The Wire, it almost seemed like Reddick was able to read everyone’s minds, so who better to play the telepathic Martian Manhunter? Can’t you just hear Reddick’s deep, authoritative voice rumbling through the theater’s speakers the first time J’onn’s voice is heard inside someone’s mind? Besides, he kind of looks like the revamped Manhunter.

–and I stand by that today.

Shawn Ashmore as The Flash/Wally West

 

The Ashmore brothers have had their way with superhero properties for quite some time. Shawn has played Iceman in three (soon to be four) X-Men movies and Aaron played Jimmy Olsen on several seasons of Smallville. (Shawn also appeared in two episodes of Smallville as meteor freak Eric Summers.) Anyway, I think Ashmore has what it takes to bring Wally West to life.

Aldis Hodge as Green Lantern/John Stewart

 

So many Lanterns to choose from . . . Using the Green Lantern who was one of the main characters of the popular Justice League cartoon seems like a safe bet. In addition to his military training, I’d love to see this portrayal also focus on Stewart’s architecture background. And, let’s face it, Aldis Hodge is just waiting for his shot at stardom.

Dan Stevens as Aquaman/Arthur Curry

 

Aquaman is a reluctant king. He’d much rather be out and about, punching supervillains and saving the day, then sitting in a room full of government ministers. On Downton Abbey, Stevens’ Matthew Crawley wanted nothing more than to practice law until circumstances handed him an estate to run. Replace “practice law” with “punching supervillains” and “estate” with “underwater kingdom” . . . and Aquaman and Matthew Crawley are practically the same dude.

Let’s Cast…JUSTICE LEAGUE

Look, it was inevitable. As soon as Marvel’s Avengers made ALL THE MONEY, it was only a matter of time before DC announced that they, too, would be bringing their premiere super team to the big screen. At one point (say, about a decade ago, when DC had first started working on a Justice League movie), I would have entertained the notion of a JLA movie with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other big guns of the DC Universe. Frankly, by now, I’m sort of sick of Hollywood’s interpretation of these characters.

No. I say go another way. I say draw on the characters from Justice League International.

Picture it: Ted Kord has given up heroics, planning on spending the rest of his days making Kord Industries the leader in advanced technology. One night, a shipment of prototypes from KI is intercepted while passing through a lonely section of Texas. Teenager Jaime Reyes, seeing the accident, stops to help, only to inadvertently become the new Blue Beetle. Kord calls his old friends (Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, and Vixen), as well as younger heroes Fire, Ice, and the Atom, to help track down those responsible for the theft and to help mentor Reyes. Using his vast resources, Kord decides to fund this collection of heroes. This…Justice League.

Starring:

Joe Morton as Ted Kord/Blue Beetle II

 

Every week on Eureka, Joe Morton brings the right mix of humor, warmth, and intelligence that I’d want to see in Ted Kord.

Chris Pine as Michael Jon Carter/Booster Gold

 

You need a certain charm, a certain swagger to play the disgraced athlete from the future who traveled back in time to make a name for himself as a hero. I think Pine has that in spades. I’d cast Will Arnett as the voice of Booster’s robot sidekick, Skeets. Just because.

Freema Agyeman as Mari Jiwe McCabe/Vixen

 

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to include Vixen…but, then I thought: Freema! And, if you don’t need more Freema in your life, then you’re doing something wrong.

Chris Pratt as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern

 

Guy Gardner is a lug. He’s kind of a jerk, but he’s not really a bad guy. Pratt has that kinda jerky and immature thing down, but you know he’ll have your back when you need him. He’s our “Guy.”

Alexa Vega as Beatriz Bonilla da Costa/Fire

  

I remember Vega from the Spy Kids movies. It would be nice to see her in something again.

Evanna Lynch as Tora Olafsdotter/Ice

 

There’s something otherworldly about Lynch. I could totally see her as a Norwegian tinker who occasionally cuddles with seals.

Archie Kao as Ryan Choi/The Atom

 

Kao has kicked butt as a Power Ranger and gotten his science on as a member of CSI Classic’s merry band of lab monkeys. That’s good enough for me.

Tyler Posey as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle III

 

From what I’ve seen of Posey in Teen Wolf, he’s pretty believable as a shy teenager dealing with a secret identity. I’d happily let him suit up as the new Blue Beetle.

A League of My Own

A while back, I threw together my dream Avengers roster. Because I don’t want to play favorites–and because from what I’ve seen the current team was created by a six-year-old–I’ve decided to put together my dream roster for DC’s Justice League.

There are a few rules I operated under. First, no sidekicks. I love Bart, Cassie, and Tim. But, they’re sidekicks and will remain as such. Second, characters who are widely associated with another established group were not in the running. Therefore, no Power Girl, Hawkman, or Captain Marvel. Whether or not I like these characters is irrelevant, in my mind they belong on the Justice Society of America. (This second rule may or may not be broken when it serves my own nefarious purposes.)

The Big Three:

Just like I wouldn’t want an Avengers team without Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man, I don’t want a Justice League without Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

Superman/Clark Kent

He may lack the tactical expertise of Bruce and Diana, but you can’t deny that Clark is one inspirational bastard. All you really need to succeed is Clark believing that you can.

Batman/Bruce Wayne

He’s Batman…why wouldn’t you want him on your team? Master tactician. World’s greatest detective. Paranoid freak. Plus, he can single-handedly defeat a clan of White Martians with a book of matches.

Wonder Woman/Princess Diana of Themyscira

Diana equals Clark in power and Bruce in tactics and hand-to-hand skill. She is, in every sense, a born warrior.

Aquaman/Arthur Curry

I like Aquaman. I have no problem mocking him, but I like him. I also have no problem with magic-water-hand Aquaman. As long as it’s Arthur, I’m happy.

Martian Manhunter/J’onn J’onzz

Just like every Avengers team needs Vision, every Justice League needs J’onn. ‘Nuff said.

Green Lantern/Hal Jordan

For the longest time, I never really liked Hal–mostly because of all those lame boxing gloves from the old Super Friends show. But, I confess to having a weakness for these kinds of devil-may-care cowboy types.

The Flash/Wally West

I’m a firm believer that every team needs a speedster. Wally is, and always will be, “my” Flash.

Green Arrow/Oliver Queen

If you’re going to have Hal, you need Ollie. These guys are awesome together. (Part of me kinda wants Barry on the team to complete the second trinity, but I’m a Wally guy all the way.)

Black Canary/Dinah Lance

I like that Canary can not only hold her own next to folks like Batman and Wonder Woman, but also that she’s always ready to call Ollie on his shit.

The Atom/Ray Palmer

Ray comes from the generation of down-to-earth heroes that included Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny. On a team that includes aliens, space cops, and Amazon princesses, Ray serves as a constant reminder of the power of the human spirit.

Zatanna Zatara

What?!?!

Metamorpho/Rex Mason

Having Metamorpho on a team with Martian Manhunter may be redundant, but I just love this guy. Also, I know this violates Rule #2, but I don’t care.

Let's Cast…JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA

Marvel’s laying the groundwork for a film based on the Avengers, while DC appears incapable of doing the same for its premiere team: the Justice League of America. Why? Well, I’ll be fair and say that part of the blame probably goes to the WGA strike. Part of the blame also probably goes to casting that little wanker from The O.C. as the Flash–honestly, no one is going to get stoked about a movie starring that kid. DC should think about doing things “the Marvel Way” and introduce most of the Leaguers in their own movies before giving us the big team-up. But, when we do get a JLA movie, let’s not forget to make it awesome.

The Plot: When a seemingly unstoppable alien force invades Earth, only humanity’s greatest champions can stop them. But, these gods-among-men are used to working alone and doing things their own way. Can they learn to work as a team? And, when powerhouses like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern are captured, can two “regular” heroes like Batman and Green Arrow rescue them?

The Cast:

Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne

Duh. Seriously, duh. He’s there. He has the suit. Use him, you dumb bastards.

Brandon Routh as Superman/Clark Kent

I wasn’t a huge fan of Superman Returns, but Routh wasn’t horrible. Besides, like Bale, he’s already played the role, so we’re stuck with him.

Morena Baccarin as Wonder Woman/Princess Diana

Someone (maybe Greg Rucka…maybe Joss Whedon) once said that as a character created by the Amazons of Ancient Greece, Wonder Woman never really looked Mediterranean. That was probably why Whedon wanted Brazilian beauty Baccarin to play the role while he was working on a Wonder Woman film. I say: “Why the hell not?”

Jeffrey Donovan as Green Lantern/Hal Jordan

Every week on Burn Notice, Donovan plays a former spy who’s good at what he does and knows it. That’s the kind of cocky arrogance you need in daredevil test-pilot-turned-galactic-cop Hal Jordan. (I have nothing against the other Lanterns, but since Hal is back amongst the living, I say we use him.)

Ryan Reynolds as The Flash/Wally West

I know, I know…I cast Reynolds as Hawkeye in Avengers–but to be honest, Reynolds was born to play Wally West. Wally’s my favorite Speedster, partly because he brings so much humanity to this modern-day pantheon. And, just for shits and giggles, let’s have a cameo by John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick.

Kenneth Branagh as Aquaman/Arthur Curry

Aquaman never gets any respect. He’s king of three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, for God’s sake. Branagh’s played Hamlet, so I think he could bring a bit of regal strength to the role of the King of the Ocean. I’d like to see a nice mix of the clean-cut “Orange Shirt” Aquaman and the long-haired “Underwater Hobo” Aquaman.

Lance Reddick as J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter

On The Wire, it almost seemed like Reddick was able to read everyone’s minds, so who better to play the telepathic Martian Manhunter? Can’t you just hear Reddick’s deep, authoritative voice rumbling through the theater’s speakers the first time J’onn’s voice is heard inside someone’s mind? Besides, he kind of looks like the revamped Manhunter.

Josh Holloway as Green Arrow/Oliver “Ollie” Queen

Yeah, I’ll admit it. It’s the goatee. But, it’s also the way that Holloway’s Sawyer thumbs his nose at authority every week on Lost. Who better to play the uber-liberal radical who distrusts superheroes and other authority figures?