Guillermo del Toro Opens Up About His Shelved ‘Justice League Dark’ Film, Reveals Deadman Casting And DCEU Cameo
When it comes to comic book-related media cancelations, perhaps none has stung more than that of Guillermo del Toro’s Justice League Dark, especially given that his fantasy-horror creative tastes made him a near perfect choice to handle the material; and unfortunately that aching pain is only set to get worse now that del Toro has finally opened up about just what he had in store for DC’s premiere supernatural super team.
First confirmed as in development in 2013 under the original title Dark Universe, del Toro’s take on the eponymous team would have existed separate from the then-in-progress DCEU and followed a core roster of John Constantine, Deadman, Madam Xanadu, Swamp Thing, and Zatanna, the five of whom unite to face an encroaching magic threat facilitated by the Floronic Man.
Unfortunately, the project near immediately found itself in development hell, the difficulties of which eventually prompted del Toro to exit the director’s char in June 2015.
And though Justice League Dark was never officially cancelled, it only received two subsequent updates in the years since, the first being the 2016 announcement that Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman had signed on to direct and the second being the 2017 confirmation of his exit, and is presumed dead in the water following James Gunn’s DCU revamp.
Whether through personal choice or lack of a pointed opportunity to do so, del Toro has never provided details as to just what his plans were for DC’s dark magic outing – or at least he hadn’t until a recent appearance on entertainment reporter Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Turned to the topic thanks to a question from Horowitz as to whether or not there was any truth to the previous rumors that he was looking to cast Colin Farrell as Constantine, del Toro began his reflection by admitting, “No, I was not casting yet [but] I knew I wanted Doug Jones to be Deadman, because he physically could do the suit, and know his mannerisms, and all that.”
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From there assuring, “I love that screenplay. I really was in love with that screenplay. I thought it brought everybody in effortlessly,” del Toro was then asked by Horowitz if he could reveal which of the team’s many spellcasters were set to be the film’s lead, to which he quickly confirmed “It was Constantine” before providing a surprise overview of the team’s proposed adventure, including a major cameo from one of their namesake’s founding members:
“The plot made absolute perfect sense. I really loved how they got tangled into [a team]. The Floronic Man was one of the villains, and it was really really great because Swamp Thing was very fleshed out, as was everybody.
“And there was like, a moment where Batman came in briefly. [The team] said ‘We need a plane’ and [Constantine] said I know, a friend of mine has a plane,’ and then you were in Bruce Wayne’s office. I would have loved to to have done that.”
“I mean the screenplay is there. It’s not like it’s not chitchat. It was a couple of years of development for that screenplay. We never got to the art. But it had great set pieces – my favorite one was Deadman on a long chase, jumping from one body to the next. It would be an 80-year-old lady in Central Park running after the protagonist, and then jumping into a traffic cop or a mounted cop. It was a really thrilling thing.”
Eventually asked by Horowitz if he had received any sort of DCU-related call from Gunn, Justice League Dark-related or otherwise, del Toro asserted, “No [but] now and then I write him about something else he’s doing. I think he’s remarkably smart. I loved Superman and I really enjoy the way he’s viewing the universe.”
At present, the only Justice League Dark member confirmed for an appearance in the new DCU is Swamp Thing, for whom a new solo film was initially announced as part of Gunn’s initial development slate but has not received any additional updates.
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