Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Stargirl series finale “Chapter Thirteen: The Reckoning.” Read at your own risk!

Stargirl took its final bow at The CW, but not before resolving the big plot twist that Sylvester was actually a vessel for the Ultra-Humanite. Once that was resolved, the series took the chance to tie off a few loose ends and then jumped ten years into the future for what seemed like a scene that would serve as the perfect ending to three seasons of adventure. Then Jay Garrick came barging in from a portal and revealed to The Shade that he needed the JSA, and viewers saw an end card that read “Never The End.” That message could be a little confusing to some, so it’s a good thing creator Geoff Johns explained the finale’s emotional last message.

To make things clear right from the jump, Stargirl is still cancelled. With that said, the adventures continue as far as Geoff Johns is concerned, as he explained to TVLine the meaning of “Never The End” and why he went with that over “The End”: 

That’s the kind of passionate response that should make any superhero fan sad to see this series end. With that said, Geoff Johns is absolutely right that there’s nothing stopping fans from rewatching Stargirl, made all the easier for those with an HBO Max subscription. 

And while the prospects for Stargirl making a return aren’t great at the moment, the idea that things are “Never The End” for the JSA means that the adventures can continue down the road, even if not necessarily in another TV show. Comics, audiobooks, a podcast, and maybe even something in virtual reality could happen. "Never The End" means no limits to the imagination.

Although it may be a tad upsetting to see Stargirl go out with Geoff Johns’ inspirational message that Brec Bassinger’s character and others can go on forever, at least it had a chance to wrap things up as best it could. Legends of Tomorrow didn’t get that opportunity, and now fans can only look back at the ending in which the Legends were arrested. 

Stargirl instead went with the series finale that kept the door open for new adventures but also doled out enough information to confirm the JSA is doing well in the future and became some of the greatest heroes the world has ever known. Oh, and Rick and Beth were going to get married, which was pretty exciting to hear!

Back in the show’s normal timeline, Stargirl revealed Ultra-Humanite was functionally brain-dead. Pat and Courtney decided to keep Sylvester’s body on life support in the event they ever found his real brain down the line. It was then revealed that Sylvester’s brain was still intact and stashed away in a remote location unknown to the heroes. Kind of creepy, but ultimately good to know he could return if there ever is a follow-up adventure. After all, the end card said, “Never The End.”

Stargirl is done at The CW, not too long before the last Arrowverse show standing returns for its last round of episodes. The ninth and final season of The Flash is on the way with the premiere on Wednesday, February 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Here’s hoping it’ll have just as satisfying a finale as Stargirl, which could be hard considering it already aired its original idea for a finale. 

With the cancellation of many of The CW’s superhero shows this past spring, Stargirl became one of the handful of DC Comics-adapted offerings left standing. However, the series just received some unfortunate news. Its network home confirmed that the show has officially been cancelled and will conclude with the currently-airing Season 3. With this, series creator Geoff Johns and lead actress Brec Bassinger have responded. 

Stargirl has been a particularly special project for Geoff Johns, who created the character of Courtney Whitmore for the comics and based her on his late sister. In a statement that was shared with The Hollywood Reporter, the writer/producer reflected on the show’s run. He also specified whether he and his collaborators knew  Season 3 would mark the end of the program’s run: 

Based on his comments, it would, at the very least, seem that the writing staff prepared for the end, meaning that the finale should serve as a satisfying series capper. It’s still going to be tough for many to say goodbye to the beloved superhero show, though, and that doesn’t just go for the fans. Courtney Whitmore actor Brec Bassinger, in her own statement, got honest about what the character and the show as a whole have meant to her: 

Geoff Johns’ coming-of-age superhero dramedy premiered on the now-defunct DC Universe streaming platform in 2020 before moving to network TV for its second season the following year. As THR notes, it’d been rumored that the show might meet its demise this year. Amid its acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, The CW cancelled a plethora of shows, as the broadcaster is now looking to change its direction programming-wise. Other reports also indicated that the axed (and somewhat expensive) Arrowverse shows wouldn’t have survived much longer, as the network is now looking to become profitable. Now, on the DC front, the current series that remain are Superman & Lois and The Flash, which will conclude its run in 2023.

Stargirl Season 3 has arguably been the show’s biggest, as it’s highlighted a number of notable DC characters like Obsidian and Mister Bones. And just a few weeks ago, Brec Bassinger seemingly teased a crossover of sorts with Titans when she dropped a behind-the-scenes pic featuring Beast Boy actor Ryan Potter. All the while, the series has been teasing a shadowy antagonist, who will likely face off with the Justice Society of America by the final episode. 

It’s disappointing (and also kind of fitting) that the third season would be the last, considering how strong it's been. But after hearing Geoff Johns’ comments, viewers will likely be more excited and curious than ever to see how he, Brec Bassigner and the cast and crew close out the story of Courtney Whitmore and the JSA.

You can watch the final episodes of Stargirl when they air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW as part of the 2022 TV schedule. Those who need to catch up before the finale or want to check out the show for the first time can stream episodes using an HBO Max subscription.

The CW is the place to be on broadcast TV when it comes to DC Comics superhero action, and Stargirl (starring Brec Bassinger as the titular superhero) will return for Season 2 in August. The show will officially get one step closer to the larger Arrowverse with even more heroes at the forefront, with appearances from John Wesley Shipp's speedster Jay Garrick and Joel McHale's Starman on the way. Stargirl creator and showrunner Geoff Johns previewed the "grander universe" of Season 2, with these two stars and heroes in the mix.

News broke back in February that John Wesley Shipp would make an appearance in Stargirl Season 2, which was a big deal right off the bat even before there were many details about what is in store. Although Shipp's time playing a speedster technically started in 1990 as star of CBS' short-lived The Flash series, the version of Jay Garrick he'll bring to Stargirl is one he debuted in the Arrowverse's Flash. Geoff Johns explained what Shipp will bring to Stargirl at a press event via EW, saying:

John Wesley Shipp will reprise his role as Jay Garrick in the ninth episode of Stargirl Season 2 as the Golden Age Flash, part of the previous incarnation of Earth-2 Justice Society of America. Stargirl had previously established that there have been some of the same heroes on Earth-2 as Earth-1 (and later Earth Prime), but with different people wearing the mask. At the same time, Season 2 cast a former Arrow villain actor to play an entirely different Stargirl villain, so Stargirl connecting to the Arrowverse courtesy of Jay Garrick is certainly going to be interesting.

And Geoff Johns is already thinking about what a direct connection between Stargirl and the Arrowverse could mean for Courtney Whitmore and her friends' adventures moving forward. The creator shared the potential impact of John Wesley Shipp's Jay Garrick on Stargirl, saying that it:

None of this is to say that another "Crisis" is on the way to bring Stargirl to Earth Prime to join The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and the rest, even though the upcoming end of Supergirl does mean that a vacancy is on the way when it comes to a superhero show centered on an optimistic young female hero. Still, Stargirl is nine episodes away from getting much closer to the Arrowverse than the likes of Titans, for example, even though characters from both shows cameoed in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event.

But what about the hero who briefly appeared at the end of Stargirl Season 1, who hasn't had an Arrowverse doppelganger turn up already? Joel McHale's appearance as Sylvester Pemberton in the first season finale came as a surprise, but Starman seemingly isn't returning to the action to try and rejoin the JSA, but rather reunite with former sidekick Pat, played by Luke Wilson. Geoff Johns previewed Joel McHale in Season 2, saying:

A promotional photo for Season 2 confirms that Joel McHale will appear as Sylvester Pemberton in the premiere, but only time will tell on subsequent appearances between Episode 1 and Episode 9. It does sound like McHale will share the screen with John Wesley Shipp, since Shipp's appearance is slated to be in Episode 9. Plus, Luke Wilson (whose brother joined a Marvel universe over the summer) will appear as Pat, so fans clearly have a lot to look forward to.

Stargirl returns for Season 2 on Tuesday, August 10 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW, a year after the Season 1 finale in 2020. DC Comics heroes have a strong presence on superhero TV thanks to The CW, and more are returning to the network in the fall.

The complex story of Justice League star Ray Fisher's troubles with Warner Bros. has now taken a very surprising turn, as some potential details about a recent DC Comics series have allegedly come to light. It's now being said that, supposedly, former Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page was up for a role as Superman's grandfather on said television show, but that he wasn't allowed to play the part because he's black.

Here's what going on. Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has been speaking out against director Joss Whedon (who took over reshoots on Justice League), and many of the major executives at Warner Bros. for what happened during Whedon's time on the film, including comic book writer and movie / TV producer Geoff Johns.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher is now saying that over the past several months of speaking with witnesses to try and have the supposed behavior of Whedon, Johns, and others corroborated, he heard from two people who worked on Syfy's Superman prequel series, Krypton, and alleged that Johns, who oversaw the drama, wouldn't let Regé-Jean Page play Kal-El's grandfather in the show because of his race.

According to multiple sources that the outlet spoke to, the creators of Krypton (who began actively developing the show for Syfy in late 2014), were "passionate" about making sure that they used nontraditional casting. Regé-Jean Page had auditioned for the role of Seg-El, Superman's grandfather, and was in the running to lead the series as it followed the character while he tried to redeem the name of his family and save his planet. But, allegedly, Geoff Johns said that Page could not play the part because Superman couldn't have a black grandfather.

Now, Regé-Jean Page hasn't come out and said anything about this, and he likely wouldn't have been given a reason this specific for why he didn't get the part of Seg-El on Krypton back then, anyway. But, if this is true, I think we can probably say that, at the very least, Krypton missed out on a marvelous opportunity to have the breakout star on their show.

Obviously, there's no telling whether or not having Regé-Jean Page on Krypton would have made the show more popular or lead to it connecting with viewers more, but I think a lot of Bridgerton viewers would agree that the show probably would have been a lot sexier.

As it stands now, Krypton only lasted for two seasons, from 2018 through 2019, and while it would be truly crappy if Page was eliminated from the running simply because he's black, sometimes even crappy things do happen for a reason. Can you imagine if he had helped make Krypton a huge success, and was then unable to come anywhere near Bridgerton because he was too busy? We're now dealing with the idea of Bridgerton Season 2 being completely Page-less, and, I have to say, the idea is not fun for us, regardless of what happens in the novels that show is based on.

Through a representative, Geoff Johns denied any racially-motivated wrongdoing on Krypton and Justice League, though the rep did admit Johns thought audiences were expecting Krypton's lead to look like Henry Cavill.

We'll likely never hear concrete details on what happened behind the scenes on Krypton, but at least supposedly missing out on the part didn't hurt Regé-Jean Page's career any.

The DC Universe is hitting the small screen in a big way. The Arrowverse has, of course, been a staple for years now but, with more recent and upcoming shows like Stargirl and Peacemaker, the comics label is making an even larger dent on the medium. One of the projects that fans are most looking forward to is HBO Max’s upcoming Green Lantern show, which will feature multiple heroes wearing the iconic power rings. The show is still in its early days, and plot details are still being kept close to the vest. But if a new report is to be believed, we may have a better idea of how it plans to juggle its assortment of protagonists.

The Green Lantern show is expected to move away from more well-known Lanterns and shift the focus to others from the comics: Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz. So how will the series juggle such a diverse group of characters? Well, according to a report from The Direct, the show will span multiple time periods. The site mentions that it will feature the 1940s, 1980s and present day as settings. It’s unknown how the show would alternate between the timelines.

While this may not be the approach some fans would expect for a Green Lantern series, it actually makes a lot of sense. Each of the Green Lanterns that’ll be featured on the show were created during vastly different time periods and were all popular over different decades.

Alan Scott was originally created in the ’40s and would eventually gain popularity as a member of the Justice Society of America. While the fiery Guy Gardner was actually created in the ‘60s, the character wouldn’t achieve true popularity among the fans until the ‘80s and ‘90s. Both Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are more recent additions to the DC Universe, having been introduced in 2012 and 2014.

With all of that in mind, keeping the heroes in separate timelines, according to their prime eras within the DC Universe, would be a creative move. You would have to imagine, however, that certain events within the show would somehow have to connect the timelines. Dealing with multiple time periods in a single TV series is rarely easy, though Watchmen and This Is Us have proven that it can be done effectively.

HBO Max’s Green Lantern series is shaping up to be yet another DC show that shines a light on a corner of the comic book universe that casual fans may not be too familiar with. Producers Greg Berlanti and Geoff Johns made a bold move by deciding not to focus on mainstream Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, but they seem to be aiming to give fans and casual viewers a different kind of adventure—one that also features high production values.

There are still plenty of questions that need to be answered about HBO Max’s Green Lantern show, and it’ll probably be a while before we get any official updates. But what’s been reported so far is still enough to get fans both excited and intrigued.

While you wait for the Green Lantern show to premiere, you can currently stream shows like DC’s Harley Quinn and Doom Patrol on HBO Max.

Stargirl Season 1 gave fans more than enough comic book goodness, but it looks like Season 2 has the potential to up the ante in a major way. The season finale teased some big developments, with some of the most significant being the arrivals of new villains Eclipso and the Shade. While comic book readers are sure to have an idea of who they are, Stargirl creator Geoff Johns has now shed some light on how they’ll factor into the show.

Near the end of the finale, Cindy Burman located the gem that holds the villainous Eclipso, and Geoff Johns, a longtime fan of the character, is ready to bring him to the small screen:

Eclipso is a being with incredible powers like immortality, spirit possession and energy-projection. He’s also a megalomaniac who was once a spirit of divine vengeance. While speaking to the cast of the show during Stargirl’s virtual New York Comic Con panel, Johns didn’t say which abilities this Eclipso would have, but he totes him as a much scarier threat for the new Justice Society:

Of course, there’s also the matter of ISA member the Shade, who was notably absent throughout the season, until he made a brief cameo in the finale. Johns says the second season of Stargirl will bring the character to the forefront, and it sounds like he’s not someone to be trifled with:

Johns also explained that comics writer James Robinson, who reinvented the Shade for the modern DC canon, is a writer and producer on Stargirl and that they’re working to develop the character for the show. Needless to say, the classic villain is in good hands.

The new villains are going to be an exciting part of Stargirl Season 2,and watching them go toe to toe with Courtney Whitmore and her team will likely keep us on the edge of our seats. Plus, it’ll be interesting to see how they mesh with that returning Big Bad from Season 1.

Stargirl Season 2 will premiere on The CW sometime in 2021.

Throughout its first season, DC's Stargirl established a completely revamped and modernized lineup for the Justice Society of America, while also introducing audiences to the first major live-action take on the villainous Injustice Society. The good guys won in the end, of course, defeating Icicle and many of his cohorts, though it remains to be seen just how permanent that victory will be, considering the demonic Eclipso is on the way. Certain characters' fates remain unclear for now, but we DO know that Stargirl's biggest ball of rage will definitely be back for Season 2.

That's right, Solomon Grundy is coming back, baby! The literal biggest and baddest villain of Stargirl's first season was notably not killed off during that brawl with Cameron Gellman's Hourman II. And during the superhero series' panel during DC FanDome Day 2, creator and showrunner Geoff Johns confirmed that the hulking CGI monster Solomon Grundy will indeed be returning for more chaos in Season 2. In his words:

Huzzah! Solomon Grundy's presence was held to a minimum in Season 1, as the beast was locked up within Dragon King's lair, presumably as one of the mystical villain's more successful experiments (so to speak). Hourman II played a part in getting Grundy freed, which led to a big brawl between the villain and Pat in the S.T.R.I.P.E. suit, which then led to Hourman II nearly taking Grundy's head off. However, that worst case scenario (for Grundy) didn't happen, allowing for his return in the future. Not that it would be easy for Solomon Grundy to live a casual life in Blue Valley without attracting tons of attention.

Imagine seeing that face coming into a coffee shop to pick up a couple of espresso, and him just tossing the cups down his throat. On second thought, no one should ever give Solomon Grundy any caffeine.

Seeing as how Geoff Johns and the rest of Stargirl's creative team are in the process of breaking down the storylines for Season 2, there wasn't much more information that he could share with the world. But it does sound like fans might get to see more from Solomon Grundy in the second season than we saw in the first, assuming the "cool story ideas" that Johns referenced don't involve the villain just hiding out in a dark room all season.

Will we get to see Solomon Grundy and Cameron Gellman's Hourman II facing off for more destructive fight scenes, or does Geoff Johns have other ideas in mind? Let's not forget that there's comic book precedence for Solomon Grundy transitioning from a pure villain to someone capable of teaming up with the good guys for specific reasons. It's not entirely clear if this version of Grundy is capable of forming complex thoughts or not, such as wanting revenge on Dragon King and the rest of the ISA, but it's entirely possible that he and Hourman II will be fighting on the same side at some point.

Stargirl Season 1 is currently still available to stream on DC Universe, though that might not last too much longer. Season 2 will be a CW exclusive, and if everything holds up out there in the real world, fans will likely see new episodes kicking off in the early months of 2021. While waiting for more information, head to our Fall 2020 TV premiere schedule to see what other shows are on the way.

Justice League’s Ray Fisher and Warner Bros. have engaged in a bit of a back and forth since Fisher initially made claims against director Joss Whedon and DC Films producers Jon Berg and Geoff Johns. Most recently, Fisher claimed that DC Films President Walter Hamada spoke with him over the phone and allegedly tried to convince him to shift blame away from Johns and more towards Berg and Hamada. Warner Bros. later released a statement in which the studio claimed that no such phone call took place and asserted that Fisher was not cooperating with the investigation. Now, Fisher has responded to that claim.

WB’s claim was that Ray Fisher had refused to meet with the investigator assigned to the case. However, Fisher took to Twitter and asserted that he met with the investigator through a Zoom call on August 26th. In the post, he also included a screenshot of an email he sent to his management team and the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA):

In a second post, Ray Fisher also stated that he announced last month that he would be vetting the investigator to ensure a “fair and protected” process:

As of right now, neither Warner Bros. nor WarnerMedia have responded to Ray Fisher’s recent comments. Before the studios’ most recent statement, the company had been relatively silent about Ray Fisher’s allegations. However, shortly after Fisher’s initial claims, Jon Berg shot down the allegations and claimed Fisher had an issue with saying Cyborg’s “Booyaa” catchphrase.

Fisher has been careful when it comes to what he can and can’t say about the situation, which is due to the fact that he is still subject to the Non-Disclosure Agreement he signed. Despite this, the actor has used social media to address his fans and keep them updated on the situation.

While the situation is already complex, what makes things even more difficult is that Ray Fisher is currently in negotiations with Warner Bros. to return as Cyborg in the upcoming Flash solo film, which is set to begin shooting next year. As far as we know, Fisher’s role would only be a cameo.

Both Fisher and Warner Bros. have clearly had no problem responding to each other’s claims and, with so many variables within the situation, it’s hard to say how much longer things will persist.

Be sure to keep it here at CinemaBlend for further updates on the situation and for more news from the world of film and TV.

Justice League may be generating buzz due to the upcoming release of the Snyder Cut, but it’s also garnered plenty of attention following accusations made by Cyborg actor Ray Fisher. Back in July, the actor accused Joss Whedon, who took over for Snyder after his departure, of behavior that he described as “gross” and “abusive.” He also claimed that Whedon was allegedly enabled by DC Films’ producers Jon Berg and Geoff Johns.This would eventually lead WarnerMedia to launch a third-party investigation into the claims.

Just the other day, Ray Fisher took to Twitter to say that DC Films President Walter Hamada reached out to him in an attempt to convince him to put most of the blame on Joss Whedon and Jon Berg and not Geoff Johns. However, WarnerMedia (via THR) is now refuting that claim:

The WarnerMedia spokesperson also alleged that Ray Fisher has not cooperated with the investigation and that “to date, Mr. Fisher has declined to speak to the investigator.”

What makes this situation even more complicated is the fact that Ray Fisher is currently in negotiations to reprise his role as Cyborg for a cameo in Warner Bros. and DC’s Flash movie. That project is set to begin shooting sometime next year.

Ray Fisher has been very vocal about the situation since first making the initial claims against Joss Whedon. In the weeks that followed, he also made more specific claims against Geoff Johns. In a social media post, Fisher claimed that Johns made a “thinly veiled threat” to his career when the actor and his agent apparently attempted to discuss problems with the powers that be.

Since Ray Fisher first made his claims, neither Geoff Johns nor Joss Whedon have spoken out publicly on the matter. However, Jon Berg did release a statement in which he shot down the actor’s claims, calling them “categorically untrue.” He also alleged that Fisher took issue with having to say Cyborg’s signature catchphrase, “Booyaa.”

At this point in time, Ray Fisher is limited in what he can say regarding his claims against Joss Whedon and the producers at DC Films. This is due to the fact that he’s currently still being beholden to a Non-Disclosure Agreement. In terms of the investigation, WarnerMedia has yet to disclose any specific findings, and there is currently no indication as to how much longer said investigation will continue.

It remains to be seen what will come of the situation, but one thing that can be said is that this Justice League situation will likely continue to develop as time goes on.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of movies and TV.

2017’s Justice League has gotten a lot of attention on two fronts lately. In one corner, we have Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a.k.a. the Snyder Cut, in the works for HBO Max, which will play out as a much different movie compared to what was shown in theaters. In the other corner, Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has been publicly chronicling his journey to ensure that director Joss Whedon is held accountable for being “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” during the movie’s reshoots period, behavior that Fisher claims producers Jon Berg and Geoff Johns enabled.

Now Ray Fisher has shared his latest update, and it involves Walter Hamada, the president of DC Films, supposedly asking Fisher to specifically stop targeting Geoff Johns. As Fisher posted on Twitter:

In case you haven’t been following Ray Fisher’s Justice League crusade closely, back in August, the actor wrote that when the the fifth DC Extended Universe movie was doing its LA-based reshoots, Geoff Johns called him into his office to admonish him for “take grievances up the proper chain of command,” as well “made a thinly veiled threat” to Fisher’s career. Now Fisher claims that more recently, Walter Hamada called to make some sort of deal with him which would involve Joss Whedon and Jon Berg facing repercussions, but not Johns.

Clearly Ray Fisher is not willing to agree to that deal, so it remains to be seen what the next step forward in this process is. Still, things seems to be going in Fisher’s favor right now, as two weeks ago, the actor revealed that after five weeks of “interviews with various cast/crew,” Warner Bros launched an “independent third-party investigation to get to the heart of the toxic and abusive work environment created during Justice League reshoots.”

Geoff Johns has been part of DC Comics for over 20 years and has written titles centered on many of DC’s most famous characters, including Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and the Teen Titans. In addition to his Justice League contributions, Johns has also been a producer on all the DCEU movies from the last four years, as well as TV shows like Titans and Stargirl. In 2018, Johns stepped down as both President and Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment to focus more on DC creative endeavors, including writing the Green Lantern Corps script.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on how Ray Fisher’s Justice League campaign is coming along, and be on the lookout for Zack Snyder’s Justice League hitting HBO Max sometime in 2021. Find out what DC movies are headed to theaters in the near future with our handy guide.

As the march towards Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a.k.a. the Snyder Cut, dropping on HBO Max continues, Ray Fisher, the DC Extended Universe’s Cyborg, has keeping up his crusade against director Joss Whedon, who helmed the 2017 superhero movie’s reshoots when Snyder exited. Fisher has previously described Whedon’s behavior on the Justice League set as being “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable,” and the actor also stated that producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg enabled this behavior.

Now Ray Fisher is pointing the spotlight back on Geoff Johns with the following statement that he shared on Twitter claiming that Johns threatened his career:

Back at the beginning of July, Ray Fisher said that because he’s still “under contract” and signed a non-disclosure agreement, he has to be careful about what he says regarding his experiences with Joss Whedon on the Justice League set, otherwise he could get “sued into oblivion.” However, this latest comment concerning Geoff Johns certainly doesn’t paint the producer in a good light.

It’s unclear when Ray Fisher will be able to provide more specific details on what he went through with Joss Whedon, Geoff Johns and other people who were in charge throughout the making of Justice League, but this is part of the actor’s ongoing efforts to promote accountability over entertainment. As far as Johns is concerned, he’s been a DC heavyweight for over two decades now, having written characters like Green Lantern, Superman and the Teen Titans, as well produced various movies and TV shows, including The Flash, Titans, Stargirl, Aquaman and Wonder Woman 1984.

If you follow superhero movies at all, chances are you’re well familiar with Justice League’s troubled production. The movie Zack Snyder shot during principal photography was drastically overhauled when Joss Whedon came aboard, with reportedly around 80 pages of new material being written and only 10% of Snyder’s footage being kept in the final product. Throw in the Henry Cavill mustache debacle and a handful of other issues, and even if you set aside the accusations that Ray Fisher has directed at Whedon, Geoff Johns and others, it’s abundantly clear that a lot of things just went off the rails.

In the end, Justice League’s theatrical cut critically and commercially underperformed, and not only has a Justice League sequel not moved forward, but the direction of the entire DCEU has also changed. However, come next year, fans will get to see Zack Snyder’s intended vision for Justice League, with over $30 million (at least) being spent to assemble the Snyder Cut. Snyder has also made it clear he will not include any of Whedon’s footage in his take on Justice League.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on Ray Fisher’s Justice League crusade. In the meantime, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is expected to hit HBO Max in early to mid-2021, and you can learn what DC movies are heading to theaters in the coming years with our comprehensive guide.

Spoilers ahead for the Stargirl Season 1 finale.

Stargirl changed things up in its first season by killing off not one, but two of Courtney’s classmates. Henry’s storyline and subsequent death were especially sad because he believed that his father could change. Instead, Brainwave proved how merciless a villain he was when he killed off his own son. It was pretty brutal and many wondered whether Henry's death was a fluke. It wasn't, and Stargirl creator and showrunner Geoff Johns explained how Henry’s death actually subverted superhero expectations in Season 1.

Superhero properties tend to bring back dead characters quite often. It’s even expected at this point (though the use of Lazarus Pits should be avoided). Stargirl leaned into the trope when the Season 1 finale revealed that Starman might actually be alive. For Jake Austin Walker’s Henry, however, Geoff Johns decided to not bring him back from the dead despite viewers’ investment in his character. However, audiences did think Henry had returned for a second there in the finale. Was that the intention? Here’s what Johns told TVLine:

Henry’s death was particularly tragic because he did go from “unlikeable bully” to somewhat of a hero, and it sucks that fans won’t get to see him around in Season 2. That said, it’s about time that a character death was permanent on a superhero show, so props to Stargirl for sticking with it.

At the very least, Brainwave got his just desserts in Stargirl’s Season 1 finale. When facing off with Yolanda, Brainwave attempted to trick her into thinking Henry was still alive and twisted her memories of him. Suffice it to say that Yolanda wasn’t fooled and she wound up killing the vicious supervillain. Geoff Johns revealed the frame of mind behind Brainwave’s demise. In his words:

Brainwave was indeed “cold and cruel,” but at least fans won’t have to deal with him any longer despite how great a villain he was. Will Brainwave’s death stick like Henry’s did? Probably. The Season 1 finale saw glimpses of other Injustice Society of America members and I’m sure that villainy will live on into Stargirl Season 2. Sadly, that won’t include Henry, but we can’t have everything.

Stargirl Season 1 is currently available to watch on DC Universe and The CW’s website. The superhero series has been renewed for Season 2, but no premiere date has been scheduled. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule.

Playing a superhero in the live-action medium is rarely easy when you consider how much time and effort goes into filming and training. But it’s also an honor, as actors are given the chance to bring beloved characters to life and bring joy to audiences across the globe. This same thing applies to Stargirl’s Brec Bassigner, but she has the added layer of playing a character based on the late sister of Geoff Johns, the show’s creator. While such a prospect would seem nerve-racking to some, Bassinger seems to be taking it in stride.

DC Comics veteran Geoff Johns, who has written many of DC's younger heroes, created the character of Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl in the late ‘90s. He based the young heroine on his sister, Courtney, who died at the age of 18 in the TWA 800 flight explosion in 1996.

While Brec Basssinger was prepping for Stargirl, she and Geoff Johns discussed his sister and just how important it was for him to continue her legacy. The young actress has definitely taken that to heart, and she says Johns has been encouraging as she develops the role:

Aside from Bassinger’s portrayal, the Stargirl crew has also found another way to honor John’s sister. The production crew crafted a photo that features Courtney Johns and Brec Bassinger together. The image only appeared briefly on the show, but Bassinger preserved it on social media and got emotional while discussing it with E!:

Even if you didn’t know about Courtney Johns, it’s always been clear that Geoff Johns holds a soft spot for Courtney Whitmore. The plucky youngster has always served as a beacon of hope in the DC Universe, and her upbeat attitude has undoubtedly served as an inspiration to recent generations of comic book readers.

With this, it can definitely be said that both Brec Bassinger and Geoff Johns are firmly carrying the torch for Courtney and are certainly doing her legacy justice.

New episodes of Stargirl premiere every Monday on the DC Universe streaming service before airing on The CW on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

The world could definitely use a big dose of optimistic superheroism right now, and that's exactly what DC's Stargirl is bringing to the table in droves. With Brec Bassinger as the titular heroine (whose alter ego is Courtney Whitmore), Stargirl in some ways feels like a more polished take on The Flash's earliest episodes, when Barry Allen was just kinda wowed by everything around him. And even though the show is just starting up, it's never too early to wonder if Stargirl and Flash might team up in a future Arrowverse crossover, right?

Fans will remember that Stargirl did appear for a brief moment during the Arrowverse's most recent crossover event, the all-inclusive "Crisis on Infinite Earths." It obviously wasn't clear at the time whether her presence was more of a well-placed nod, such as that 1989 Batman reference, or if it was meant to hint at the potential for future crossovers. But now, Stargirl's TV and comic creator Geoff Johns has shared his thoughts about the possibility, saying this to TV Guide:

Clearly, Geoff Johns' phrasing there embraces the idea that Courtney Whitmore's Stargirl is already part of the Arrowverse, though it might be best not to try and figure out all the timeline details just yet. For clarity's sake, it's around 99.99% certain that DC Universe's Stargirl won't feature any hat tips to the CW's superhero universe, considering the "Crisis" crossover and CW airings came into play later into Stargirl's production.

But it's now entirely possible to bring Courtney into The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman or Black Lightning. Especially since all of those shows' follow-up seasons have been postponed to 2021. That said, we already know the next Arrowverse crossover is going to be a far more limited affair, so maybe don't plan for that to mark her return.

If Legends of Tomorrow kicks off with someone talking about needing a giant robot that has a habit of punching itself in the face, we'll know to expect Luke Wilson's S.T.R.I.P.E. at some point.

Just because fans aren't going to see Grant Gustin's Barry Allen in the first season of DC's Stargirl doesn't mean that the show won't be showcasing any other heroes beyond Brec Bassinger's agile badass. She's carrying the torch for the Justice Society of America, after all, and Geoff Johns has already teased that the chances are decent that the Green Lantern and/or The Flash will show up in some way on Stargirl. How amazing would it be if Stargirl's Jay Garrick was also played by The Flash's John Wesley Shipp?

Check out how Stargirl's early reviews looked, and start watching the show on DC Universe every Monday, with episodes going live at 9:00 a.m. ET.

The world of television is about to be introduced to its next superhero. DC’s Stargirl — not to be confused with the Disney+ movie of the same name — is slated to join The CW’s line-up. However, the show won’t be set in the shared Arrowverse, which includes The Flash and Supergirl. Created by DC Comics writer Geoff Johns, the showrunner recently explained how Stargirl will be more like theatrical movies than the Arrowverse.

Set in Blue Valley, Nebraska, Stargirl follows Brec Bassinger’s Courtney Whitmore, a 15-year-old who joins the ranks of the Justice Society of America, an elite team of superheroes. Her relationship with her stepdad, Luke Wilson’s Pat Dugan, is less than ideal, and Courtney struggles to adjust after moving to the small town. What makes the show different from other TV superheroes? In a recent interview with EW, Geoff Johns discussed how Stargirl employs the use of a pre-production process typically used to map out movie visuals. In his words:

Just the fact that Stargirl utilized some movie techniques definitely sets it apart from its televised superhero predecessors and gives it more of a theatrical feel. Geoff Johns goes on to say that he wanted Stargirl’s staff to “have a personality and be alive” when she uses it to fight villains and that led to the hiring of Captain Marvel’s stunt coordinator, Walter Garcia. Wanting to use practical effects for Pat Dugan's robot suit, the folks at WB hired Legacy Effects, the studio that created Iron Man's movie armor.

What’s more, Stargirl’s origin story is also much different than any of the Arrowverse shows. For starters, Courtney Whitmore is much younger than The Flash, Supergirl, and Green Arrow when she sets off on her superhero journey. Being a teenager means there’s a lot more uncertainty in her life and Geoff Johns, for one, loves that Courtney is a teen looking to follow in the footsteps of previous heroes. Here’s how he puts it:

Stargirl is also in the unique position of airing on both DC Universe and The CW. Although Geoff Johns admits that the episodes will have to be cut down to make room for The CW’s commercial breaks, the series will air uninterrupted on the DC Universe streaming service. It’s the best of both worlds.

Stargirl Season 1 premieres on Monday, May 18 on DC Universe and on Tuesday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW. For more on what to watch in the coming months, be sure to check out our 2020 summer TV premiere schedule.

The Green Lantern’s return to the live-action medium has been turbulent over the past few years. Yet things seemed to be turning around following the announcement that a new Green Lantern TV series from super producer Greg Berlanti is headed to HBO Max. Fans were likely glad to hear the Arrowverse veteran is working on it but, now, they’ll also be glad to know that a DC Comics scribe will be helping out behind the scenes.

As revealed by a listing on its website, Mad Ghost Productions, a company founded by DC Comics sage Geoff Johns, will be one of the producing forces behind the upcoming Green Lantern show. This means Johns will likely have a hand in developing the project.

As a writer for DC Comics, Geoff Johns has penned dozens of comic books, ranging from Batman and Justice League to Booster Gold and Hawkman. He’s also written several Green Lantern series, which is evidence of his passion for the character.

Johns has also made a name for himself in both the television and movie spheres. He previously served as a co-producer and creative consultant on Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern in 2011 and later held writing and producing duties on various DCEU films like Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman and Aquaman. He also co-wrote the story for the long-awaited Green Lantern Corps film. During this time, he would eventually be tasked with spearheading the newly created DC Films.

After stepping down as the co-head of DC Films, he founded Mad Ghost Productions and has used the company to produce projects based on DC Comics properties. His most recent production is Stargirl, which features yet another character he’s written for. On top of this, he also helped develop DC Universe’s Titans.

It’s clear that Geoff Johns has more than enough credentials to help bring Green Lantern to the small screen. He not only understands the characters from a comic book perspective, but he also knows how to refine fantastical concepts and characters for the live-action format.

As alluded to, it’s been difficult for Green Lantern to make a live-action comeback, as 2011’s Green Lantern was met with negative reviews and poor box office reception. Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer’s Green Lantern Corps film has also been in development hell for some time now. Though Warner Bros. claims the project is still a priority for the studio.

Green Lantern hasn’t been completely absent from television, however. It had long been teased that Arrow’s John Diggle would earn a power ring and, after the show’s series finale, it looks like he could be on his way to becoming an emerald knight.

Not much is known about HBO Max’s Green Lantern series at this point, expect for the fact that it’ll feature multiple heroes. But with Geoff Johns and Greg Berlanti both leading the way, this could turn out to be something special.

While you’re waiting for the series, you can check out Mad Ghost Productions' Stargirl when it makes its DC Universe debut on May 18, followed by its premiere on The CW the following day.

Stargirl is coming to DC Universe, and her show already has the potential to introduce some major characters from DC Comics lore. Stargirl stars Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl in the era of the Justice Society of America, but not in the way DC fans might expect. When the series opens, the JSA has been killed, and young heroes like the teenage Stargirl will have to step up. Does this open the door for veteran heroes like the first Flash and the first Green Lantern to appear?

Geoff Johns, executive producer and writer for Stargirl, weighed in on whether the Jay Garrick and Alan Scott versions of The Flash and Green Lantern could appear. Speaking with IGN, Johns said this:

While viewers shouldn't count on Jay Garrick and Alan Scott turning up in the flesh any time soon on Stargirl (or at all, depending on whether the entire original JSA died ahead of Courtney becoming Stargirl), their characters will definitely be honored. Interestingly, the Arrow-verse's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover that brought the various DC TV productions (and even the DCEU thanks to an unexpected cameo) together into a much smaller multiverse revealed Stargirl is set on Earth-2.

John Wesley Shipp has played Jay Garrick on The Flash, which is now the Arrow-verse's most senior ongoing series. Stargirl could conceivably introduce an Earth-2 Garrick played by Shipp, which would likely be a draw for Arrow-verse fans to check out the DC Universe series. The Arrow-verse has mostly shied away from canonically introducing a Green Lantern, aside from the tease at the end of the Arrow series finale, so there's no established Earth-1 Alan Scott actor to potentially reprise a Green Lantern role for Stargirl.

Whether or not Stargirl pulls some actors from the Arrow-verse to play Earth-2 versions of their characters, Arrow-verse fans may be checking out the new series in droves. New episodes of Stargirl will air on The CW the day after they release on DC Universe, with the series premiere making the show's broadcast network debut on May 18.

With three of the four currently ongoing Arrow-verse series cut short in the 2019-2020 TV season due to the coronavirus, fans may be looking for more superhero fare. The 13 episodes of Stargirl will certainly provide some superhero action, which could be especially welcome with an indefinite hiatus for many TV shows on the horizon.

Stargirl promises to begin telling a story that isn't beholden to the Arrow-verse canon (such as it is, post-Crisis) but still with the potential to tie to the Arrow-verse, which I say could make it very attractive to superhero fans who aren't into the Arrow-verse as well as Arrow-verse fans.

Either way, I can see The CW airing new episodes of Stargirl as potentially beneficial to both DC Universe and The CW itself. We'll just have to wait and see how Stargirl will honor JSA heroes like the first Flash and the first Green Lantern while telling Courtney Whitmore's story. Stargirl premieres on Monday, May 18 for DC Universe subscribers and Tuesday, May 19 on The CW.

Ben Affleck deserves credit for knowing when to walk away. Not that he's allowed to completely walk away from Batman without being asked about it during every interview. The news is still pretty fresh that he is definitely out as the DCEU's Batman -- not just as writer and director of The Batman solo movie, but also as the star. He finally confirmed his exit in a tweet, and added more thoughts during a brief retirement ceremony on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Now he's trying to promote his new movie Triple Frontier, but of course the Bat-Signal shined on him once again. He was asked what he was going to do with Batman in his movie. Here's his candid response:

It doesn't get much more honest than "I still don't know" and "that was part of the problem," as Ben Affleck admitted to IGN in a video interview surrounded by his Triple Frontier castmates.

Too often movies move forward with subpar scripts just to take the money and run. At least you can give Ben Affleck props for not wanting to force another mediocre superhero movie down the world's throat. He has more respect for Batman than that. Maybe that's taking the naive Pollyanna approach, but so be it. I choose to believe this mostly coming from a place of creative honesty -- "I'm not the one to tell this story after all" or even "Shit, my script really sucks" -- and not about anything else behind-the-scenes.

This has been a long journey for DC, Warner Bros., and Ben Affleck. This Batman standalone movie was first announced in 2014, and then tied to Affleck as star, director, and co-writer in 2016. Affleck co-wrote a screenplay -- or tried to -- with Geoff Johns. But in January 2017, Affleck announced that he would no longer direct the Batman movie. At the time, though, he was still planning to star in the movie.

Here's the statement Ben Affleck made to Variety at the time:

Matt Reeves was already on the shortlist at that point, and he did end up taking on the job of director. He also then took over the role of screenwriter, crafting his own story. The Batman movie has a 2021 release date, but it doesn't have a cast. Since Ben Affleck is out as Batman, there's been all kinds of speculation about who might be in. Reeves is reportedly looking for a familiar face to play Batman, and someone in a specific age range; the age range wasn't made public, but he's said to be looking for a younger Bruce Wayne.

It sounds like Matt Reeves has a clear vision for what he wants, which is what Ben Affleck admitted he lacked for this project.

Ben Affleck fully supports Matt Reeves, as he made clear in his initial tweet basically confirming his long-rumored exit as director/star/writer of the Batman movie. The Batman is currently scheduled for release on June 25, 2021. That's still a long way off (and it could always be moved), so keep up with what's coming to theaters this year with our handy 2019 movie schedule.

The following contains spoilers for Aquaman.

Aquaman is a certified hit, having brought in almost $200 million at the domestic box office, and over $750 million around the world. You can bet that the folks at Warner Bros. are already talking about the future of this particular corner of the DC film universe. And one thing we're very likely to get in that future is more Black Manta. This is because Geoff Johns, the former CCO of DC Comics, who now works as a producer of DC Comics related TV and movie content, thinks that not only do we need more Black Manta, a Black Manta focused movie isn't a bad idea. According to Johns...

Black Manta is played in Aquaman by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The character starts out in the film as a pirate, hijacking a Russian submarine, before using Atlantean technology to build the famous Black Manta suit in order to go after Arthur Curry in an act of revenge. Since the character does survive the film, there's certainly the possibility that we could see him again. In fact, the film's post-credits sequence is designed to imply these two characters will meet again in the future.

Interestingly, considering how popular the character is, it seems that there was at least a brief moment where taking Black Manta out of the film was considered. Geoff Johns tells Geeks of Color that James Wan once told Geoff Johns that Manta's story might be "too big" for the film...

It's somewhat understandable that James Wan might want to hold off on using Black Manta Aquaman simply because he's such a popular character. Comic book movies are frequently criticized for trying to include too many villains, and with King Orm already the main big bad of the story, Black Manta can't take center stage, at least in the plot.

However, by linking the story of Orm and Black Manta together, and by giving Black Manta his own big one-on-one fight scene with Aquaman, the character still gets his moment to shine, which likely satisfied any serious fans who follow him in the comics or remember him as a member of the Legion of Doom on the old Super Friends cartoon series.

In fact, one can't help but wonder if that might end up being exactly where we'll get more Black Manta in the movies. Justice League ended with a reference that Lex Luthor was going to put together the Legion of Doom. Perhaps Black Manta will find his way into the evil organization for the next big DC superhero team-up movie.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains minor spoilers for Aquaman. If you have not yet seen the film, read at your own risk!

As it exists, James Wan's Aquaman offers fans dynamite live-action adaptations of two of the titular hero's key antagonists: Orm (Patrick Wilson) and Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). These iconic villains are treated well in the new blockbuster, but if the movie had been made based on early drafts, they would have been joined by a few other notable comic book rogues, as I learned recently speaking with the movie's writers. Asked about DC characters who flirted with making their debut in Aquaman, Will Beall explained,

I spoke with Will Beall, David Leslie Johnson, and Geoff Johns over the phone earlier this month to talk about their work on Aquaman, and I could help but dig deeper when I learned about the prison break sequences that was almost written into the movie. While it was only something that was a part of the blockbuster in its earliest stages, just imagining what it could have been is definitely fun to think about.

After Will Beall briefly mentioning it in his answer to my question about including more DC characters, I followed up asking how the prison break sequence was going to fit into the movie. Apparently it was going to squeeze in shortly after the first real confrontation between Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and King Orm (Patrick Wilson). Arthur was going to lose the battle and be imprisoned, and during that stint behind bars get to meet a few baddies that comic book readers would recognize. Said the writers:

Those who have seen the film know that this is definitely a big change from the way that things play out in the finished cut. While this early draft of Aquaman had the hero losing to Orm in gladiator combat and being thrown in jail, the whole situation ultimately changed to see Arthur rescued at the last minute by Mera (Amber Heard), leading to a chase sequence with the duo trying to get out of Atlantis.

The way things play out in the film is great, but it still would have been great to see the prison break sequence as it had been planned -- if not just for all the teases of potential threats in the future of the Aquaman series/the DC Extended Universe. As for why it wound up getting cut from the movie, the writers simply said that it existed as one big action sequence too many (presumably the escape from Atlantis would have been an addendum to the prison break). In their own words:

Adding his two cents to the conversation, Geoff Johns added that he thought the direction taken by the script was a smart one. In his opinion it would have been unwise to totally flood Aquaman with an abundance of comic book characters, regardless of the size of their role. The movie was made to allow the eponymous superhero take center stage, and he believes that's exactly what the film ultimately does. Said Johns,

In addition to Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Aquaman co-stars Willem Dafoe, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, and Nicole Kidman, and is now in theaters everywhere.

While James Wan's Aquaman is the first film to fully dive into the story of the titular superhero, audiences did get a taste of his world in Zack Snyder's Justice League. Not only was it the first time we really got to know Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, but Amber Heard also made her debut as Mera. In a cut scene, Willem Dafoe was also supposed to make his first appearance as Vulko, and now, thanks to Geoff Johns, we know what his scene entailed:

It was never expected that Willem Dafoe was going to have a huge role in Justice League -- the actor openly acknowledging that the work was setting up for Aquaman -- but it was still a surprise when he didn't appear in the movie. It was part of the material that got removed when the blockbuster underwent major reshoots, and details about it have mostly been vague. That is still kind of the case, but at least we have a better idea of what was initially going to happen.

This information came out of an interview I did last week with Aquaman writers Geoff Johns, Will Beall, and David Leslie Johnson, the subject coming up when discussing the overlapping productions of the new film and Justice League. I asked how work on one wound up impacting the other, and the cut scene with Vulko came up as an example.

From what I was told, it doesn't sound like the Vulko cameo was ever really intended to be a big set up for Aquaman from a plot perspective, however his absence did wind up creating a certain demand in the James Wan movie. Specifically, Justice League was no longer going to serve the purpose of introducing audiences to Willem Dafoe's character -- Aquaman's longtime mentor -- so the 2018 movie had to build the on-screen presence from the ground up. Said Johns,

Without more context it's hard to say exactly how Vulko's scene in Justice League would have fit into the DC Extended Universe timeline, particularly because Aquaman is seen using his mother's trident a lot in the film, and his quest for the King's Trident is central to Aquaman. It's possible that any kind of conflict with continuity could be explained, however, by the Snyder movie's aforementioned post-production changes.

Those who were particularly sad not to see Willem Dafoe in Justice League will be happy to know that he plays a prominent role in Aquaman, starring within an awesome ensemble cast that also includes Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman. The film arrives in theaters this Friday, December 21st, and we'll have plenty more coverage coming your way over the next few days and weeks here on CineamBlend.

For many of the characters that populate DC Universe's Titans, the show is about their origin story. When it came to Robin and his journey into becoming Nightwing, the show decided to take a similar approach. If you are curious why, Titans' executive producer Geoff Johns has revealed the answer, saying:

What Geoff Johns told DC Comics lines up with what has previously been shared regarding Dick Grayson's journey in Titans' first season. Fans got their first taste of how the split between Dick and Batman was going in the trailer for Titans. Given what Dick said, it was easy to figure out -- he has some issues with his former mentor.

It is safe to say that Geoff Johns and company made the right call. Skipping over the beats of Dick Grayson's life post-Batman would have been a mistake. There is a lot of angst to sift through, and Titans' approach has paved the way to explore that. Who is Robin without Batman? Dick Grayson and Batman share a past, and that impact should be felt for some time. Whether they are working together or not.

They shared an intense period of time together as vigilantes. That is life or death stuff right there. Plus, there is the aspect of Batman sort of being Dick's only family for a while. Having that sort of connection with someone is pretty special. You cannot walk away without some emotional repercussions.

Considering the way things are between Dick Grayson and Batman, focusing on the angle of Grayson sorting things out also gives the show somewhere to go. It makes his eventual evolution into Nightwing something Titans can follow from its genesis. Since Dick is so far removed from where he will eventually be, that may take multiple seasons. Thank goodness, the show was already renewed for a second!

It will not only take time for Robin to become Nightwing, it will also take time for the Titans to form as a team. While Dick Grayson may be struggling with the after-effects of his days as Batman's sidekick, a new guy is in that slot. Let the rivalry commence!

The cause of Robin's split with Batman was previously hinted at by actor Brenton Thwaites. He plays Dick Grayson/Robin in the new series. Thwaites shared that, as Titans' first season progressed, fans would learn more about the backstory behind Dick's decision to part ways with Batman. Dick had to draw the line somewhere with his now ex-mentor. Despite being out of Batman's orbit, he will continue to feel the impact of being his protégé.

Find out how, when new episodes of Titans premiere every Friday on DC Universe. The superhero drama is among a bunch of new content offerings available to stream this fall.

The first episode of Titans has made its debut on DC Universe! Among the characters taking center stage is Dick Grayson aka Batman's first Robin -- relationship that in and of itself offers a lot of backstory to sift through. With one episode down, it stands to reason you may be curious how much Titans will explore Robin's past. Well, executive producer Geoff Johns has revealed the answer. Speaking to CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes at the red carpet of New York Comic Con, Johns said:

Geoff Johns' answer is especially exciting when you consider one especially tantalizing tidbit. There will be flashbacks to Robin's past in Titans. Why does that matter? It means that instead of solely relying on monologues to reveal the history, viewers will get to watch it unfold. There is something to be said for using that technique. Johns also hints there will be more flashbacks than people expect. So, it sounds like it will not be a sparsely-utilized thing.

Titans executive producer John Fawcett also weighed in with insight on how the series will handle Robin's past. What Fawcett teases builds on what those have seen the trailer may be anticipating. That would be the strained relationship between Dick/Robin and Batman. Suffice it to say; the two of them are not in a great place when Titans picks. As part of Dick's story, Titans will explore that. Fawcett said:

As previously teased, assembling the group known as Titans will be at the fore of Season 1. So, John Fawcett's reveal follows suit, with previous hints of what the freshman installment will entail. As for Batman and Robin, Titans has a lot of ground to cover. In a promo clip from Season 1, Robin is shown meeting his replacement. This means Batman has at least moved on in the sense of finding another Robin.

As seen in the clip, that is something that clearly stings Robin 1.0. Well, that and Robin 2.0 seems to have been vested with more to do than Batman gave Dick, all of which hints at a sibling rivalry of sorts. Whatever the history that made Robin want to part ways with Batman, it is more than a "child-parent" rebellion. Actor Brenton Thwaites previously teased that fans would learn that Batman has gone a bit far when Titans picks up.

Add to that their crime-fighting past and the duo share a complicated relationship, to say the least. With Dick Grayson stepping away from Batman, there will be a lot for Titans to investigate emotionally. Fans are used to exploring Batman without Robin. How Robin is without a Batman has been a lesser explored theme.

Find out how Titans will handle it when new episodes of Season 1 premiere, Fridays on DC Universe. As of October 12, there are eleven more episodes set to debut on the new streaming platform. The superhero drama is among a vast amount of new television offerings available to stream this fall.

The anticipation surrounding DC Universe's Titans is growing, and a fresh bit of info from the series' writer and producer has the power to ramp up the anticipation for it even more. While at New York Comic Con, Geoff Johns teased that the show would be foolish not to tackle The Judas Contract, which would mean having to introduce the Teen Titans' archnemesis: Deathstroke. There is a twist to this Deathstroke news though. Here is what Johns had to say:

That's right! Geoff Johns confirmed that Titans would eventually introduce the character of Deathstroke with a hint of change in the air. The news comes from the DC Universe panel at New York Comic Con (via ComicBook) and the keyword that Johns says is "new." What exactly he meant by a new Deathstroke is unclear. It is a crucial bit of info that is destined to send speculation soaring. For Titans to want a new take on the character makes sense given the competition it has received from other adaptations.

In the Arrow-verse, Deathstroke has been played by Spartacus' Manu Bennett. In the movie universe, True Blood's Joe Manganiello is the latest to play the Teen Titans' greatest enemy. Whether the "new" Geoff Johns is referring to has to do with casting or the backstory of the character being different is unknown. With so many iterations, it will be intriguing to find out how Titans plans to set their Deathstroke apart from the ones that have come before.

As for Geoff Johns' assertion that fans will "eventually" see Deathstroke on Titans -- that leaves the door open for when exactly fans will catch a glimpse of the villain. The new DC Universe series will have time though, as it has already been renewed for a second season before its first one has even premiered. While that is good news for the show's future, it theoretically pushes out the potential debut date of the new Deathstroke, unless he makes an appearance in Season 1.

As of now, fans will have to settle for debating what Geoff Johns' "new" could mean, as it hints at any number of things. Given how alive the character has been on-screen, Titans will have its work cut out in finding a direction that is fresh. The other exciting part of this Titans news is that Geoff Johns is simultaneously confirming interest in adapting The Judas Contract while teasing the introduction of Deathstroke, which makes sense given the two go hand-in-hand in comic book canon.

Whether Titans introduces Deathstroke in an adaptation of that storyline or beforehand to establish the character will be fun to learn. In the meantime, you can start watching Titans when it premieres Friday, October 12 on DC Universe. From that point forward, new episodes of the 12-part season will drop weekly on the new streaming platform. With some time still left to go before Titans is released, there are a lot of other fall offerings to entertain you while you wait.

Warner Bros. had ample room to stretch its legs at San Diego Comic-Con and the studio took full advantage by showing off the next big DC films. In addition to an appearance from Wonder Woman 1984, DC debuted the first trailers for both Aquaman and Shazam!, two movies that are, in part, embracing a lighter and more fun direction for the DCEU. Both of the trailers have been well received by fans, but comic book fans will notice that they have something in common: the work of Geoff Johns, which is a really good thing because Johns played a big hand in revitalizing these characters.

For those unaware, Geoff Johns is a comic book writer with a long history with DC, having written memorable stories for Green Lantern, Justice League, The Flash, and Superman to only name a small handful. He penned some of the biggest stories from the publisher over the last few decades. Johns developed a reputation for mining gold from B-list characters, something that can be seen on display in his comic series for Shazam and Aquaman, which are clear inspirations for their theatrical showcases.

Shazam and Aquaman, depending on who you ask, are not the coolest superheroes in the world. One has a reputation for being lame and ridiculous (riding dolphins didn't help) while mainstream audiences have barely heard of the other. The two faced a real uphill battle, but Johns understands the core values of DC characters and is able to draw that out in exciting ways while building new mythology around them. It seems like the movies are drawing plenty from Johns's work, which is great because these two had great stories under Johns.

After DC Comics rebooted their entire comic book universe with new continuity in the New 52, Johns played a huge part in shaping the aftermath. Of the many series he wrote, he spearheaded an Aquaman relaunch and a Shazam mini-series, both of which set out to embolden the characters and make them major players in the DC world moving forward.

In the case of Aquaman, Johns used the real world view that the hero is nothing to take seriously. In this series, Aquaman has to fight for recognition from a public that doesn't take him seriously, seeing him as nothing more than a joke. Yeah, Aquaman commands fish, but he's also a member of the Justice League and the king of the largest nation in the world. The guy deserves respect, and Johns addressed that by embracing the duality of the character as a man of both the sea and the land.

The Aquaman movie is making Aquaman cool in a different way with Jason Momoa, whiskey, and leather pants. All that is fine, but the movie also takes a lot from Geoff Johns' run. The plot follows Arthur Curry as he must come to terms with his rightful place as the king of Atlantis (a major theme at the beginning of Johns's run), confront his half-brother Orm, and smooth tensions between Atlantis and the surface world. Not only that, but the movie is also embracing the Seven Kingdoms, an idea that Johns created about how Atlantis is just one of six other undersea kingdoms. One of these kingdoms is the Trench, filled with man-eating fish monsters that reside deep below. They can be briefly seen in the movie trailer.

It says a lot that so many elements that Johns introduced are in the Aquaman movie, but the movie still follows its own path. Shazam!, meanwhile, takes a huge chunk of Johns' comic mini-series and brings it to the big screen. Based on the trailer, the movie seems to follow the basic plotline of Johns's run; Troubled orphan Billy Batson begins living with a new foster family, defends his new foster brother from bullies, escapes a pummeling on a subway car, and is magically gifted powers from a strange wizard. Shazam and Freddy Freeman goofing off and trying to abuse Billy's sudden adulthood (in the comics, they try to buy beer, but it looks like it'll be soda in the movie) is another memorable moment.

It's also been rumored that Shazam! will feature the Shazam Family, which is the result of Billy sharing his powers with his fosters brothers and sisters, giving them their own adult alter egos. Geoff Johns technically didn't create this concept, but he doubled down on it and introduced mostly new characters. Family has always been a big part of Shazam, and while the character is goofy and fun, he's got a nuggety center that Johns brought forward.

It's likely that Shazam! and Aquaman aren't direct adaptations of any one story, but Geoff Johns' work seems to have been used to help form the basis for what fans will see on screen. That's A-Okay in my book. Johns knows these characters like the back of is hand and the fact that the DCEU seems to be adapting more of his work indicates that they are trying to create fun, character-focused stories.

The DC Universe is an interesting place. While only a few years and handful of blockbusters in, DC has attempted to jump start the shared universe by throwing as many characters in as possible. Ultimately that's had mixed results, and much of the future of the DC Universe is a mystery to the general public. One of the longest developing projects is Green Lantern Corps, which will bring the force of intergalactic officers to live-action for the first time since the less than stellar Ryan Reynolds movie. DC's Geoff Johns recently stepped down from the head of studio, but will stay involved in the shared universe by writing Green Lantern Corps. He recently updated the fandom on the state of the blockbuster, saying:

Given Geoff Johns' history with the Green Lantern franchise, his statement sounds about right. He wrote for Green Lantern's comics for years before eventually stepping into his former role as the President of DC Entertainment. He knows the Corps and the various Lanterns well, and is probably the most qualified person to write the script and bring the The Lanterns back to theaters.

Geoff Johns' comments to Comic Book are sure to excite the many DC fans out there who have been worried about the state of Green Lantern Corps. Because the DC Universe doesn't release full schedule of movies a la the MCU's Phases, previously announced projects don't exactly feel real. Schedule changes, director departures, and audience reaction all affect how the movies are released. But Johns' continued interest in bringing the Emerald Knights to the DC film universe will hopefully get the project off the ground.

While Green Lanterns like Hal Jordan and John Stewart didn't make it into Justice League, there was a quick Lantern cameo in the Zack Snyder/Joss Whedon collaboration. During the flashback of Steppenwolf's last invasion, we see one Green Lantern assisting the world's heroes. The alien ultimately falls in battle, and his ring jets off to its newest owner.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Green Lantern Corps as information becomes public. The next installment in the DC Universe is Aquaman on December 21st. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Yesterday, the massive news came down that Geoff Johns would be stepping down from his positions as Chief Creative Officer and President of DC Entertainment to launch his own production banner, as well as continuing to write comics and produce for DC. Geoff Johns helped oversee most of the DCEU's films during his tenure in the executive post, including what many consider to be its best film, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman. So in light of Geoff Johns' departure from his executive role in the DCEU, Patty Jenkins took time to offer some kind words to the DC icon.

Like Geoff Johns himself, Patty Jenkins seems excited for his next chapter and their continued collaboration with her positive sentiments here. Patty Jenkins strikes a congratulatory tone in her Twitter post, and I think that those who are familiar with Geoff Johns' comic runs may be inclined to agree. It's true that this is just another behind-the-scenes shakeup in a long run of them for the DCEU, but with Jim Lee taking over as Chief Creative Officer, that allows Geoff Johns to get back to doing what he does best, and that's putting words to paper and creating. As Patty Jenkins notes, Geoff Johns can now write and produce many new things, and hopefully being relieved of the burdens of the executive post will allow him to do just that.

While Geoff Johns may no longer be overseeing the DCEU as a whole, he will still play a role in its future. Geoff Johns co-wrote Wonder Woman 2 alongside Patty Jenkins and Dave Callaham. He will also have a producer credit on many upcoming DC properties, including an executive producer role on this year's Aquaman. But if Geoff Johns is known for one thing, it's his revitalization of the Green Lantern comic book series. So it is encouraging that he will still have a hand in bringing that mythology back to life on the big screen and finally giving it the movie it deserves in the forthcoming Green Lantern Corps, which will feature Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart.

Outside of producing and writing on the film side of things, Geoff Johns will also continue to fuel the DC machine with new stories on colorful pages. Geoff Johns will write a new Shazam! comic series to debut this fall, and timed perfectly to hype people up for the movie next year. He will also maybe, finally, provide some answers to questions he raised in DC Rebirth's Justice League #50 with the Three Jokers series. So like Patty Jenkins, there are a lot of reasons for us to be excited about what comes next for the DCEU and Geoff Johns.

Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 2 releases on November 1, 2019, but the next entry in the DCEU is Aquaman, which will put all theaters in the splash zone when it releases on December 21. Check out our guide for all of the upcoming DC movies.

If you follow the inner workings of DC Comics at all, you know that Geoff Johns has been a major figure at the company for over two decades. Having penned numerous well-received comic books there early in his career, Johns then started balancing his writing duties with contributing to the movie and TV divisions, and after being named Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment in 2010, he added President to his list of titles in 2016. However, word has come in that Johns is now leaving both of those duties behind, but his time with DC Comics overall is by no means over.

This news, as reported by THR, comes several days after it was announced that Diane Nelson, who also served as DC Entertainment's president (and to whom Johns reported), was exiting that position following a months-long sabbatical. Now Geoff Johns also no longer serving in that capacity or as Chief Creative Officer, but for those of you that enjoy his comic book writing, he's been given a full-time DC Comics writing and producing deal. So for DC's printed page endeavors, Johns will continue being an important contributor, and fellow DC bigwig Jim Lee will take over as Chief Creative Officer, in addition to still serving as Publisher. However, regarding the DC Extended Universe, this is definitely a major shakeup, as Johns had been one of the key individuals aiding in these superhero properties into live action.

Geoff Johns was one of the executive producers attached to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and a few months after that movie failed to be the critical hit DC and Warner Bros were hoping for, Johns was tasked to co-run the DCEU with producer Jon Berg. But this past January, following Justice League's lukewarm critical and commercial performance, Walter Hamada, who had executive produced horror movies like The Conjuring and Lights Out, was named as the new head of DC Films. At the time, Johns was going to still be working closely with Hamada with these blockbuster projects, but thanks to this latest development, now he finds himself fully back in the creative world. In addition to working on the currently-running Doomsday Clock comic book, as well as an upcoming Shazam! title and a Three Jokers series, Johns will write and curate a "pop-up label" called The Killing Zone, which focuses on lesser known DC characters and titles.

It's also worth mentioning that just because Geoff Johns is no longer one of the main DCEU figures doesn't mean he's done contributing to this franchise or working on movies overall. In addition to having co-writing and producer credits on the upcoming Aquaman and co-writing Wonder Woman 2 alongside director Patty Jenkins and David Callaham, Johns is also writing and co-producing Green Lantern Corps. Given that Johns wrote the Green Lantern comic book series for nine years and revitalized the property (particularly where Hal Jordan is concerned), needless to say he's especially suited to tackle the Green Lantern Corps screenplay, and hopefully this goes over better than the 2011 Green Lantern movie did. Johns is also launching the Mad Ghost Productions banner, which will churn out content for film, television and comics.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the biggest developments concerning the DCEU, and if you're interested in learning what projects this franchise has in development, look through our handy guide.

It was always the plan for Gal Gadot to reprise Wonder Woman in Justice League following the Amazon heroine's solo movie, but with Wonder Woman proving itself to be a critical and commercial hit in the summer of 2017, DC and Warner Bros understandably moved forward to a sequel. Even before Wonder Woman 2 was officially given the green light, it was reported that rather than take place after Diana of Themyscira's adventure with Batman, Superman, Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg, it would be another prequel story, this time with the action taking place in the 1980s. That was later confirmed, and now DC president Geoff Johns has seemingly pinpointed the exact year with the below picture.

1984, the year that George Orwell's eponymous novel took its title from, and which included major events like Sally Ride being the first woman to go into space and Ghostbusters hitting theaters. This also places Wonder Woman 2 as taking place 67 years after Wonder Woman, when Diana first ventured into man's world and tried to bring an early end to World War I. What's unclear from this picture is if Wonder Woman 2 will actually be called Wonder Woman 1984 or if this just served as a fun tease. Regardless, I like that the low quality, VHS-like lines in the lettering to make it look era appropriate.

While no specific Wonder Woman 2 plot details have been revealed yet, the sequel will see Diana fighting The Cheetah, played by Kristen Wiig. Game of Thrones's Pedro Pascal has also been cast in a key role. Unofficially, it's been rumored that only will Wonder Woman clash with Soviet Union forces during Wonder Woman 2, but Chris Pine will also be back. The former plot point makes since given that the Soviet Union was on its last legs during this period, but as for Pine, his character, Steve Trevor, sacrificed himself in Wonder Woman to destroy Doctor Poison's deadly gas. Granted, in comic books death isn't quite as permanent with notable characters, but even if we assume that Steve was somehow miraculously transported off that plane before it exploded, he would have died from old age before 1984. Perhaps Steve is simply appearing through flashbacks or as a hallucination, but for now, all that's guaranteed is that the DC Amazon will do battle with a ferocious cat lady.

Directed by Patty Jenkins, who co-wrote the script with Geoff Johns and David Callaham, Wonder Woman 2 will be released in theaters on November 1, 2019. If you're interested in learning what other DC Extended Universe projects are in development, look through our DC movies guide.

If you stayed through the credits of Zack Snyder's Justice League, then you likely already know that some great things are coming. Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke has officially entered the DCEU, and the actor seems pumped to get in on the action. There have been rumors of him going toe-to-toe with Batman for quite some time, and while nothing is confirmed, the Magic Mike star apparently want to see an adaptation of Batman: Earth One in the DCEU at some point. When asked about the situation, Manganiello explained:

So while nothing is set in stone, it seems that Joe Manganiello has done his homework on the Batman lore. Per his comments during his recent interview with Mic, he wants to see Batman: Earth One adapted to the big screen, and he recommends that anyone who hasn't read the series do so immediately. A reimagining of the Batman origin, Earth One presents audiences with slightly off-kilter versions of classic Batman characters -- such as The Penguin as the Mayor of Gotham City and Harvey Bullock as a hotshot LAPD detective who transfers to Gotham.

As great as Batman: Earth One is as a Batman story, there would need to be some serious changes made to make it worth within the confines of the DCEU. For starters, the Batman portrayed in Geoff Johns' tale is considerably more grounded and realistic than the current silver screen Batman. It's more of a detective story than a superhero story, and Bruce takes a realistically serious beating over the course of the narrative.

Then there's also the fact that Batman: Earth One is more of an origin story in the vein of Batman: Year One. As many of you already know, Ben Affleck's Batman is distinct from other live-action Batmen, because his advanced age has become a specific theme for the films. Adapting Batman: Earth One faithfully would probably require bringing in a younger actor, which is something that HAS been talked about recently.

Of course, that's not inherently standing in the way of such an adaptation. The DCEU has shown no qualms about making substantial changes to stories while honoring source material -- look no further than the use of The Dark Knight Returns in Batman v Superman for proof. Adapting Batman: Earth One would involve making some notable alterations to the arc that fans know and love, but it could also result in one of the more interesting Batman stories ever told on the silver screen.

Whether or not Batman: Earth One will ever receive an adaptation remains to be seen, but the introduction of Deathstroke opens up an entirely new realm of DC stories to mine. For now, make sure to check out Justice League, which is currently in theaters.

The original Flashpoint comic book storyline is only six years old, but it's already been adapted twice. The animated movie Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox was a reasonably straightforward adaptation, while The Flash TV series only loosely used that story's elements in its Season 3 premiere. It was announced at this past San Diego Comic-Con that Flashpoint will next be tackled as a theatrical movie, but we haven't learned yet how faithful this new version will be to its comic book predecessor. However, according to DC president and Flashpoint comics writer Geoff Johns, Batman will remain an important part in the movie. While talking about how Flashpoint will explore new ground, Johns said:

This is our second indicator that the Flashpoint movie will be a more faithful adaptation of the original story. A few months back, it was reported that Gal Gadot will reprise Wonder Woman for Flashpoint, and if that's true, that also bodes well for seeing Jason Momoa reprise Aquaman, as Diana of Themyscira and Arthur Curry are at war with one another. Now with Geoff Johns telling EW that Batman will factor into the movie, it would seem that rather than take major creative liberties, this Flashpoint will stick closer to the source material, though like with most superhero movies, you can expect that there will be some key differences. Of course, those who've read Flashpoint know that in the story, it's not Bruce Wayne wearing the cape and cowl.

Warning: SPOILERS for the original Flashpoint are ahead!

In the alternate Flashpoint timeline, Bruce Wayne was the one killed by Joe Chill in Crime Alley instead of his parents. Thomas and Martha Wayne channeled their grief differently, with Thomas unleashing his rage as Batman and Martha being driven to insanity, subsequently becoming The Joker. When Barry Allen awoke in this strange world and realized he didn't have his speed, he immediately sought out Batman for help, only to learn that it was his old friend's father who was serving as Gotham City's vigilante. Their first meeting didn't get off to a good start, but once he learned about how Bruce was alive in the main DC timeline, Thomas aided Flash in attempting to set thing back to normal. The Flashpoint Batman recently returned in The Button storyline, and in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, he was voiced by C. Thomas Howell.

We've already seen Jeffrey Dean Morgan's iteration of Thomas Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, so assuming that the Flashpoint movie does have Thomas Wayne serving as Batman in that altered timeline, then no doubt The Walking Dead actor would reprise the role. That said, it would also be great if Bruce Wayne (be it Ben Affleck in the role or someone else) appeared so we could get a moment that echoes when Flash returned to the normal timeline and gave Bruce the letter Thomas wrote him.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on how Flashpoint is coming along, and broke through our DC movies guide to see what other projects this franchise has in development.

The impact of Wonder Woman on the DCEU hasn't become fully apparent yet, but the implications of Diana Prince's first solo adventure are definitely starting to come into focus. On that note, one of the biggest effects that Wonder Woman is having on DC is the way in which the comic book movie universe handles the interconnectivity of its films. In fact, looking ahead to Aquaman (the DCEU's first solo movie after Justice League), it now looks like Arthur Curry's first adventure will take a serious cue from Diana Prince's origin story by keeping the story self-contained. Referring to Wonder Woman, Geoff Johns said:

Before those of you with a deep-seated love for continuity start to worry about what this could mean for Aquaman's connection to the DCEU, it seems important to note that this doesn't mean it won't connect to other DC films at all. Even Wonder Woman, a movie set during World War I, still managed to find ways to reference other DC heroes -- such as the reference to Wayne Enterprises in the film's opening scene. The intention here isn't to ignore the fact that the other DC franchises exist; it's just an attempt to place more emphasis establishing these distinct worlds without becoming bogged down in other stories.

Of course, it's also worth mentioning that the knowledge of Aquaman being a standalone movie doesn't provide much insight into the film's story. The exact plot of the water-based DC film remains firmly under wraps, and while we know it will involve Arthur Curry going up against Black Manta (and possible betrayal at the hands of his brother, Orm), James Wan and the entire cast have remained mostly tight-lipped about the precise nature of this insulated story.

Looking beyond Geoff Johns' comments to Vulture, it seems fairly clear that this model won't necessarily apply to every DC film on the horizon. Movies like Justice League will naturally bring several different narrative threads together, and early rumors have suggested the presence of other heroes inFlashpoint. In fact, if that story follows its comic book source material, then we can look forward to a "solo" movie that features a ton of heroes and widespread impact on the rest of the DCEU. There's room for multiple approaches in this silver screen world, and it looks like Aquaman merely wants to veer closer to Wonder Woman in how it handles its continuity.

Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry will make his official debut in the DCEU when Justice League hits theaters later this year on November 17, 2017. From there, the aquatic hero will go on to his self-contained solo movie when James Wan's Aquaman makes a splash in theaters on December 21, 2018.

It's almost hard to believe, but the Justice league movie is almost upon us. Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon's epic team up film will fly into theaters in a month and change, uniting the DC trinity with newcomers like The Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. This will be the first time The League has been assembled in live-action for the silver screen, and the fandom is eager to see the motley group of heroes team up against Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. But which hero will end up being the fan favorite? DC's head honcho Geoff Johns thinks it will be none other than Ezra Miller's Flash.

It looks like being the comedic relief of the Justice League is one way to make some fans.

This update comes to us from Regal Movies' Chris Sylvia, who was at the fall NATO summit last night. Geoff Johns and the DCEU teased what is to come from the budding shared universe, while also giving attendees an up close and personal look at the heroes' signature costumes.

It should come to no surprise that Ezra Miller's Barry Allen will end up being a serious scene stealer when Justice League arrives in theaters in November. While Zack Snyder's first two movies in the DCEU were morose and dark, Geoff Johns and company seem to be making a concentrated effort to lighten things up. This juxtaposition is clear form the film's previously released footage, which features way more color and comedy than Snyder's previous installments.

And The Flash will no doubt be one chewing the scenery in Justice League. He's younger and more inexperienced than the majority of the team, and seems to really enjoy his superpowers. In the trailer we see Barry seriously geek out about Bruce Wayne being The Batman, and immediately sign up to battle and unknown alien force. I mean, why not?

This carefree attitude and The Flash's comedic beats is what makes Ezra Miller such brilliant casting as the Scarlet Speedster. Miller has a penchant for playing quirky characters in films such as Perks of Being a Wallflower and Trainwreck. Having the youthful energy of Barry Allen injected into Zack Snyder's next blockbuster will bring a breathe of fresh air to the growing franchise, and make sure that Justice League doesn't take itself too seriously. There also appears to be some comedic moments coming from Jason Momoa's Aquaman, as his careless attitude will no doubt clash with uptight characters like Bruce Wayne.

Justice League will debut in theaters on November 17, 2017, and The Flash's solo movie Flashpoint will arrive in 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release list to plan your final trips to the movies before the New Year.

Syfy is bringing an exciting and largely unexplored chapter of Superman's history to the small screen. While the Man of Steel won't be flying around faster than a speeding bullet, viewers will get to see the origin story of his home planet that ultimately led to his arrival on Earth. Krypton will be a prequel, so there was no saying if we would get any big heroes of DC fame. After all, most of the heavy hitters are in a timeline featuring Superman, not Superman's grandfather. Now, Krypton executive producer Cameron Welsh has revealed at a San Diego Comic-Con press roundtable that we will actually get to see a whole bunch of DC characters, saying this:

Apparently Krypton's status as a prequel won't stop the folks behind the scenes from bringing in DC characters who wouldn't necessarily exist at the same time as before the destruction of the planet Krypton. Using time travel, the show will be able to explore what happened that the Man of Steel ended up saving the day on Earth rather than living with his family on Krypton. Cameron Welsh didn't go into detail on which characters would appear, but DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns was a little more open.

At the Krypton panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Geoff Johns dropped some very big DC Comics names that will turn up on the new show, saying this:

If you thought that Krypton was only going to incorporate C-list heroes and villains who few have ever heard of, you were very wrong. On the heroes side, we'll get Booster Good and Hawkwoman and Adam Strange. We'll get the decidedly creepy Black Mercy, which never fails to mess with good guys whenever incorporated into a DC adaptation. On the villain side, we're getting legendary bad guys like Brainiac and Doomsday. Geoff Johns even went on in the panel to reveal that General Zod himself will appear on the show.

The big question now is how Krypton will find the perfect way to bring these Superman-era heroes and villains two centuries into the past to interact with his ancestors. Time travel has never been an alien concept to DC Comics, and some of these characters that have already been revealed are likely more than capable of figuring out how to do it. Time travel is a tricky concept that some shows handle better than others; we can only hope that Krypton turns out to be as amazing a show as it seems at this point. The early footage certainly looks promising.

Krypton will debut on Syfy in 2018. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in San Diego Comic-Con developments, and check out our summer TV premiere guide.

Although it was released months ago, conversations surrounding Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman haven't slowed down a bit. Diana Prince's first solo movie was the DC Extended Universe's first critical darling, giving a new sense of hope to both fans and the studio itself. As such, the fandom has been eager for information regarding a possible sequel, especially in regards to Jenkins' potential involvement. And now DC's head honcho Geoff Johns has revealed how the upcoming sequel has already begun moving forward: the script is being crafted.

This news comes to us from Geoff Johns' recent comment to Yahoo Movies at San Diego Comic-Con. Regarding the development of Wonder Woman 2, he said:

Well, this is certainly exciting. While the DCEU has announced tons of movies coming down the pipeline, it's exciting that the sequel to Patty Jenkins' triumph is already being worked on. This is smart business, considering how popular and acclaimed the first film was.

It's actually pretty interesting that Geoff Johns is working on the script for Wonder Woman 2 himself. While he oversees the DCEU as a whole, Johns didn't craft the story or write the screenplay for the first film. But considering how Zack Snyder has been edged out of the main narrative of the shared universe, it does make sense.

As far as the contents for Wonder Woman 2, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Because of Diana Prince's age, there are decades long gaps between the events of the first movie, and her eventual appearance in the divisive Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. As such, the sequel can be another capsulated story that doesn't have to worry about its repercussions affecting the greater DCEU. Her next solo adventure can once again function independently from the events of the films like Justice League that are set in the present timeline.

Regardless of what the story will entail, there's one aspect of Wonder Woman that can be universally agreed upon: Patty Jenkins needs to return for the sequel. While early rumors hinted that she'll be back, and she's already revealed possible ways she could continue the story, Jenkins hasn't been officially confirmed to be helming the next installment. Although after the universal acclaim that the film accrued, Geoff Johns and the folks over at DC would be fools to let the Monster director slip by.

With Comic-Con continuing through the weekend, we should expect to see a few more exciting DCEU announcements before the event ends. Be sure to check back with us here at CinemaBlend for all the updates.

The next installment in the DCEU will be Justice League, on November 17, 2017. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release list and plan your next trip to the movies.

We learned that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be playing Black Adam in the DC Extended Universe in late 2014, around the same time as Warner Bros announced the initial slate of films in this franchise. It was originally presumed that Black Adam would be the main antagonist in Shazam, but ever since it was announced the Johnson would lead a Black Adam movie, there have been rumors that Black Adam won't appear in the World's Mightiest Mortal's upcoming movie. Now DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns has set the record, confirming that Black Adam will not appear in Shazam. Johns said:

During an interview with Yahoo Movies, Geoff Johns revealed that DC is planning out Shazam and Black Adam concurrently, and that even though Black Adam's DCEU debut is being saved for his solo movie, the plan is to eventually have these two mighty forces clash in the future. So even though Black Adam won't be present in Shazam, we can still expect Billy Batson and Teth-Adam to battle each other somewhere down the line, whether that's in Shazam 2 or another movie.

Dwayne Johnson was originally supposed to appear as Black Adam in the Shazam movie was that was being developed last decade, long before the DC Extended Universe was a thing. Years after that project was scrapped, Johnson got a second chance to play the anti-hero in the DC Extended Universe, and since then he's talked numerous times about why Black Adam appeals to him. In the time between when the original Shazam movie was being developed and the DC Extended Universe launched, Johnson's movie career has soared, but it was nonetheless surprising to learn earlier this year that Black Adam will get his own movie. While this will be yet another opportunity for Johnson to shine in the spotlight, no doubt there are many Shazam (or Captain Marvel, if you prefer) fans who are disappointed to know for sure we won't see Black Adam in Shazam, but at least there will eventually come a day where audiences will see Black Adam and Shazam come to blows on the big screen.

While a Black Adam movie is still a priority for Warner Bros and DC, it looks like Shazam will be the first of the two out of the gate. Lights Out's David F. Sandberg will direct the movie, and production will reportedly begin early next year so it will be ready in time for a 2019 release. With Black Adam ruled out as Shazam's main antagonist, it's unclear who will take that spot. Shazam has a decently-sized rogues gallery, but arguably the only other villain from that group who matches Black Adam in notoriety is Doctor Sivana, a mad scientist who relies on crazy inventions to try to defeat Shazam.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on Shazam, Black Adam and the rest of the DCEU.

As the President and CCO of DC Comics, Geoff Johns carries quite a lot of credibility when it comes to the company's heroes -- but there are some in particular where he is considered a true expert. In the modern era he's written not only critically-acclaimed and beloved arcs for Green Lantern and The Flash, but he even did his part to try and completely change the public face of Aquaman. This is an important thing to consider when you recognize that he's producing and co-writing director James Wan's upcoming Aquaman movie -- and today during a special panel at San Diego Comic-Con he highlighted exactly what it is about the character that he finds fascinating. Said Johns,

In 2011, when DC Comics restarted their continuity with The New 52, Geoff Johns took over the Aquaman book, and essentially highlighted everything mentioned above in the character during his arc. The aquatic superhero spent years as a punchline, made fun of for his ability to "talk to fish" (something Johns pointed out he doesn't actually do), but the comic book writer/executive did his part to reinvent Arthur Curry as an emotionally complex individual who both belongs to different worlds and at the same time belongs to neither.

Given Geoff Johns' credits on the Aquaman movie, starring Jason Momoa, it was already assumed that the New 52 version of the character would be an important source of inspiration for the blockbuster -- but Johns did his part to confirm that during his panel today at Comic-Con. Discussing his role as the Chief Creative Officer at DC Comics and how it influences his work in other mediums, he explained that he has a strong idea of what he wants to see in terms of representation, and also that he wields an important amount of influence thanks to his resume. Said Johns,

Unfortunately, it's still going to be a minute before we get to see the full extent of Geoff Johns' influence over Aquaman, as the movie is still pretty far out. The production is currently rolling in Brisbane, Australia, and Warner Bros. has the blockbuster scheduled to swim to theaters on December 21st. That being said, we do fully expect a constant flow of updates about the film between now and then -- especially because of the Warner Bros. presentation that is scheduled to go down here at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday.

The Marvel and DC rivalry is dead. Or, at the very least, it's a myth, perpetrated by the media. Fake news, as some might say. The people behind the big-screen adventures of our favorite DC and Marvel superheroes have buried the hatchet time and time again in interviews, but these new comments by Marvel President Kevin Feige suggest that everyone's on the same team, and the common goal is delivering comic book movies that the world can embrace. Feige explains:

Beef? Squashed. It doesn't get much clearer than that. The success of one superhero movie usually means that it's good for all superhero movies... and on the flip side, a steady stream of bad superhero movies (by Marvel, Fox or DC) can poison the well for the entire genre. Nothing contributes to the idea of "Superhero Fatigue" faster than a steady diet of disappointing costume dramas. So naturally Kevin Feige celebrates when Wonder Woman does well. It should mean that it helps audiences get excited for his own Spider-Man: Homecoming. Win, win.

Still don't believe the fact that Geoff Johns and Kevin Feige are friends in real life? Watch this footage from that Richard Donner tribute, where they discuss the influence that the first Superman movie had on the industry, and the superhero genre, and they playfully talk about all of the stories they have shared between them as creative directors and superhero producers:

After hearing Kevin Feige's comments to AlloCine, I can only think of the next natural step between Marvel and DC: A crossover. Some fans already have speculated that a Wonder Woman sequel set in the past, particularly during World War II, could find a place for Captain Steve Rogers (Chris Evans). There have been moments in the past, in the comics, where characters like Superman and Spider-Man teamed up, and I know I'd love to see The Flash on screen with Ant-Man and the Wasp for an adventure.

Baby steps, though. The studios get along. They both seem to be on solid footing, and exciting narrative tracks. Maybe a team up happens one day. For now, head over here for everything we know about Upcoming Marvel Movies, as well as Upcoming DC Movies.

It's a particularly exciting time for both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe. Wonder Woman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 have both been met with critical acclaim and high box office performance, and upcoming projects are slowly revealing their details. On the MCU side of things, the first poster and teaser trailer for Ryan Coogler's Black Panther have been released, setting the internet buzzing with anticipation for the 2018 addition to the shared universe. The video seems to be universally acclaimed by audiences, and now even DC's head honcho has added his nod of approval to the throng.

Geoff Johns is crafting the overall DC Extended Universe, with a more involved role beginning after the release of Zack Snyder's divisive Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Regarding Black Panther's first footage, Johns took to Twitter to voice his approval, saying:

Now isn't that classy? It's good to see some cross company props given. Both universes are flying high right now, so there's a rare moment of tranquility between the MCU and DCEU. And considering Geoff Johns' personal relationship with the Wakandan superhero, it's safe to say he's an expert on the subject.

And the first trailer for Black Panther is certainly reason to celebrate. Ryan Coogler (Creed) is doing quite a bit of world building with the film, with the fictional country of Wakanda and its rich culture finally being brought into the MCU. The film will introduce a slew of new characters related to T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), with the principal ensemble made up of A-list talent including Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, and Michael B. Jordan.

Black Panther will help expand the MCU as a whole, as the hero and his relationship to the valuable fictional metal vibranium will likely play a major role in the upcoming battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa made a seriously great impression through his role in Captain America: Civil War, which has helped keep the anticipation for Ryan Coogler's film at an all time high. Additionally, Black Panther will include two recurring characters from the MCU: Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross and Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klaue.

It's rather exciting to see the Marvel Cinematic Universe continue to expand, as Phase Three will feature a much more diverse set of films. We'll see how everyday New Yorkers function within the MCU in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Captain Marvel will expand the cosmic side of things, and Black Panther will be set in an entirety different (fictional) country.

Black Panther will arrive in theaters on February 16, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release schedule to plan your next trip to the movies.

While today brought the potential death of one DC Comics TV show, another one has risen up in its place to potentially become much bigger and better. Against most odds, we're finally getting the long-gestating live-action adaptation of Teen Titans, based on the popular comic book superhero team. No pilots here, as Titans was ordered straight-to-series and is set to make its debut in 2018. But where it will show up may surprise you.

Four years in the making, Titans is no doubt an important project to everyone at DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television, and as such, the companies are using the teen-based series to launch an all-new digital service aimed specifically at mega-fans of DC-branded media. That's pretty huge, and hopefully implies that WB and DC spare no costs when putting this project together, both when it comes to the cast and the special effects.

Get pumped, because we're going to get a live-action Dick Grayson in our lives next year, and Titans will center on the young vigilante has he steps out of the shadow of Batman's cape (and car and cave) and founds a new team of fearless ass-kickers. Unfortunately, the announcement wasn't big on details about what to expect from the Teen Titans, and we didn't even get a full rundown of the other heroes we can expect to see, although Starfire and Raven are specifically named. One has to wonder how the lineup will fare with some of its comic book members like Kid Flash and Speedy currently on other live-action series. (I also wonder how to work a similar Teen Titans Go! spinoff out of this thing down the road.)

Understandably, Titans won't feature any comic book newbies behind the scenes. The series, or at least that first episode, will be written by Arrow-verse co-creator Greg Berlanti, DC Entertainment President and comic writing genius Geoff Johns and Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), and that super-squad of co-developers should be enough to get everyone jazzed.

Fans hadn't really heard anything palatable about Titans ever since early 2016 when it was passed on at TNT. And that happened after the network had kept hopeful fans on a line for quite a while without offering up any updates. So if the project is powerful enough to now warrant the creation of its own streaming service -- which isn't really what happened, but we're pretending -- then it will likely blow away any version that would have appeared on TNT anyway, right? Maybe.

As previously mentioned, Titans is set to debut on DC Entertainment's upcoming digital service at some point in 2018, with more exciting announcements to come in the future. In the meantime, you can head to our midseason premiere schedule and our summer TV guide to see all the shows that will get here a lot sooner than 2018.

The debate between Marvel and DC comics has raged for decades, with each universe's fans digging in their heels in the insistence that their respective side is the superior world. Despite the extreme nature of the fans, insiders at Marvel and DC do not seem nearly as interested in the conflict. On that note, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn recently took to Twitter to address an argument between fans. Check out his tweet below to see what he had to say.

James Gunn recently chimed into a good, old-fashioned DC vs. Marvel Twitter fight in an attempt to smooth things over, and keep the fans from tearing each other apart. As he very clearly pointed out in his post: there's no reason for these fans to keep fighting about the creative process of each major comic book movie studio. Marvel Studios has its process, and the DC Entertainment/Warner Bros. team-up has its own process as well. Insiders at each company enjoy and appreciate the work of their "competitors", so the constant back and forth between fans actually makes very little sense.

The Guardians of the Galaxy director capped off his tweet by mentioning DC guru Geoff Johns and calling in for reinforcements. Here's what Johns had to say on the matter:

While they both maintain that the rivalry has gone too far, it is worth mentioning that Marvel and DC do have their respective strengths and weaknesses. In terms of critical response and financial performance, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has definitely edged out the DCEU in the last few years. That said, DC Comics has recently experienced great success with its line of DC Rebirth comics, and DC animation is second to none -- whereas Marvel has yet to nail down animation as a storytelling medium. Each company has something different and unique to offer, so it does not really work if we compare them side by side without acknowledging the nuances and unique qualities of each property.

With all of the great DC and Marvel projects on the horizon, it is a magnificent time to be a fan of either universe. Make sure to check out James Gunn's work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 when the highly anticipated Marvel sequel debuts on May 5, and look for DC's latest offering when Wonder Woman premieres later this summer on June 2.

Rumors about superhero movies are all-too frequent around the internet, especially concerning the DC Extended Universe. Just a few days ago, it was reported that Warner Bros and DC were planning to release four Batman-related movies in 2019. A number like that is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows, and sure enough, the rumor has now been debunked thanks to a humorous image posted by DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns featuring a member of the Bat-Family whose chances of ever getting his own movie are slim to none.

When Warner Bros producer Jon Berg jokingly asked his fellow DCEU co-runner Geoff Johns if they could release 10 Batman movies in 2019, Johns "declared" that the number would be raised to 27, and that one of them would star Bat-Mite, the infamous reality-warping imp who has been Batman's biggest fan since 1959. Bat-Mite fit in during the goofier and simpler Batman times, but for the more serious DCEU tone, don't ever expect him to show up, let alone lead his own movie. Okay, maybe he could cameo as a comic strip character that Bruce Wayne stumbles across while skimming through the Gotham Gazette, but that's as good as it will get.

Bat-Mite frequently showed up in the Silver Age of comics to complicate Batman and Robin's adventures, though he was more of a nuisance than an actual super villain. His powers are similar to Superman foe Mr. Mxyzptlk. Bat-Mite's appearances in the modern comics era have been rare, with notable exceptions including him being a product of Bruce Wayne's imagination when he became the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh and leading his own six-issue miniseries in the New 52. Outside of the comics, he was voiced by Paul Reubens in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

While four Batman-related movies in 2019 was a preposterous idea, the DCEU does have big plans for the Caped Crusader's corner of the DC universe in the coming years. Besides the new solo Batman movie, which will see the hero tangling with Deathstroke, there are also movies centered around Nightwing, Batgirl, Deadshot and the Gotham City Sirens (Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman) in development. We also can't forget Suicide Squad 2, which, like its predecessors, will likely include a few Batman villains as part of the team. Even though the DCEU is pointing the spotlight on lesser-known heroes and villains, Batman and his cast of colorful characters remain important assets for this franchise. Except Bat-Mite. They don't care about him.

While we wait for more news on the DCEU's plans for the Bat-Family and what the franchise's post-2018 plans look like, you can look forward to Ben Affleck's Batman returning in Justice League on November 17.

It's not every day that you walk into a new job opening with the person who previously held it welcoming you personally. Yet that's exactly what Ben Affleck has done, as he recently assured folks that while he's not directing The Batman, he's more than thrilled about the man who is. After today's previous announcement that War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves is officially slotting into the director's chair for the DC stand-alone, Affleck shared a hearty gesture that not only invited Reeves to make himself at home, but reassured folks that he won't be leaving the project any time soon. You can see his tweet directly below:

Now why would a man allegedly ready to leave The Batman behind make such a big deal out of Matt Reeves' hiring onto the project? Especially on their own personal Twitter feed, and without any prompting from a news item? Well, if the signs are pointing in the direction we think they are, Ben Affleck will indeed remain as Bruce Wayne / Batman for the foreseeable future. The message says it all. You can read it as if Affleck himself is standing at the doors, welcoming Reeves into the Batcave with an ice cold Batmug of Batbeer, or whatever Batbeverage the new director Bat-wants.

Though it does help that DC creative big wig, and co-conspirator Geoff Johns is there welcoming Matt Reeves in with his own Tweet of welcome, as seen below:

Now, we don't want to dive too hard into conspiracy territory, but there is a way that all of this could still lead to Ben Affleck leaving the project. After all, the tweets that we've seen are congratulatory, but at the same time, there's not a lot of, "Looking forward to working with you," words between the group. That's not to say anyone is being rude or crass, but the tweets are worded vaguely enough that there's still room for anything to happen. Not to mention, the press release officially announcing Matt Reeves' directing duties didn't mention Ben Affleck at all, which is never a good sign for someone whose played your lead character before.

It hasn't been an easy road for The Batman to walk, particularly after Ben Affleck left the director's chair, casting doubt on the one DC project folks seemed to hope would overwrite the messes that were Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. Even the hiring of Matt Reeves itself seemed to be quite shaky at times, as the first announcement of his potential involvement only lead to the eventual reports of talks breaking down between the man and the studio who would hire him. Not now though, as everything looks 110% on track to normalcy, with Reeves chiming in with his own tweet of thanks:

So now we supposedly have a leading actor, a director, and a studio still eager to play ball. Unfortunately, we don't have an official release date on The Batman, especially the project's numerous setbacks may have taken it out of the picture for 2018's release window. We'll keep our ears and eyes open for any sort of new information involving The Batman. In the meantime, let's just hope that a swift and decisive start to the project can be found, because we still really want to think this is the one that'll put DC Comics back in the race.

DC may not be killing in the movie department right now, but if there's one area where their superheroes are thriving, it's on television. The company has not only built an entire shared universe over on the CW, but they've also got shows like Gotham on Fox and the upcoming Powerless on NBC. If all these shows weren't enough for you, then you'll be happy to know that with the new year, a new DC property is in development to hit the airwaves. Geoff Johns himself teased the future project last night.

DC's chief creative officer, co-head of DC Films, and comic book writer extraordinaire Geoff Johns took to Twitter on New Years Eve to share some news about what superhero fans have to look forward to from DC in 2017. In addition to sharing his excitement about the Wonder Woman film (which he produced), and that he would be making a return to writing comics (yes please), Johns revealed that a new DC property will be hitting the airwaves. He was coy on the details of what the project is about, but he promised that an announcement would be made soon.

It's too big of a job to try and narrow down the dozens upon dozens of different characters this potential show would focus on, but there are some options. For starters, I don't think we're looking at another CW show. Despite the fact that Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl are all tagged in Johns post, so are DC shows on other networks like Gotham and Lucifer. Plus the Arrow-verse is already compromised of four shows playing four nights a week. Adding one more to make an entire weeks worth of television might be one step over the line into overindulgence; one network can play only so many superhero shows.

If that's the case, then we could be looking at DC shows on other channels like Fox or NBC, though it's also possible one of the cable channels could be looking to get into the superhero game. The prospects for this project are next to limitless right now; it could aim for a more classic superhero format like The Flash or it could try to take a different angle like Gotham or Powerless. There's also no guarantee that this will focus on a DC superhero in the classic sense. Lucifer, for example, originates from the Vertigo imprint of comic books, which is owned by DC.

You might drive yourself batty trying to guess what the show could be about, but there's nothing stopping you from HOPING what it will be. Sound off in the comments what you'd like this new DC project to be about and what channel you'd like it to be on.

To date, there has been a very noticeable difference in tone between the movies for the DC Extended Universe and most of the titles that make of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the latter have made big bucks with fun adventures and big laughs, the former franchise has been more focused on trying to get darker, grittier tones to enhance its epic characters. This sharp contrast has existed for three years, but you can expect that to change greatly in the coming years, as DC Comics and Warner Bros. are easing off of the "darkness" acceleration pedal.

Wall Street Journal recently had the opportunity to sit down with some of the big names behind the developing DC Cinematic Universe, and a key part of the conversation was the disappointing results generated by Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad. As a result of bad reviews and word of mouth, the franchise will be changing course going forward, as DC Comics President and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns believes that a misperception of the comic book company's characters on the studio's behalf has ill-defined the key heroes on the big screen recently. Said Johns,

This was something that Geoff Johns addressed artistically in the form of the "DC Universe Rebirth" reboot comic that was released earlier this year. It was interpreted by many that it was potentially signaling a brighter future for DC Comics characters, and these new quotes confirm that will extend to the big screen adaptations as well.

Recognizing fan complaints about Henry Cavill's Superman never smiling and Ben Affleck's Batman killing people, the idea going forward is to start changing things up tonally -- and that begins with the huge blockbuster that is currently in the midst of production: director Zack Snyder's Justice League. Recognizing the negative response received by the grim Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Snyder and screenwriter Chris Terrio worked to change the pacing of their 2017 blockbuster in order to try and get to the more up-beat material faster. Producer Jon Berg told the newspaper,

Provided that these tonal changes wind up improving things for the DC Extended Universe, we can assume that it will affect all of the projects going forward -- including James Wan's Aquaman, Rick Famuyiwa's Flash, Cyborg, Shazam, Green Lantern Corps, Ben Affleck's untitled Batman solo movie and Man of Steel 2. What we don't know, however, is how all of this will affect director Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, which is set to be the next DCEU movie released, preceding Justice League in 2017. Will it fall more in line with the darkness of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Or perhaps it already has a more optimistic bent to it that will help ease DC fans into the lighter tone moving forward. We'll find out when the movie comes out June 2, 2017.

The Suicide Squad made their theatrical debut early last month, but it wasn't the first time the team of super villain operatives got to play around in live action. Along with appearing in goo Season 10, the Squad was introduced in the second half of Arrow Season 2, and it looked like the team was being prepped to have a recurring presence on the Emerald Archer's show. That didn't end up happening, and now we've learned that the main reason the Suicide Squad was added to Arrow in the first place was to test how they would fare on the big screen.

When asked whether DC Comics president Geoff Johns has ever approached him about "trying out a character" on TV to see how they would to in the movies, Arrow executive producer Greg Berlanti told Vulture that including the Suicide Squad in Arrow Season 2 was an example of such a request. He explained:

After its members and leadership appeared in earlier episodes, Arrow's Suicide Squad officially formed in the aptly-named episode "Suicide Squad" in March 2014. Seven months later, DC announced its initial slate of DC Extended Universe movies, with Suicide Squad being among them. Following that announcement, the Squad returned only once in Season 3 with Deadshot and Cupid working with John Diggle and Lyla Michaels, and the team hasn't been seen again since. Since most of its members are either dead or "exiled," it's doubtful that corner of the DC universe will be explored again within the Arrowverse. Oh well, we should be thankful for what little time we shared with them, right?

While the Suicide Squad never got the chance to truly shine on Arrow, at least it did accomplish what Geoff Johns intended: introducing the team to viewers who don't read the comics. Granted, it was the actual Suicide Squad movie previews and marketing that enticed people to head to the theaters, but by featuring the Squad on Arrow, it tested the waters and gave DC an idea of how a movie centering around these colorful criminals would do. Suicide Squad hasn't been a critical darling since its August 5 release, but it's earned enough at the box office that Warner Bros and DC are surely thinking about making a sequel. So we may still be seeing more of them yet.

Suicide Squad is still playing in theaters, while Arrow will continue its Squad-less story when Season 5 premieres Wednesday, October 5 at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.

It's taken nearly 20 years to get make a Wonder Woman movie made, but following her cinematic debut earlier this year in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Amazonian superhero will finally lead her own big screen adventure in 2017. For a long time, it was believed that Pan's Jason Fuchs and another rumored scribe were writing Wonder Woman. However, now it's been confirmed that the movie has instead been penned by a different duo, both of whom are well-versed in the world of DC Comics.

A Warner Bros press release (via Collider) lists Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg as the Wonder Woman screenwriters. It's unclear whether those two revised Fuch's existing screenplay or started from scratch, but either way, they're the brains behind her adventure next year. Zack Snyder has also received a "Story By" credit with Heinberg, which isn't surprising given that he paved the way for DCEU involvement in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Nowadays, Geoff Johns' duties as DC Comics consist of being its Chief Creative Officer and overseeing the DC Extended Universe with Jon Berg, but he has years of experience writing various DC books, like Green Lantern, Aquaman, The Flash, Batman: Year One, DC Universe: Rebirth #1 and many more. He has also written episodes for Smallville, Arrow and The Flash. We've known for almost a year that he's co-writing the upcoming Batman movie with Ben Affleck, but it looks like Wonder Woman will be his first official DCEU writing entry. Considering how often he's written Wonder Woman in his Justice League series and other books, he has a firm grasp on the character.

Allan Heinberg might not be as familiar a name, but when it comes to Wonder Woman, he also has a great background for writing her movie. After co-writing a JLA arc with Geoff Johns, he relaunched the Wonder Woman book with artist Terry Dodson following the Infinite Crisis event. Over at Marvel, he wrote the Young Avengers book, where he introduced prominent gay characters Wiccan and Hulkling. His non-comic book media credits include being a writer and producer on Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., Gilmore Girls and The Catch. Both men were also intended to be executive producers on The CW's Amazon TV series years back, which was intended to explore Wonder Woman's origin, but was never ordered.

Taking place nearly 100 years before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman will follow Diana as she ventures out into "man's world" after a pilot (a.k.a. Chris Pine's Steve Trevor) crash-lands on Themyscira and tells her about a massive conflict raging throughout the rest of the world. While traversing Europe during World War I, she'll not only learn about humanity, but also about her full powers and her destiny.

Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2, 2017.

After the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the DC Extended Universe is still very much up in the air. While Zack Snyder helped with forming the beginnings of the shared universe, the mixed reception for Batman v Superman has led to some unanswered questions and some serious changes within Warner Brothers. One of the big question marks within the DCEU is the highly anticipated Justice League movie, which will bring together all of the major players of the Universe. Just yesterday, a list of rumored titles for the film was leaked, leading to much speculation regarding the plot. Now DC film’s head honcho Geoff Johns has spoken out, and gotten to the truth of the matter.

There you go, ladies and gents. This statement, which comes to us from Geoff Johns’ personal twitter seems to confirm the official title of the Justice League’s big screen debut. That film will be called simply Justice League.

The rumors of a new Justice League title seem to echo what is happening over at Marvel studios. While Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and 2 have been announced for quite some time, recent reports indicate that the films will have new titles. Since Justice League: Part One and Two is similarly simple and non-creative, it seems logical that at least one of the studios will be changing their titles.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been around far longer than the DCEU, there are already some stark similarities between the two studios. Both comic juggernauts recently released films which focused on collateral damage and the consequences of superheroics, resulting in fellow heroes coming to blows by the end of it. Now they’ll both be released two-part films which revolve around individual heroes teaming up to fight a larger threat.

Geoff Johns’ tweet may have confirmed Justice League’s title, but that’s about all he’s revealed. The rumored titles that broke the internet yesterday all seemed to focus on the plot and larger conflict of the film; Justice League: Gods Among Us would seemingly focus on an alternate future, tying in Flash’s strange future cameo from Batman v Superman. Justice League: United is simple, but would indicate most of the film revolving around Batman assembling the heroes. Alas, all we know is that Justice League will feature the titular team. Bummer.

It should be interesting to see how the success of Suicide Squad affects the DC Extended Universe moving forward. Both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice were met with fairly negative reviews, despite their financial success. Suicide Squad thus far has been getting pretty great early reviews, and the hype around the villain-centric film has only continued to grow in passing months. After the morose and dark tone of the previous films, Suicide Squad’s playful and comedic tone may be exactly what the DCEU is missing. If it goes well, then we may be getting more humor in Justice League.

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains massive spoilers for the new comic book issue "DC Universe Rebirth." If you have not yet read this comic, and don’t wish to know any details before doing so, we highly recommend clicking away to another one of our wonderful articles!

Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has emerged as one of the most divisive films of the year – and while the movie certainly has its hardcore supporters, even they can’t deny that the schism isn’t great for the growing big screen DC Extended Universe. The ideal situation would have been the blockbuster being as great and beloved as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, but both critics and audience groups being split has resulted in an unfortunate degree of doubt surrounding the franchise’s future.

The good news is that if the newly released "DC Universe Rebirth" comic is any indication, the folks at the legendary comic book company completely understand exactly what it is that has gotten fans riled up, and are now paving the way towards a future that corrects the path.

Written by Geoff Johns, who is the Chief Creative Officer at DC Comics and was just handed the keys to the DCEU, "DC Universe Rebirth" is a new semi-reboot of the DC Comics Universe, coming just five years after the franchise’s last hard reboot, known as The New 52 in 2011. In the comic, Wally West a.k.a. Kid Flash – a character who has not appeared in DC issues in years – finds himself trapped just outside of reality in the Speed Force, and desperately tries to reach out to various characters to find someone who can remember him. As Wally witnesses all kinds of new developments involving characters like Batman, Blue Beetle, The Atom, Wonder Woman and more, he continually fails to get anyone to recognize him, and finds all of his hope beginning to fade as he fears soon being deleted from existence.

Wally’s last and only hope winds up being Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash – his personal idol and mentor, not to mention the hero whose mantle he took up following Barry’s death in the classic "Crisis On Infinite Earths" crossover event. While Wally fears that The Flash not recognizing him will be the end of the line, he remembers the joy that Barry takes in helping people and saving lives, and believes he can die peacefully with that thought. All hope is not lost, however, as the elder Flash recognizes and remembers his long-lost sidekick, and the two embrace in a tearful hug. It’s a beautiful and emotional moment that gives way for a larger mystery, however, as its revealed that there has been an external force messing with the DC Universe for the last 10 years – and it’s strongly suggested that this force is none other than Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen.

On beyond just being a great comic that sets up an interesting path moving forward, "DC Universe Rebirth" can very much be read on a meta level that suggests that the company is ready to make a shift in the way that their characters and stories are perceived. A certain level of darkness has been the name of the game for a while now – brought to an unpleasant level in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - but the light and happiness that these heroes can bring has not been forgotten, and is ready to come out again. This is just an idea on the page currently, but with Geoff Johns now having a more significant role with the DCEU and the backlash against Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s easy to believe in a course correction on the big screen as well.

Certainly one of the most controversial aspects of "DC Universe Rebirth" is the implementation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ brilliant characters from Watchmen, who have always existed separately from the main DC Universe. However, Geoff Johns uses them in the story to really drive home the meta commentary about the tone of company’s recent work. Like Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns (which Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was heavily inspired by), Moore and Gibbons’ genius miniseries was very much a post-modern work made to serve as a commentary about comics and superheroes – and was a very cynical one at that. In suggesting that Dr. Manhattan has been manipulating the universe for the last 10 years, there’s an easy-to-read commentary about how that same cynicism has bled into the work that’s been produced – and now it’s time to break from that. Of course, a more movie-centric aspect to acknowledge is the fact that Zack Snyder also happened to direct the film adaptation of Watchmen, which you can read into on a level of your choosing.

We don’t expect either DC Comics or the DC Extended Universe to abandon a darker approach entirely, and we wouldn’t want them too – as variety in tone is just as important as variety in storytelling when it comes to keeping comics and the comic book movie genre fresh. That being said, there is a big piece of the puzzle missing when heroes don’t feel like heroes, but instead more like burdened and put-upon individuals suffering at the hands of their own responsibility – and there is a tremendous recognition of that in "DC Universe Rebirth." It seems that things are being shaken up for the better, and hopefully we will see that reflected on the big screen sooner rather than later.

Most of us are in agreement regarding the fact that Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice could’ve turned out better than it did. That being said, the moments where the recent DC film shined brightest were the moments where Ben Affleck’s Batman dominated the screen. Although we’ve known for some time that Geoff Johns and Ben Affleck have recently begun working together on a solo Batman adventure, we have yet to hear any concrete details about the project. Now it seems that the project is coming together nicely because Affleck apparently has one very important aspect of the character completely nailed down.

During a recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers, Geoff Johns revealed that Ben Affleck has – among other things – completely mastered Batman’s dialogue for the coming solo movie:

So it seems that we don’t have to worry about Ben Affleck not sounding like Batman when the brooding DC hero opens his mouth during his upcoming solo movie. Geoff Johns has praised Ben Affleck’s ability to write for the character – which shouldn’t surprise anyone considering he helped write Good Will Hunting, Gone Baby Gone and The Town – but Johns also praises Affleck’s ability to deliver the lines written specifically for this character. This means that when Bruce Wayne opens his mouth to declare that he is vengeance, the night, and Batman in equal measure, we will undoubtedly believe him.

For a guy like Geoff Johns to say that Ben Affleck can authentically sound like Batman is some of the greatest praise an actor portraying the Dark Knight can get. Everyone has his or her own perception of what Batman sounds like, but the sheer amount of enthusiasm Johns seems to have for Affleck could potentially mean that we have a new gold standard on our hands – although no one will ever dethrone Kevin Conroy in my book. Our only remaining hope is that they ditch the voice modulator he used in Batman V Superman so Affleck can completely own his dialogue scenes.

There’s no denying that DC has something special on its hands in the form of Ben Affleck. He single handedly proved himself as the saving grace of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and allowing his Batman to take center stage on a solo movie will allow the studio to focus on what works whilst tinkering with what doesn’t work behind the scenes. The DCEU is off to a somewhat rocky start, but this Batman helps keep it all anchored.

Check out the video below to see more of Geoff Johns’ appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers:

Although the film is still a very long way off, we cannot express how excited we are to see The Dark Knight once against return to the limelight for his very own solo movie. We here at Cinema Blend have been champions of Ben Affleck for quite some time, and we have a distinct feeling that this movie will materialize into something special. Be sure to stay tuned for all of the latest and greatest updates about the Batman solo adventure as they become available to us.