When comic book fans hear the words “Justice League”, they immediately think of DC’s big three, who are considered the Trinity of heroes. Those three being Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Those names should ring a bell for most people, even if you are not a big fan of the comics.
So when Justice League hits theaters later this year on November 17th, it will come as no surprise that these characters will play major roles. Batman is set to be the man who recruits the team and serve as the leader. At the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman was already talking about setting his plan in motion. The conversation he had was with Wonder Woman, who will start out as second in command. She will certainly have a hand in helping Bruce Wayne in the recruiting process, while also kicked butt along the way.
As for Superman, that is where things get a little trickier. If you have seen Dawn of Justice, you know Clark Kent is not going to be around at the start of the film. From all of the official promotional material we have seen thus far for the film, he is nowhere to be found. But we all know he is eventually going to show up and help save the day. By the end of the film, he will have cemented his place as one of the team’s leaders, simply because he is Superman. And Superman sells tickets.
But by the time the credits roll, it will be two other members of the Justice League that will be the main talking points. We know what we have in Superman, and we have gotten a taste of both Batman and Wonder Woman. But the two characters we have only gotten small tastes of to this point, Flash and Aquaman, have some big time potential. The type of potential that can make Justice League DC’s first major success, from a critical standpoint (from fans and critiques).
[Kenny]
Let’s start with the Flash. Ezra Miller will be taking on the role of Barry Allen. Back when the casting was announced, this writer was highly skeptical, was Grant Gustin is already portraying the character on television. Having the same character being portrayed by two different actors at the same time made for a confusing decision, especially given the praise Gustin has gotten.
But as time has gone on, my tune has changed. DC has done a solid job at differentiating their television and movie universes from one another, marking them as totally separate entities. There have now been multiple characters to appear on both big and small screen, including Superman and Deadshot. With such a distinct separation, it has become a lot easier to invest in Miller’s Flash without really feeling the need to compare him to Gustin’s.
That leads us why Miller is set to make Barry Allen and Flash one of the best parts of the film. Based on the footage we have gotten so far, Miller seems to embody everything that Barry Allen should. He is quirky, nerdy and awkward. But all of that is meant in a positive way. This type of personality will help Flash standout in the group, as he is really the only one who will possess these characteristics.
This will help him become the comic relief of the film, which is much needed in the DC Cinematic Universe. Batman showed some flashes of funny in his last outing, but he is overall meant to be a serious character to be effective. With Justice League supposedly having a lighter tone in comparison to the early installments in the universe, Flash is set to be the man who brings this element to life. If the first trailer is any indication, Miller is going to do a tremendous job at just that, and when fans leave the theater in November, I have no doubt they will be quoting the Flash the most out of all the heroes.
Where Flash brings the humor, Aquaman will bring the epic badassery. When most people hear the name Aquaman, they just think of a blonde guy wearing orange and green swimming around in the ocean talking to fish. But then Jason Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry and things changed. Aquaman was officially going to be a total bad-ass in the DC Cinematic Universe.
Then the trailer dropped. And I was convinced Momoa was going to be the best part of the film at the conclusion of the roughly two and a half minutes worth of footage. This version of Aquaman is dripping with some serious attitude, which you can tell from the single worded response he gives Bruce Wayne in the beginning of the trailer. But things only get better from there, with Momoa grabbing Bruce Wayne by the collar of his coat, and then turning around to slam him against the wall. That’s Batman he just manhandled!
If you know Momoa from his work on Game of Thrones, you know he does a great job at playing the character with some serious attitude. As a result, he does not play well with others. And that is exactly what the film is going to need, as Aquaman can provide some friction within the team, which will help make the whole thing feel more realistic. He is going to be the muscle, and even though he does not always agree with his teammates, he will always stand up for them.
So while the other characters will bring the big name recognition, it will be Flash and Aquaman that form the heart and soul of the team, as well as the film. As much as I enjoyed Ben Affleck as Batman in Dawn of Justice, Miller and Momoa are set to steal the spotlight in Justice League.
Be sure to check out the trailer below, even if you have seen like countless times, like myself.