Top 10 Cancelled DC Projects
#10: Ben Affleck’s Solo Batman Film
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After fans warmly received Ben Affleck's brutal take on the Dark Knight, they were excited to see him star in a solo film. According to various reports, he would’ve directed a movie where Deathstroke tried to completely destroy Bruce Wayne's life. The film was also supposed to include a healthy amount of awesome hand-to-hand combat. And to make matters even better, both Batgirl and Catwoman were slated to make cameos. But this promising project stalled after Affleck decided not to direct in 2017. A few years later, director Matt Reeves moved forward with a Batman film that starred Robert Pattinson instead. While the new dark knight was well-received, it still would’ve been great to see Affleck’s version of the hero duel Deathstroke.
#9: “Legends of Tomorrow” Season 8
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DC’s Legends of tomorrow featured a bunch of superpowered and quirky misfits who worked together to protect the timeline…when they weren’t messing it up themselves. After most of the team nearly died to save a World War I soldier, they prepared for a vacation. But their plans were cut short when their frenemy Booster Gold sold the Legends out to a time police force. Fans that were excited to see how the heroes would break free were devastated when the show got canceled. According to industry insiders, “Legends” allegedly came to an end due to budget limitations. While it wasn’t the only superhero tv show on the CW to get canceled, the massive cliffhanger it ended on made its abrupt ending especially painful.
#8: A 2020 Cyborg Movie
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A “Cyborg” movie was originally supposed to debut to audiences in 2020. But before that year, actor Ray Fisher called out multiple creatives at DC for their unprofessional behavior. Additionally, the negative reception to DCEU movies like “2017’s Justice League” reportedly made the studio hesitant to move on “Cyborg” because it was set in the same universe. The emotional premise for the movie unfortunately wasn’t enough to save it. Sources report that the film would’ve shown us who Victor Stone was before he became Cyborg. During “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, fans got to see that the character had a ton of power and deep layers. Time will tell if Fisher’s Cyborg will get to showcase those talents in a solo film in the future.
#7: A “Strange Adventures” Show That Wanted Nicolas Cage
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While Nicolas Cage wasn’t asked to lead any solo Superman movies for the DCEU, he could’ve played the exact opposite of the character on tv. On the planned “Strange Adventures” show, episodes would focus on how a variety of superpowered people live amongst ordinary joes. Reports showed that the production team was keen on shooting an episode where Jimmy Olsen meets Cage’s Bizzaro Superman. Beyond that, the “Strange Adventures” could’ve shone a spotlight on lesser known DC characters that don’t always get time to shine. Ultimately, work on the project was stopped after Warner Bros. merged with Discovery. The business deal once again stopped fans from seeing Cage put on a cape in a DC project.
#6: Ava Duvernay’s “New Gods”
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Although most DC films focus on the powerful heroes and villains on Earth, this film would’ve introduced a collection of ridiculously strong beings that live lightyears away. The movie could’ve explained how the villainous Darkseid became a mighty conqueror and feared warrior. This film could’ve also brought popular New Gods like Big Barda and her famous love interest Mr. Miracle. However, the promising cosmic project was officially canceled back in 2021. Director Ava Duvernay hinted one of the reasons it might’ve not moved forward was because both versions of “Justice League”explored New Gods lore. The only silver lining is that Warner Bros. said they would likely bring Duvernay back if they officially greenlight a similar project.
#5: “Michael Keaton’s “Batman Beyond” Film
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What happens when the Dark Knight gets a little too old to punch villains on a nightly basis? The futuristic “Batman Beyond” showed us that Bruce Wayne decides to mentor a bold successor. For a time, a movie adaptation of this beloved series was planned where Michael Keaton would return to his Batman roots to play the older hero. But the project was shelved after a change of leadership at DC. The cancellation was a crushing blow to viewers who loved the turbulent yet heartwarming dynamic between Bruce Wayne and his mentee Terry McGuiness. Additionally, hearing this report was hard for fans who were already thrilled about Keaton’s return in “The Flash”.
#4: James Wan’s Secret Black Manta Movie
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Shortly after James Wan directed the action-packed and visually stunning “Aquaman”, he unexpectedly announced that he was working on “The Trench” movie. It would’ve allegedly told a story about a horrifying society of non-speaking undersea monsters. While Wan’s horror sensibilities were a great match for the creatures, fans were unsure if they could carry a film. It was only after “The Trench” was canceled that it was revealed the project was actually a Black Manta spin-off movie. Since Yahya Abdul-Mateen II did an excellent job giving layers to the menacing villain, it would’ve been a blast to watch him lead a film. It was disappointing to hear that plans for his top secret story were sunk before the truth about the movie could surface.
#3: The First Treatment of “Wonder Woman 3”
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Even though “Wonder Woman 1984” fell short of financial and critical expectations, Warner Bros. appeared to fully support director Patty Jenkins' vision for the franchise. That’s why it was shocking when reports emerged that the project had been halted. It was initially reported that Jenkins refused to make changes on the first draft. However, the director later stated that she would’ve made alterations to keep “Wonder Woman 3” going. While it’s unclear what happened behind-the-scenes, the news that the heroine’s third installment had been stalled was a letdown. Actress Gal Gadot has consistently brought strength and dimension to the godly character. Hopefully, the cancellation of the first “Wonder Woman 3” treatment doesn’t mean that her journey as Diana has also come to an end.
#2: “Man of Steel 2”
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Rumors swirled that Henry Cavill’s Superman journey had come to an end back in 2018. However, fans began to hope again after they saw him wear an awesome black suit before putting on his blue and red outfit to stare Black Adam down. The increased attention on Cavill’s Superman and social media posts almost guaranteed he’d star in the long-awaited “Man of Steel 2”. Fans were ready for his Superman to use his immense powers to fight a threat solo. Unfortunately, in an Instagram post, Cavill revealed he wouldn’t be returning to the role because the DC universe was moving in a different direction. Despite the fan support for Cavill’s return, his Man of Steel ultimately won’t get to take flight in another solo feature.
#1: “Batgirl”
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The most jaw-dropping DC cancellation in modern times arguably revolves around this bat-themed heroine. Actress Leslie Grace was set to take the lead as Batgirl in a film that would’ve brought in beloved DC actors such as Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser. Additionally, the news that the budget was nearly around $100 million inspired confidence that we were in for impressive scenes set in Gotham City. But according to reports, the high cost of the production and a lackluster reception to an early cut of the movie both doomed the film. Batgirl came extremely close to soaring onto HBO Max in front of the eyes of excited viewers. Instead, we’ll have to wonder when we’ll ever get a live-action film that does Batgirl justice.
