Justice League Dark Rumor: JJ Abrams Also Developing A Solo HBO Max Series Around Deadman

JB Augustine |

Sep 28, 2020

In an update to a previously reported rumor, HBO Max is about to become a dead zone. JJ Abrams is bringing to life, ironically, one other Justice League Dark member for a solo spinoff.

A fresh scoop from Mikey Sutton and his Geekosity online magazine shares Deadman is coming to HBO Max. This may confirm he is part of the team, but Sutton says Abrams has a different plan until the team assembles.

Deadman Lives

“In addition to the Constantine and Zatanna TV series that Abrams is going to produce, sources tell me that Deadman, too, is being developed for solo treatment,” Sutton maintains.

He continues, “It remains to be seen if this trio will debut with their own series before combining forces a la the Avengers in the MCU.”

At the start, it seemed like Abrams was developing Justice League Dark as its own show first while it was strongly hinted he was developing associated properties as he pleased in undetermined ways.

Justice League Dark

Now it’s a little less cut and dry what will be the chicken and what will be the egg – solo spinoffs or the full team in force.

The spinoffs for Zatanna and Constantine were reported in the trades and possible motion pictures for them both have been rumored.

Emilia Clarke was mooted in connection with the Zatanna for JLD but her status sounds as if it’s currently in the discussion and concept art stages. The Zatanna movie may be a separate thing altogether, not involving her or Abrams.

Emilia-Zatanna

Bringing Keanu Reeves back for a Constantine sequel or reboot has also been talked about, but strictly as a rumor, so it might not be true.

There’s been no update on Man-Bat or Detective Chimp’s status since reports they’re two characters Abrams is interested in; so we can’t say if they’d be up for spinoffs as well.

Deadman is a character long linked to Justice League Dark. He was in the first animated feature and was set for the scrapped Doug Liman film.

Batman and Deadman

Back in comics, in life, Deadman was trapeze artist Boston Brand, introduced in Strange Adventures No. 205 (1967). He was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino and given the power to leap into and take over bodies.

A gift and sometimes a curse bestowed by the goddess Rama Kushna, responsible for the scale balance and karma in the DC Universe, Boston used his power to solve mysteries and his own murder.

Mikey Sutton sees Deadman as “the most Abrams-like of the characters” with the potential for “psychologically twisting” storylines to be had.

No tentative launch date was provided for any of the spinoffs.