The AI art trend continues, and this time it has reached the Justice League, with stunning AI art portraits reimagining the team for the DCU. The Justice League assembled for the first time in the DCU in the 2017 movie that carries the team’s name, with the version released in theaters directed by Joss Whedon, while original director Zack Snyder finally got the chance to have his vision come to screens via HBO Max four years later. 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released after years of campaigning by the director’s fans and served as the most recent iteration of the iconic team in live-action.
New gorgeous AI art shared by Heroic Hollywood on Twitter reimagines the DCU’s Justice League lineup. The iconic DC team imagined in the AI art consists of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lantern (John Stewart), and Aquaman. Notably absent is Ray Fisher’s Cyborg, the only member of the Justice League in the 2017 movie that didn’t show up, likely due to Fisher’s ongoing disputes with DC and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. Replacing Cyborg in the art are two new additions to the team, Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern, both of whom fans think should’ve appeared in Snyder’s version of the movie. Check out the AI art below.
When Could The Justice League Return In The DCU
Depending on which person gets asked, either the Justice League from the 2017 movie’s the one that should be followed in the DCU continuity or the 2021 version by Snyder’s the true one. New DC Studios creative head James Gunn needs to finally define JL canon, ending the debate of what counts as the starting point for the DCU Justice League. Taking that out of the way, Gunn can begin setting up the next Justice League movie throughout the DCU’s slate of films and TV shows.
The MCU’s interconnectivity is the closest a live-action superhero franchise has gotten to recreating the feel of the comics. The DCU needs to feel like a universe with a sense of purpose at the moment. Having the Justice League debut without enough buildup was the wrong choice, as it tasked the first movie with introducing many iconic characters, addressing their relationships with each other, and developing connections with fans. Gunn’s plan shouldn’t hedge on fast-tracking Justice League 2 but on building up the new roster with appearances on DCU projects over the next few years.
The DCU has expanded since the Justice League’s debut, which will inevitably bring a bigger roster of heroes to the sequel. Characters introduced after the team’s debut, like Shazam, will need to appear in the movie, which will most likely include upcoming characters such as Blue Beetle and Supergirl. New characters aside, the DCU still needs to reintroduce Henry Cavill’s Superman in a solo movie that brings the character back to his comic book roots. With all those pieces needing to align for the Justice League sequel, the best possible course of action is to slowly introduce the new characters, have them bond with DCU veterans like The Flash and Wonder Woman in other projects and then get the band together for Justice League 2. With Gunn succeeding in laying the groundwork, the Justice League will be free to awe and entertain DC fans when the team inevitably returns to the DCU.
Source: Heroic Hollywood