Well, this is certainly interesting. With the addition of Wonder Woman to the list of characters appearing in Batman vs. Superman, as well as the rumors surrounding Nightwing, The Flash, and various other DC characters, the Man of Steel sequel was beginning to look awfully crowded. And of course, let’s not forget that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirmed he would be working on a film for Warner Bros. and DC in 2014.
But a rumor being floated by Latino Review says that Warner Bros. is planning to begin production on a Justice League film immediately following Batman vs. Superman. If this is the case, expect the film to end on a major cliffhanger and a huge group cameo, getting fans worked up before dropping a Justice League film in 2016.
There’s certainly some logic to this: signing Ben Affleck on for a single outing as Batman seems almost pointless, especially when Warner Bros. is trying to establish a DC cinematic universe similar to Marvel. Yet with Affleck’s busy schedule, getting him to don the cape and cowl again in a few years might be a tall order (plus, the guy isn’t getting any younger). But if he can push his next directorial effort, Live By Night, by a few extra months, then that should free him up to shoot Justice League after production wraps on Batman vs. Superman.
This also raises another question about The Rock’s involvement: the assumption seemed to be that he would appear as John Stewart, the character that became the Green Lantern after Hal Jordan. But depending on the roster that Warner Bros. plans to use for Justice League, it’s perfectly conceivable that The Rock could portray Cyborg, as well.
Comic Book Movie is also reporting that Lost star Josh Holloway is being considered for a role in Batman vs. Superman, and the actor’s striking resemblance to Aquaman has been pointed out several thousand times already. While I can’t argue with that, Latino Review points out that Holloway’s new TV series, Intelligence, was the most-watched debut of the season, and a long-term commitment would likely tie up his schedule and prevent him from being involved.
Of course, this is all speculation, as Warner Bros. and DC have yet to make any official announcements, but let’s hope this one pans out.