Justice League is the fifth movie in the DC Extended Universe, but it may also be the start of a brand new era for some of Earth’s greatest superheroes. When Zack Snyder stepped aside and Joss Whedon signed on, we expected Justice League‘s tone to wildly vary between the two directors. But now there are signs that the changes to Justice League may extend to a broader shift for the DCEU beyond this film. Today’s Nerdist News is answering the Trouble Alert and explaining what it means.
Join guest host and the Legion of Substitute Heroes’ seventh alternate member, Steve Zaragoza, as he runs down the latest changes to the DCEU. Right off the bat, so to speak, the biggest retcon for Wonder Woman has already been acknowledged by Gal Gadot. While Batman v Superman made it seem as if Diana had abandoned humanity decades before, the Wonder Woman movie made it clear that its heroine would never give up like that. During the Justice League press junket in London, Gadot indicated that, “Wonder Woman was out there or incognito. She was always very involved and always very active in man’s world. And she was always acting to save and to help and to better the world.”
On the surface, that doesn’t sound like a big deal. But it makes investigative journalist Clark Kent and “world’s greatest detective” Bruce Wayne look pretty dim if they couldn’t figure out who Diana was when she had that kind of world saving history. Even if she tried to be “incognito,” people tend to notice a woman who can carry a tank over her head. This appears to be a course correction for Diana’s character, and we’re all in favor of it, even if it does violate continuity.
Another indication of the new era is that Dwayne Johnson‘s Black Adam is heavily rumored to be appearing in Suicide Squad 2. If you recall, both Shazam and Black Adam were said to be shipped off to New Line Studios and semi-separated from the rest of the DCEU. If Black Adam is back in the fold, then it stands to reason that Shazam will also be a part of the larger world of the DC films. And if the Whedon-inspired humor from Justice League takes hold, then Shazam will be right at home.
Finally, DC Comics added long-time Marvel writer, Brian Michael Bendis, to its ranks earlier this week. While that will probably leave Bendis more involved on the publication side of DC, he does have experience as part of Marvel’s creative committee that oversaw the first few MCU films. With Bendis now firmly in DC’s corner, there’s a strong possibility that his influence will be felt in the films as well.
How do you feel about the potential shifts within the DCEU? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Images: Warner Bros., DC
More of the latest, greatest nerd news!
- How Thor: Ragnarok sets up Infinity War.
- The Last Jedi may change what we know about Luke.
- What we learned from Justice League‘s soundtrack.
