Whether JJ Abrams would proceed with spinoffs of HBO Max’s Justice League Dark series starring more popular members of the team is answered.
An article by The Hollywood Reporter about an upcoming series for John Cena’s Peacemaker – yet to grace screens – mentions Zatanna and John Constantine are being primed for their own streaming shows.
Goes a passage hidden deep in the story, “Mega-producer J.J. Abrams has pitched a tent in the Justice League Dark territory of the DC Universe, working on supernatural shows featuring Constantine and Zatanna, among others.”
It was announced earlier this year that Abrams was developing Justice League Dark and related characters for HBO Max as part of his first-look deal with Warner Bros.
Former Max content chief Kevin Reilly elaborated in one interview JLD is a “sandbox” Abrams gets to play in exclusively. Ergo, the Alias creator has first dibs on any of the associated properties – possible exception, Swamp Thing.
Related: Concept Art for Doug Liman’s Canceled Justice League Dark Film Surfaces
As THR notes, how all the team members are going to be introduced – together or one at a time – is still up in the air. Separately is likely when you consider the prevalence of Constantine plus casting rumors swirling about him and Zatanna.
Matt Ryan is “thee guy” when it comes to the wizard on DC Television but it’s thought he will be passed over in favor of someone new. The top rumor is Keanu Reeves, star of the 2005 film, who’s expressed interest routinely in revisiting that world.
Reeves took part in a Comic-Con@Home panel for the Constantine movie’s 15th anniversary and allegedly was in talks for either a sequel or a role in something Abrams helmed.
Related — Rumor: Emilia Clarke Eyed for Zatanna Zatara in Justice League Dark
Heroic Hollywood Editor-In-Chief Umberto Gonzalez refuted those rumors in a mass Twitter thread where he also said Ben Affleck wasn’t playing Batman again.
Gonzalez turned out to be wrong on that one and just because he tweets something doesn’t mean discussions between Keanu and the studio weren’t happening.
Zatanna rumors likewise conjured up a big name, Emilia Clark. Cultured Nerd had her as the frontrunner being used for concept art though reported negotiations are far from a done deal.
Related: New Justice League Dark Rumor Reveals Two Characters For Abrams’ HBO Max Series
CN added in their report Clark might get her own show as Zatanna Zatara or be the first cast in Justice League Dark itself. Given the star power of the rumored names, in both cases, one would think starting with spinoffs to entree individual characters is the plan.
Regardless, it appears concrete that Constantine and Zatanna will be a part of the JLD series. Etrigan and Deadman may join them while further rumors suggest Man-Bat and Detective Chimp are also under consideration.
Before Abrams “pitched his tent,” Justice League Dark was in development as a feature film for years. Doug Liman received his crack prior to the project falling apart, with Etrigan, Deadman, The Spectre, and Swamp Thing on his team.
Justice League Dark has no set date for a premiere but when it does the show becomes an entry in HBO Max’s growing DC library of content that includes Peacemaker, a The Batman prequel about Gotham Police, The Snyder Cut, Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn, and whatever’s left of DC Universe.
Interestingly, analysts such as Matt McGloin at Cosmic Book News have speculated James Gunn, Matt Reeves, and JJ Abrams would spearhead a reboot of Warner’s DC franchises.
The thinking, though, was it would be on the big screen and encompass resets of Green Lantern, Justice League, Batman, Superman, and The Suicide Squad.
All three are stewards of DC content moving forward, officially, for the small screen in particular. So prophecy somewhat fulfilled.