Superheroes and movies about them are so popular it’s difficult to imagine a lot of promising films never get made. But the truth is that for every successfully produced movie, there are several more that never get made, or at least not in the way it was originally planned.
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Sometimes the timing is wrong, other times the studios simply decide to focus on a different movie. Whatever the case, someDCmovies that were canceled would have been, at the very least, interesting to watch as they either worked with a popular character or would have brought something new into the world ofDCmovies.
5Superman V
To this day, many Superman fans consider Christopher Reeve the best actor who took on the part in live-action movies.Reeve played Superman in four feature filmsfrom 1978 to 1987, but their quality gradually dropped, andSuperman 4got bad reviews both from the critics and the audience.
The lack of excitement about the movie as well as the fact that it only made $36 million at the box office most likely influenced the fact that the fifth Superman movie was canceled. At least the 2006 movieSuperman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, served as a sort of sequel to the franchise, and even though it didn’t become a hit, it offered Brandon Routh’s solid performance as Superman in the leading role.
4Catwoman
Michelle Pfeiffer gave an unforgettable performance as Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, in the 1992 movieBatman Returns. She left such a strong impression that the initial plan was to give Catwoman a solo movie. It would have most likely been directed by Tim Burton as well, just like the two previous Batman movies. Unfortunately, the studios were looking for a more light-hearted, campy version of Batman, and a dark satirical movie thatBurton pitched to them didn’t fit the picture.
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So the project was scrapped before it could even properly develop, and instead, the critically-shunnedBatman Forever(1995) and especiallyBatman & Robin(1997) came along. What makes this missed opportunity even more unfortunate is the fact that Catwoman’s destiny was left open inBatman Returnsand many fans still believe thatPfeiffer’s portrayal of Catwoman is still the best live-action versionof the iconic character.
3Superman: Flyby
Another Superman movie that never saw the light of day would have delved deep into the planet Krypton and its rich history. That would have been ideal for all Superman fans who don’t read the comics and would like to learn more about Superman’s homeworld. J.J. Abrams, who later went on to direct theStar Trekrenewed series, was attached to the project. As Abrams proved, science fiction is a genre he does well, so his Superman could have been a memorable movie.
A fun fact is that Henry Cavill was one of the actors who auditioned for Superman!Cavill, of course, later went on to play Superman in the DCEU. But if this movie hadn’t been canceled, it’s possible Cavill would have played Superman much earlier than he actually did. Instead, the movie was scrapped andSuperman Returnswith Brandon Routh was later released.
2Joss Whedon’s Batgirl
Except forWonder Woman, the DCEU doesn’t have any heroic female characters in the leading roles (Harley Quinn is a villain most of the time, and an antihero at best). Joss Whedon has been linked to multiple superhero projects, most notably theAvengersmovies andJustice League(2017). The plan was for Whedon to also direct a Batgirl solo movie, as Warner Brothers chose Whedon for this position in 2017.
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But only a year later, Whedon left the project, supposedly because he didn’t have any idea for a functioning story they could work with. The good news is that a new version of the movie is currently filming, withLeslie Grace playing Barbara Gordon, and it’s presumably set to premiere in 2022. The fans will then be happy to hear that Michael Keaton will reprise his role as Batman and J.K. Simmons will once again play Commissioner James Gordon, Batgirl’s father.
1Deathstroke
Batgirl isn’t the only DCEU character whose solo movie has been canceled. But unlike Barbara Gordon, Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, won’t likely get another chance. Played by Joe Manganiello,Deathstroke showed up only briefly in the DCEU, as he was seen talking to Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor. Even his short appearance left a strong impression on the fans who wished to see more of Manganiello’s Deathstroke. It looked like they would get their wish as the director Gareth Evans was supposed to have worked on the movie.
But Warner Brothers decided to focus on other DC movies and canceledDeathstrokedespite the fact that it would have given them a unique chance to tap more deeply into the trend of antagonists headlining their own superhero movies that have become more prevalent in recent years. Those who want to see more of Slade Wilson will then have to turn to the comics or the superhero showsArroworTitans, where other actors portray the character.
