Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa are probably the names that come to mind when you think of the Warner Bros DC Universe (DCU) film franchise. Next to perhaps Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are some of the most iconic characters in the franchise. With “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” Director James Gunn and DC Studio CEO Peter Safran taking the helm of the DCU, it seems like some significant shake-ups are on the way. As of now, there have been reports stating that Henry Cavill will return as Superman for the “Man of Steel” sequel, Patty Jenkin’s “Wonder Woman 3” has officially been cancelled and there are no plans of continuing with Jason Momoa as Aquaman after “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”.
These reports come off as odd after hearing about the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav saying that he wanted the DCU to be more focused on key members of the Justice League on the heels of the “Man of Steel 2” announcement. So why would Gunn and Safran be killing projects starring central characters when the DCU is supposed to now revolve around them? Unless…they are planning to execute Zaslav’s plan but with a new cast! Things get even more interesting when you hear Gunn and Momoa teasing the possibility of the Aquaman actor being recast as Lobo in the DCU!
That being said, if Gunn and Safran are planning to reboot the DCU with new actors, who would they choose to fill in the roles? Well, we have a few ideas.
1. Tyler Hoechlin as Superman
While we absolutely adore Henry Cavill’s Superman, we need to start coming to terms with the fact that he will not return as Big Blue on screen. If that’s the case, then we can think of no better replacement for him than Tyler Hoechlin as the DCU’s Man of Steel. While “Superman & Lois” has its ups and downs when it comes to its CW teen drama, there is no controversy that Hoechlin perfectly embodies the classic Superman we know and love. A far cry from Snyder’s darker, grittier version from 2013’s “Man of Steel”. Since we can’t get Cavill back to play classic Superman, it makes sense to get someone who’s already playing him.
2. Jensen Ackles as Batman
In case any of you are wondering why Robert Pattinson isn’t on this list, it’s because Director Matt Reeves has made it clear in the past that “The Batman” and all other films and TV shows going forward revolving around Pattinson’s Batman will not be in the DCU. It’s his own Bat-universe and he’s not sharing it anytime soon. Ideally, we’d love Kevin Conroy to play the role, seeing that he’s been the voice of the Bat for over two decades at this point, but that’s not possible anymore with his passing (R.I.P. King Conroy).
However, another actor who has done a magnificent job of voicing the Bat, namely in the DC animated films “Batman: The Long Halloween – Part 1” and “Part 2”, and has appeared in other superhero properties is Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester in CW’s “Supernatural”. He’s got the build, the voice and the intensity to bring Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight to life!
3. Elodie Yung as Wonder Woman
Fun fact: Did you know that Elodie Yung, who played Elektra in Netflix’s “Daredevil” was in the running to play Wonder Woman alongside Gal Gadot? If Gunn and Safran do decide to go through with a DCU reboot then Elodie Yung just might get to portray the Amazonian Princess after all! She totally kicked ass as the deadly assassin Elektra in Netflix’s “Daredevil” and with Disney going in a different direction with the character in “Daredevil: Born Again”, Yung is freed up to pursue other comic-book-related projects. She’ll just need to trade in those sai blades for a golden whip.
4. Grant Gustin as The Flash
Before Gunn and Safran showed up on the scene, there has already been talks about replacing Ezra Miller for the role of the Flash. We won’t get into the full list of their crimes but let’s just say that Miller has been up to some very disturbing things of late, from physically harming people to endangering children. With a new DCU mandate under new leadership, this might be the perfect opportunity to drop the controversial actor in favour of a more popular choice: Grant Gustin from the CW series “The Flash”. You can check out our breakdown of why we think he’d make a great replacement.
5. Ryan Gosling as Aquaman
If we must say goodbye to Jason Momoa’s deliciously corny take on Aquaman, we could at least get an actor who looks like the more traditional blonde-haired version of the character. For that, we think Ryan Gosling has got what it takes to be the King of Atlantis. Gosling has yet to be tied down to any particular comic-book film franchise and his versatility as an actor would make a great addition to the DCU. The man can do high drama and comedic relief and he does his own stunts. Full disclosure, we loved his chaotic energy in “The Nice Guys” and would love to see him bring that to the DCU.
6. Ray Fisher as Cyborg
If “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” has accomplished anything, it’s finally giving Ray Fisher’s Cyborg a proper character arc and the respect he deserves. Fisher has barely had the chance to show off what he can do in the role before being sent back to the bleachers under the old management. He’s been in two films about the Justice League and still hasn’t gotten a movie! If Gunn and Safran decide to keep anyone on for the next incarnation of the team, we believe Fisher deserves to return to the franchise and it seems DC fans feel the same way too.
7. Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern
Nathan Fillion is a mega-icon among nerds everywhere! He played the legendary Captain Malcolm Reynolds in Joss Whedon’s “Firefly”, and has made some fun appearances in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DCU’s “The Suicide Squad”. Most importantly, he voiced the Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, in multiple animated films. Just as Kevin Conroy is the voice of Batman, Fillion will forever be the voice of Hal Jordan. He’s dipped his toes here and there in comic-book film franchises but we think it’s time for him to settle down and take up the role of the Emerald Knight in live-action. Also if you’re reading this Mr Fillion, we absolutely loved you as Nathan Drake in that “Uncharted” short film!
So what do you think of our picks for Gunn and Safran’s new Justice League? Do you agree with them? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
