As the DCEU Comes to an End, Here are 5 Films that Were Originally Slated to Be Part of the Snyderverse
With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom set as the final DCEU film following DC Studios’ reboot plans, the decade-plus saga of the DC Extended Universe is coming to an end. When the franchise began in 2013, Warner Bros. had ambitious hopes to rival Marvel’s cinematic universe. But many changes occurred along the way, and several originally announced films never saw the light of day. Here we look back on 5 canceled movies that were meant to help build out the DC Snyderverse.
Justice League 2
When Zack Snyder was overseeing the DCEU, his plan was to follow up his Justice League with at least one sequel. The 2021 release of his Snyder Cut ended on a cliffhanger teasing future films. But Justice League 2 was not meant to be, as Warner Bros. moved away from Snyder’s vision. Still, fans have continued pushing for sequels to complete Snyder’s arc. And with the multiverse now in play, cameo appearances remain possible. But a direct Justice League follow-up seems unlikely, despite Snyder originally conceiving the team’s story as a complete trilogy.
Cyborg
A solo outing for Ray Fisher‘s cybernetically enhanced hero Cyborg was announced in 2014 with an intended 2020 release. But while other slated films took shape, Cyborg fell by the wayside. With no creative team attached even as the date approached, the project failed to generate momentum. Fisher’s role was minimized in the theatrical cut of Justice League, further hurting Cyborg’s chances to headline his own film. But the Snyder Cut restored the character’s arc, reminding fans of his stand-alone potential that sadly went unrealized.
Green Lantern Corps
The franchise reboot of Green Lantern was originally going to unveil a whole Corps of ring-wielders. Green Lantern Corps was dated for 2020 with a story focusing on Hal Jordan and John Stewart. While it was delayed over script issues, Corps was still on DC’s slate as recently as October 2022 before getting scrapped entirely. But the showcasing of various Lanterns in recent films like Zack Snyder’s Justice League suggests the concept isn’t dead yet.
Ben Affleck’s Solo Batman Film
Ben Affleck was cast early on as the DCEU’s Batman and a solo film was announced for the Dark Knight. But after starring in Batman v Superman and Justice League, Affleck later decided he was done playing Batman and departed the planned standalone project. With Affleck exiting the role, the solo Batman film was buried.
Man of Steel Sequel
Henry Cavill landed the DCEU role of Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel. But while solo Batman and other hero films moved forward, a true Man of Steel sequel never materialized for Cavill’s Superman. His DCEU journey ended without the proper solo Superman follow-up many fans had hoped for.
The DCEU ultimately fell short of reaching the heights of Marvel’s MCU due to directorial shifts, critical backlash, and inconsistent visions. But these unmade movies indicate the franchise once aspired to do so much more. As the book closes on this era, the Snyderverse lives on for fans as a road not taken.
