By this stage in the game, Justice League‘s founding members – namely Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, Cyborg and Flash – have been plastered on everything from billboards to lunchboxes. But it’s really those costumed crusaders who aren’t featured in Warner’s marketing blitz that have stirred heated debate online.
We are, of course, referring to Green Lantern and Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the closing moments of Batman V Superman. Presumed dead, his absence leads to a world without hope. Crime rates are through the roof and to make matters worse, Diana Prince and Ben Affleck’s brooding Caped Crusader catch wind of an oncoming invasion. “I think it’s something more…something darker.”
That leaves the door open for Superman to swoop in and save the day, likely during Justice League‘s apocalyptic climax. The finer details of that resurrection are being kept firmly under lock and key (and rightly so), but as Warner’s promotional campaign begins to round the final corner, CBM has uncovered three new pieces of concept art, a new poster and a suitably epic banner that brings together five of the six.
With the final trailer now out in the wild, it won’t be long before Warner Bros. begins releasing bite-sized clips and various TV spots for Justice League. Chances are they’ll be light on spoilers, but you may want to avoid watching every single promo, as Hollywood often risks overexposure while promoting its comic book tentpoles.
Thanks to Wonder Woman‘s runaway success – $821 million worldwide, along with a bona fide Oscar campaign – Justice League will soon follow in the footsteps of greatness. Whether it can possibly top its peers is another question entirely, but make no mistake, Zack Snyder’s ensemble movie marks a defining step for Warner’s fledgling DC Extended Universe. Let’s just hope it’s a step in the right direction.