Though we as DC fans know that we can bet on seeing the likes of Aquaman, Shazam and Wonder Woman 2 in theaters over the course of the next two years, there’s really no concrete evidence supporting what lies beyond that. I mean, Birds of Prey will more than likely be the next on the docket, but it’s expected that only a fraction of the movies “announced” so far will make it to the finish line. That said, it’s probably a solid bet that priority projects such as The Batman and Suicide Squad 2 will be among those seeing the light of day.
Now, before we proceed, I ask that you take the following information with a grain of salt because it’s all being regarded at rumor at this point, but you may agree that each bit sounds quite plausible since they align with recent chatter we’ve been hearing. Compiled by Comic Book Movie via some leaks over at Reddit, these nuggets may offer glimpses into the DC Extended Universe’s future.
The first item we’ll discuss actually pertains to Suicide Squad 2, and may be the least likely of the bunch to pan out, but I very much hope that it does. According to the source, established characters such as the Joker, Killer Croc and Deadshot will indeed carry over, but they’ll look more like their comic book counterparts this time around.
In other words, Joker will lose the tattoos and grill, which were among the aesthetic additions that I loathed seeing. Personally, I don’t think much needs to change about Deadshot and Killer Croc because the former had a pretty accurate costume, while the latter appeared to be very much influenced by the iteration seen in Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s Joker graphic novel. If you’re unfamiliar, that Croc looked more akin to an urban gangster.
When it comes to The Batman, that’s said to not be a prequel or the start of a trilogy, but rather a “one-off” still residing within the DCEU. And to stress its standalone nature, it’s not expected to launch a “Gothamverse” of any kind.
As for the Ben Affleck situation, well, it’s again being stated that Matt Reeves is looking to recast, with a “younger, slimmer, more agile, and more intense” actor in mind to accommodate for how the Caped Crusader is written in the screenplay.
On the subject of villains, there’s allegedly concept art for Two-Face, the Penguin, the Riddler and Victor Zsasz floating around, all of whom have already appeared in prior films. The Penguin, however, has been previously reported as being the chief antagonist in the picture, and now we’re provided some hints as to how he may look.
Believe it or not, “he’s been modeled after a very dapper looking Richard Armitage,” with the Emperor Penguin story arc serving as a blueprint. By that, I’m not sure if they’re referring to Oswald Cobblepot’s design from that particular comic, or if we’re going to be thrown a curveball in the form of Ignatius Ogilvy.
One other thing I found to be intriguing was the mention of a female Robin being included. Should this occur, it’d be a live action first, but it’s unclear if it’ll wind up being Stephanie Brown, Carrie Kelley or, heck, even Barbara Gordon. Don’t forget, Babs was Nightwing in the Smallville Season Eleven comics, so a creative move such as this wouldn’t be unheard of.
Anyways, after taking all of that in, let us know what you hope to see in Suicide Squad 2 and The Batman in the comments section below. If anything, we have an exciting road lying ahead.