HBO Max’s third DC television series in the works is J.J. Abrams’ Justice League Dark, which will bring DC Comics' supernatural realm to the screen. With plot details currently under wrap, there is a big selection of DC characters for the Justice League Dark TV show to choose from. After announcing the plans for a shared TV/film universe named after the group, HBO Max has ordered a Justice League Dark project to series, where it will join Greg Berlanti’s Green Lantern and Strange Adventures shows in HBO Max’s original programming slate. While a number of team members have appeared elsewhere in live-action, Justice League Dark will mark the first time that they're brought together as an ensemble.
According to HBO Max’s press release about Justice League Dark, more details are to be “revealed soon.” The team, which officially became a league as part of The New 52 reboot in September 2011, has brought together some of DC Comics’ magical and supernatural beings. Justice League Dark has recently been part of the DCAMU (DC Universe Animated Movie Universe) line-up with an animated version released in 2017. A sequel, titled Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, is set to release in May.
With a handful of Justice League Dark’s members being significantly more popular than others, it will be intriguing to see who makes it into the line-up for the TV show, especially since a couple of the league’s most famous members have recently been, or are currently in, other live-action properties, the speculation for the HBO Max’s line-up has a few interesting options to consider. Following a first season’s approach, 7 members are the ideal maximum number to begin with as well as a nod to the JLA also beginning with 7 heroes back in the day.
While many are familiar with Enchantress as a villain, particularly through 2016’s Suicide Squad, she actually has antihero layers to her character. One of June Moone’s biggest and recent arcs came in 2011 as part of The New 52 reboot, where Justice League Dark officially became a team. The team’s coming together actually had to do with Enchantress during a time when she and June had been separated due to another character’s actions. They’re eventually merged together as one as Enchantress is pulled back from being viewed as a villain. For the TV show, the line-up could benefit from having at least one wildcard and since her cinematic counterpart was killed off, the HBO Max drama could further explore her further complexity.
Enchantress’ big New 52 arc was caused by the very person who brought the Justice League Dark together: Madame Xanadu. Nimue Inwudu recently made it to the world of live-action as one of the main characters of DC Universe’s short-lived Swamp Thing, played by Jeryl Prescott. Given her role as the founder of the team, it wouldn’t be surprising for the show to incorporate Madame Xanadu in a similar capacity. One of the group’s appealing elements is its inclusion of LGBTQIA characters, with Xanadu being one of them. Adding her would allow Justice League Dark to start off with diverse representation. The Madame’s overall role would likely to be to serve as one of the old-school magic users of the DC Universe.
One of the league’s more recognizable members is Boston Brand a.k.a. Deadman. The former circus trapeze artist has the tragic backstory of being killed during a performance. His spirit magically lives on as Boston had gained the ability to possess any living being. Being one of the longest-standing members of the league, Deadman seems like a guarantee to be making into the line-up for the first season. With Boston’s inclusion in the animated films with the team to almost having had his own live-action TV show, Justice League Dark is the perfect project to finally incorporate the witty supernatural hero. From a character standpoint, this would be someone played by multiple actors, given the nature of Deadman's abilities.
Despite not being a frequent member of the team in the comics, Doctor Fate has had an alliance with Justice League Dark. Though he's recognized more for his part in the Justice Society of America, the live-action show has the opportunity to mix things up a bit. With Fate, particularly Kent Nelson, being one of DC Comics’ oldest magic-based characters, the line-up could benefit from including him as a veteran magical superhero. Doctor Fate has, in general, been underused for DC’s live-action properties, with Smallville being the only project to have brought him to life. Given that Nelson's magic, through the Helmet of Nabu, is a bit different from some of the other characters, it would help visualize the diverse representation of magic in the DC Universe.
Another element that has gotten positive feedback fro fans is Justice League Dark’s inclusion of non-human members. One of the most famous creatures in DC Comics is Swamp Thing a.k.a. Alec Holland, whose recent live-action adventures came to an abrupt conclusion after his DC Universe show was canceled. Following the show’s cancelation, it was revealed that Swamp Thing was going to set up Justice League Dark in future seasons. The HBO Max drama could potentially tie in Swamp Thing while still having the liberties to establish its own tone and continuity. Looking past the cancelation, the series had a compelling interpretation of Swamp Thing, both creatively and visually as the creature’s character design was ambitious and accurate.
Even if Justice League Dark doesn’t use DC Universe’s exact version of Swamp Thing, bringing back the visual design of the supernatural creature with Derek Mears portraying him shouldn’t, in theory, be a problem. Abrams and his team could sill write their own backstory for Swamp Thing. But giving Mears’ version, a phenomenal interpretation of the iconic character, extended life with the upcoming series would be inspired. If Arrowverse’s recent crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths could do it, it’s not entirely impossible for Mears’ version to continue to live on. In the end, they have the option to do Swamp Thing completely anew if they so choose to. But to not see the creature as part of the line-up at all would be an odd choice, given that he is one of the most famous members.
Another beloved magic-related character that has existed in the DC lore for over 30 years is Zatanna Zatara. Similar to characters like Doctor Fate, the live-action movies and shows haven’t included Zatanna in any capacity since her guest spots on Smallville, played by Serinda Swan. Recognized as one of the light-hearted members of the team, it’s hard to imagine Justice League Dark not including Zatanna from the get-go. She has after all been a prominent member in the animated line-up of Justice League Dark which supports the idea of Warner Bros. recognizing her following. Zatanna reportedly even had a live-action DCEU film in development.
The member who has been appearing most frequently in the last couple of years in media is John Constantine. With the iconic character gaining an even bigger following through Matt Ryan’s ongoing portrayal, currently on Legends of Tomorrow, Constantine is a no-brainer to include on the team. But will the present well-received incarnation be included in the new universe that Abrams is creating, or would Constantine be played by a different actor? Crisis on Infinite Earths aided Warner Bros’ strategy in expanding the Multiverse concept even more for general viewers. Through its adaptation of the iconic 1985 storyline, it helped establish DC TV shows and films, past, present and future ones, to exist all in the same shared Multiverse, even in the new one that Oliver Queen created as the Spectre.
With Ryan having played the character in other properties outside of the Arrowverse, it’s clear that Warner Bros. sees the value in the actor’s performance as DC’s Hellblazer. Ryan has voiced the character in his own CW Seed series, not related to the Arrowverse and is lending his voice to the Justice League Dark animated films as well. Similarly to approaching Mears’ Swamp Thing, incorporating Ryan’s Constantine shouldn’t be too difficult. Without taking anything away from Arrowverse’s incarnation, Ryan could theoretically play a Constantine from a so-called Earth-JLD where Abrams still gets to execute his own spin and continuity on the character.
The sardonic magic-knowing demon hunter is to many fans the most famous member of the team and would likely be the one lead the HBO Max's series. Regardless if The CW would be using the character whenever the show premieres, seeing Constantine not being part of it is highly unlikely, The bigger mystery is more about if they go with a new version altogether or somehow recruit Ryan as any incarnation of John Constantine on Justice League Dark.
