As excitement builds for Zack Snyder’s special cut of Justice League, more of what Snyder’s plans for the film’s sequels would have been are being revealed.
The second film would have built on the first by having the League face off against a deadly Legion of Doom…and lose.
Fall of the League
Originally, Justice League would be the linchpin for a grand story in the DCEU that would have extended to Snyder’s Batman movie and The Flash film.
It would build on the post-credits scene of Justice League where Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) asks Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello), “shouldn’t we have a League of our own?” The other films would have Luthor recruiting Batman’s old enemy the Riddler, and classic Flash Rogue Captain Cold.
In Justice League 2, Luthor would unite them with Ocean Master and Black Manta, both seeking revenge on Aquaman. Somehow, Luthor would resurrect Doctor Poison to face Wonder Woman.
The Riddler would have solved the Anti-Life Equation, which would drive him madder than ever to kill himself before Batman’s eyes. The Legion would attack with Ocean Master and Manta killing Aquaman in Atlantis while Doctor Poison took out Wonder Woman.
The Flash would battle Cold in Central City with Cyborg aiding only to be literally blown in half with Flash’s speed weakened.
However, taking out the League would only pave the way for Darkseid to invade Earth, kill Lois Lane and take over Superman’s mind. This evil Superman would use his heat vision on Luthor.
The third film would thus take place in the “Knightmare” future of Batman v Superman where Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, and old Batman foe Deadshot (who would have been reworked into Deathstroke) work together to fight a Darkseid-controlled Earth.
Then, linking to a scene in Batman v Superman, the Flash would go back in time to send a warning to stop all of this.
A Bat-Child?
The Legion wouldn’t have been the only wild addition to the sequels. Originally, Snyder had planned for Lois Lane (grieving Superman) to lean on Bruce Wayne’s support, leading to a romance.
Justice League 2 would have Lois and Clark having a child. When the Flash travels back in time in the third film, he would tell Batman that “Lois lied, the child is yours.” This pushes Batman to intercept Darkseid’s Omega Beams, saving Lois’s life, thus preventing the “Knightmare” future.
An epic battle would have the League finally be victorious over Darkseid. An injured Bruce would give up being Batman to travel the world. Lois would confess to Clark the child was Bruce’s only for him to reply he always knew and still wants to raise him as their own.
The world would move on with Wonder Woman becoming Queen of the Amazons to foster world peace, Aquaman being King of Atlantis, and Cyborg able to turn himself human again.
The epilogue would take place 20 years in a brighter future as Lois (pushed by Police Commissioner Barbara Gordon) reveals to the boy his true parentage. The trilogy would thus end with the son taking on his father’s mantle as a new Batman.
The grand saga
These boards and notes prove that Snyder did have a grand vision for the DCEU. It’s interesting how it uses concepts of the heroes losing, a five-year time jump, and a time-travel adventure before Avengers Infinity War/Endgame did the same.
While the Batman/Lois romance may seem jarring, the idea of the Leagues’ greatest enemies battling them would have been amazing to see on screen. It would also sell Darkseid as a grand foe and seeing an evil Superman would also have been striking.
This also would have filled in some of Batman v Superman’s plot holes as the Flash’s warning of “you have to save her” meant stopping Lois from dying to prevent this entire dark future.
It shows the epic vision for the DCEU Snyder wanted and, had things gone differently, fans would have been treated to a truly wild comic book movie event.
Justice League the Snyder Cut premieres on HBO Max on March 19.