Guillermo del Toro Reveals Scrapped Justice League Dark Plans That Included a Batman Cameo

Frankenstein manager Guillermo del Toro has discussed his now-cancelled plans for the DC universe, which included 2 years of enactment connected a Justice League Dark screenplay, and the proposition helium could person helmed Superman movie Man of Steel.

Speaking connected Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, del Toro was unfastened with his ideas for Justice League Dark, which helium worked connected betwixt 2013 and 2015. The manager has spoken successful the past astir his plans to diagnostic John Constantine, Swamp Thing, The Spectre and Deadman successful the team-up movie, which astatine 1 constituent would person been portion of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe.

Now, del Toro has revealed much astir the task — which would person featured Constantine arsenic its star, and seen his unit telephone connected a definite Bruce Wayne for backup.

Guillermo del Toro. Image credit: Lia Toby/Getty Images for Netflix.

"[The lead] was Constantine, and the crippled made absolute, cleanable sense," del Toro said. "I truly loved however they got tangled into the Floronic Man arsenic 1 of the villains, Swamp Thing was truly fleshed out."

"I was not casting yet," del Toro continued erstwhile asked who he'd wanted to play Constantine. At 1 point, the task had been planned to diagnostic Constantine TV bid prima Matt Ryan reprising his role, though it was antecedently reported that this thought fell done erstwhile the amusement was not renewed for a 2nd season.

"I knew I wanted Doug Jones to beryllium Deadman," helium continued, referencing the DC superhero susceptible of possessing different people's bodies, "only due to the fact that I knew physically helium could bash the suit, I knew his mannerisms." Jones would of people spell connected to prima successful del Toro's The Shape of Water instead.

Discussing his favourite planned setpiece from the movie, del Toro said it would person featured a pursuit series wherever Deadman is seen "jumping from 1 assemblage to the next. It would person been an 80-year-old woman successful Central Park, moving aft the antagonist and past jumping into a postulation cop, oregon mounted cop... it would person been a thrilling thing."

How other mightiness Justice League Dark person tied into the DCEU? Well, successful a astonishing admission, del Toro revealed helium had planned for the movie to besides diagnostic a Batman cameo.

"There was a infinitesimal wherever Batman came successful briefly," del Toro revealed. "[The team] said, 'We request a plane,’ and [Deadman] said, 'I cognize a person of excavation has a plane.' And past you were successful Bruce Wayne's office. You cognize I would person loved to person done that, but present I wouldn't, you know."

Still, possibly the astir startling infinitesimal of the full interrogation comes arsenic del Toro is asked astir the long-standing proposition helium was erstwhile successful the framework to nonstop Superman movie Man of Steel (a occupation that yet went to Zack Snyder). When the question is asked, del Toro pauses for a precise agelong time, earlier yet breaking the moment's hostility by simply saying: "Next."

This isn't the archetypal clip del Toro has been questioned astir being offered the job. Back successful 2010, successful an interrogation with Deadline, del Toro was asked astir a mates of Warner Bros. projects helium was seemingly offered, including a caller Wizard of Oz movie and the occupation of resurrecting Superman.

"I came retired of The Hobbit, and it was the biggest heartbreak I've experienced arsenic a filmmaker, due to the fact that I volition ne'er cognize what that movie would person been," del Toro answered backmost successful 2010, referencing the play wherever helium was erstwhile acceptable to nonstop The Hobbit earlier The Lord of The Rings manager Peter Jackson came connected committee instead. "I was precise mindful that I didn't privation to person a rebound movie, arsenic happens sometimes erstwhile idiosyncratic comes disconnected a agelong romance." He concluded: "There were precise big, lucrative, beauteous projects connected the table." What mightiness person been...

Image credit: Lia Toby/Getty Images for Netflix.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social