Justice League in other media

The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Since their first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28 (February/March 1960), various incarnations of the team have appeared in film, television, and video game adaptations.

Television
Justice League of America has been adapted for television numerous times.

Animation

 * The first animated appearance of the Justice League was in the 1967 television series The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. The team appeared in only three segments of the run of the show. The members seen are Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Flash, and the Atom.


 * The longest-running version of the Justice League was the loosely adapted series called the Super Friends, which ran in various incarnations from 1973 to 1986.


 * The Justice League make their first appearance in the DC animated universe in "The Call", a two-part episode of Batman Beyond. It portrayed a futuristic version of the team, referred to as "Justice League Unlimited", or "JLU" for short. The lineup consisted of an aging Superman, a brand new Green Lantern, Big Barda, plus new characters: Aquagirl (Aquaman's daughter), Micron (similar to Atom), and Warhawk (who is later revealed to be the son of Green Lantern and Hawkgirl). Though he does not appear in Batman Beyond, Static is also revealed to be a member of the future Justice League in the Static Shock episode "Future Shock".


 * Cartoon Network's Justice League series debuted in 2001 and lasted for two seasons. Although not the Justice League's first appearance in the DC animated universe, it was their first chronological appearance. In July 2004, the series was retitled and revised for its third, fourth, and fifth seasons as Justice League Unlimited. Both of these were extensions of the DC animated universe, continuing the continuity begun by Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Static Shock, Batman Beyond, and The Zeta Project.


 * In the two-part fourth season finale of The Batman, titled "The Joining", Batman allied with Martian Manhunter against aliens known as "the Joining". At the end of the second episode, J'onn contacts Batman and asks him to join his group, prompting Batman to remark that J'onn has formed "quite a league". The members of the "League" featured in this sequence were Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and the Flash. In "The Batman/Superman Story, Part Two", Superman joins up with the Justice League. Much of the fifth season revolves around team-ups with League members and Batman. Other elements that were put forth included Batman recruiting Superman, and a headquarters combining elements of the Hall of Justice from Super Friends and the Watchtower from Justice League.


 * "The League" is mentioned in a conversation between Batman and Plastic Man in an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Presumably this refers to the Justice League. In fact, the show has featured many team-ups that included various heroes that were members of the JLA at one time or another, such as Adam Strange, Aquaman, Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Marvel, Elongated Man, Etrigan the Demon, Fire, Firestorm (both Ronald Raymond and Jason Rusch), Green Arrow, Roy Harper, Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, G'nort, Kilowog, Huntress, Mister Miracle, Oberon, Big Barda, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Phantom Stranger, Plastic Man, Red Tornado, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash, Vixen, and Zatanna . The League itself is later seen in a flashback, meeting aboard the Satellite in "Sidekicks Assemble!". The roster seen consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), the Flash (Barry Allen), Aquaman, the Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, and Fire, though Superman and Wonder Woman have no dialogue and are seen only from behind due to the characters not being available to the show at the time. The Justice League International is featured in "Darkseid Descending!", and consists of Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Fire and Ice, Guy Gardner, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes). It is mentioned by Aquaman that there had been a previous incarnation of the JLA (presumably the original roster featured in "Sidekicks Assemble!"), and that it had disbanded under unpleasant circumstances.


 * A twenty person roster of the Justice League appears in the Young Justice animated series as mentors to the young heroes. The cast includes Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Phil LaMarr as Aquaman, Alan Tudyk as Green Arrow, Rob Lowe (and Chad Lowe) as Captain Marvel, Nolan North as Superman and Zatara (later Doctor Fate), George Eads as Flash, Kevin Michael Richardson as Martian Manhunter and John Stewart, Vanessa Marshall as Black Canary, Steven Blum as Hal Jordan, Maggie Q as Wonder Woman, Jeff Bennett as Red Tornado, Michael T. Weiss as Captain Atom and Kari Wahlgren as Hawkwoman. In the two-part pilot episode "Independence Day" (with the second part being renamed "Fireworks"), Hawkman is also shown as part of the team as well. At the end of the episode, Red Tornado volunteers to watch over the members of Young Justice as their guardian, while Black Canary is assigned as their combat instructor. The members of Young Justice operate out of the Secret Sanctuary in Happy Harbor, which Batman, the leader of the Justice League, describes as having been the original headquarters of the JL during their early years. Speedy explains that the Justice League currently operates out of the Watchtower in space while using the Hall of Justice in Washington, D.C. as a decoy headquarters to misdirect enemies and the general public. In "Usual Suspects" Red Arrow, Atom, Icon, Doctor Fate and Plastic Man officially joined the team. In the season 2 premiere, it is confirmed that Black Lightning, as well as former Young Justice members Zatanna and Rocket have joined the team as well.


 * In a sketch for Mad, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are convinced to change the name of the Super Friends after a musical appeal by fellow heroes.


 * The Justice League is re-imagined as animals in the DC Nation Shorts Farm League with Superman as Supermanatee, Batman as a mouse, Wonder Woman as Wonder Wombat, Flash as the Flish, Green Lantern as a boar, Aquaman as Aquamandrill, Captain Marvel as Shazham!, Robin as Robin's Egg, and Cyborg as Cybug.


 * The Justice League reappears in Young Justice: Invasion, which is set five years after the events of the original series. The team has mostly the same line-up, with the exceptions being new members in the form of Zatanna (Lacey Chabert), Rocket (Kali Troy) and Black Lightning. Catherine Cobert (Stephanie Lemelin) also appears as the team's public liaison officer. Captain Atom is also the new leader of the Justice League.

Live action

 * Legends of the Superheroes was a 1979 two-part special that adapted the Justice League. It featured Adam West, Burt Ward, and Frank Gorshin returning to their roles from the 1966-1968 live-action Batman television series: Batman, Robin, and the Riddler respectively. Other heroes portrayed on the show included Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Huntress, and more.


 * Justice League of America was a series pilot produced for CBS in 1997, but failed to sell. The pilot used less well-known characters to avoid the licensing issues surrounding Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The characters used were the Guy Gardner Green Lantern, Fire, Ice, the Barry Allen Flash, and the Ray Palmer Atom set against a version of the Weather Wizard.


 * Smallville featured a version of the Justice League in its sixth season episode "Justice". The members of the team were drawn from versions of DC Comics heroes that had previously appeared in the show: "Impulse" from the season four episode "Run"; "Aquaman" (A.C.) from the season five episode "Aqua"; "Cyborg" (Victor Stone) from the season five episode of the same name, and "Green Arrow" who had been appearing as a regular character through season Six. The episode had the team temporarily recruiting main characters Clark Kent, who Green Arrow dubs "Boy Scout", and Chloe Sullivan, who acts as the team's advisor through a computer network under the codename "Watchtower". Later, in the Season Seven episode "Siren", Dinah Lance joined Oliver's team as the "Black Canary". She returns in the Season Eight premiere with Aquaman and Green Arrow to find Clark. However, after A.C. and Dinah have their identities exposed, Oliver makes the call for the team to temporarily disband. Later in the season, when Oliver reconnects with his heroic side in "Identity", the team reunites. In the episode "Bulletproof", it is mentioned that Detective John Jones (Martian Manhunter) has helped Oliver's team and got Oliver out of trouble with the police and is considered a member of the team. Clark and Chloe become more involved with the League as well, with Clark joining Bart on a mission in Keystone during "Hex", whilst in the same episode Chloe becomes a full-time 'Watchtower' for the team. Dr. Emil Hamilton is a staff physician at Metropolis General Hospital and Metropolis University, who is also on Oliver Queen's payroll. Season Eight concludes with Flash, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Clark working together to stop Doomsday. In the closing scenes Chloe reveals that Bart, Dinah, and Oliver have gone missing. In season 9 episode "Absolute Justice" members Green Arrow, Clark, John Jones, and Chloe aid members of the Justice Society of America. In the episode Doctor Fate restores John Jones's powers.


 * The online spin-off series Smallville Legends: Justice & Doom follows the exploits of Oliver Queen's proto-Justice League. Episode one suggests an unknown connection with Dr. Virgil Swann.


 * In an interview with Digital Spy, Arrow actor Stephen Amell expressed his wish to see the Justice League in season two of that show.

Video games

 * As well as several video games based on its animated incarnation the Justice League has appeared in two video games titled Justice League Task Force, released in 1995 for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Justice League Heroes, released in 2006 as a cross-platform game.


 * Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Barry Allen), Captain Marvel, and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) appear in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.


 * The Justice League is featured prominently in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game DC Universe Online, with the Watchtower serving as the transportation hub between Metropolis and Gotham City.


 * In Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl team-up with the Justice League which consists of Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Cyborg and Martian Manhunter.


 * The Justice League are the main characters of the mobile video game for iOS Justice League: Earth's Final Defense, developed by Netmarble. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash are playable characters, with Aquaman and Cyborg as non-playable Justice League members. This version of the Justice League is based on the one seen in The New 52.


 * The Justice League is also featured in Injustice: Gods Among Us, developed by Netherrealm Studios, the team responsible for the Mortal Kombat series of games.

Early developments
In February 2007, Warner Bros. hired Kieran and Michele Mulroney to write a script for Justice League, which they handed in that June to positive feedback from the studio. George Miller signed to direct in September 2007, while the studio hoped filming would start before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. In addition, the studio was considering filming Justice League completely in motion capture, similar to Beowulf. Barrie M. Osborne was to produce, with a $220 million budget.

Filming was supposed to start in February 2008, in Australia, where post-production would also be conducted. Some shooting was to take place at Sydney Heads, while local colleges were scouted. Yet in January 2008, Warner Bros. announced the film was on indefinite hold, allowing an options lapse for the cast. The studio felt the script needed perfecting, which was impossible because of the writer's strike. As soon as the strike ended, Warner Bros. wanted to start filming in mid-April 2008. In February 2008 it was announced that production would go to Canada, despite Miller's wishes to keep production at Fox Studios Australia. The Mulroneys were rehired to rewrite their script.

Marit Allen was originally hired as costume designer, but she died in November 2007. Weta Workshop took over costume design, a decision that opens the possibility of their sister company, Weta Digital, doing the visual effects.

Casting
While a cast for the film was never officially declared, various news brokers were able to confirm a number of Miller's casting choices, for which he chose predominantly younger actors who he had hoped would "grow into their roles" over the course of a film trilogy. In October 2007, roughly 40 actors and actresses auditioned for the League, among them Joseph Cross, Michael Angarano, Max Thieriot, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, and Scott Porter.

The decision to cast lesser-known actors has received negative feedback from comic book fans on the internet. A number of different actors were fleetingly associated with the project; Jessica Biel had turned down the role of Wonder Woman, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead auditioned. Teresa Palmer and Shannyn Sossamon were also interested, while Christina Milian, a comic book fan, offered her services for the role. Columbus Short turned down the role of Green Lantern, which rapper T.I. was also rumored for.

From February 2007 until April 2008, the project was subject to rumors before eventually being put on an indefinite hiatus; in a recent interview, producer Joel Silver stated that Justice League "has been tabled." In August 2008 director George Miller was quoted saying "the flick's production, initially planned for Oz, has been moved offshore, with a plan to resume filming next year."

However, on August 22, 2008, The Wall Street Journal reported Warner's new plan to release four individual solo movies within the next three years before doing a multiple character movie, much like rival Marvel Studios did in 2005 when they announced similar plans that eventually led to The Avengers. While Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov confirmed that one of those films will be a Superman reboot, it is likely that among the other three, there will be a sequel to the successful Batman movie The Dark Knight as well as two movies introducing fresh DC Comics characters to the big screen. Since this report, a film about the Green Lantern was released in 2011, as well as a sequel to The Dark Knight in 2012, and Man of Steel in June 2013.

In December 2008, there were rumors that director Miller was off the project. They were dispelled by a representative of the filmmaker, however, describing the film's status as "being seriously worked on." As of 2010, the film by George Miller has been canceled. In October 2013, the script for George Miller's unreleased adaptation Justice League: Mortal was leaked online.

Future
Although Christopher Nolan has been rumored to be director for a Justice League film, Nolan himself wishes to keep the Superman and Batman series individual as he is involved in the making of both the next Batman and Superman films. In June 2010, Christopher Nolan commented on the Superman and Batman films that were in production at the time, "Marvel are doing what they do and people will respond to that really well, or they won't... Marvel characters are very different to DC characters, and the key DC characters are very different to the minor DC characters. You've got to go back to that element of, 'What do I see when I close my eyes and think of Batman? What do I see when I close my eyes and think of Superman?' And for me a big part of that is their individuality... They're two very different characters, but there's an elemental feeling of power in the iconography of those characters. To me that's originally because they stood alone. I need to hang on to that in my imagining of them."

In September 2010, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson said there were no plans to connect future film projects together. The focus will be to keep them separate. "We do have a very different attitude about how you build a content slate. And it isn't necessarily about connecting those properties together to build into a single thing. We think we've got great stories and characters that will lend themselves to great standalone experiences, and that's the way we're focusing on it." DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns has made similar remarks, contradicting earlier statements he made regarding a shared film continuity.

In June 2012, following the success of the Marvel Studios film The Avengers, Will Beall was hired to write the screenplay for a Justice League film featuring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman as the main characters.

Warner Bros. announced plans for the Justice League film to have a summer 2015 release date to compete with the sequel to The Avengers, though they have yet to complete a script or officially hire a director. On February 2013, it was reported that Beall's script was scrapped due to negative reception from the studio.

During an interview with the New York Post in November 2012, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder stated, “I don’t know how ‘Justice League’ is going to be handled. Honestly, I don’t. But ‘The Man of Steel’ exists, and Superman is in it. I don’t know how you’d move forward without acknowledging that,” and claimed that Warner Bros. expects him to "keep them on course" as regards to a potential cinematic universe. According to sources such as Variety, the future of the project greatly relies on the success of Snyder's film.

In March 2013, rumors surfaced stating that Christopher Nolan was put in charge of all characters and films in the DC Universe as an overseer, continuing to say that he and Zack Snyder would produce a Justice League film, with the latter also in consideration to direct. It was also stated that Christian Bale would reprise his role as Batman in another film if Nolan was attached. However, further reports in April suggested that Nolan and Bale would not be returning, with Warner Bros. having a hard time recruiting Nolan, who does not want to "mess" with his trilogy of films. The report also added that there was now even some hesitancy to include the Man of Steel version of Superman in the film. Ryan Reynolds, who portrayed Hal Jordan in Green Lantern, stated he would not likely be returning as Jordan and would consider it only if they have the right script and director.

In April 2013, Warner Bros president Jeff Robinov revealed that neither Nolan nor Bale are involved with the film. On April 24, 2013, Snyder revealed that if Man of Steel were to be successful he would be asked to direct the film. On June 7, 2013 regarding a potential shared universe Snyder was quoted saying, "Do the DC characters exist in the universe I created? The answer is yes", Snyder said. "In my mind, we have this fantastic character of Superman. It's not madness that there would be others."

On June 10, 2013, it was reported that David S. Goyer is confirmed to write the film. Goyer spoke a few days later, saying that Bruce Wayne exists in the new Man of Steel universe, but this universe is separate from the one created in Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. Thus, whenever Batman is introduced to this new universe, he will most likely be portrayed by a new actor, replacing Christian Bale. During Man of Steel, General Zod destroys a satellite, which has the same Wayne Enterprises logo as the one used in Batman Begins. Stephen Amell, who portrays Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on the series Arrow, told SciFiNow in July 2013 that he would like to portray the character in the film.

At the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con Zack Snyder, director of Man of Steel, confirmed an upcoming sequel for Man of Steel currently known as Batman/Superman, though the official title is yet to be announced; the movie is slated for release May 6, 2016. The film will star Henry Cavill reprising his role as Clark Kent/Superman and many of the first film's cast are set to return. Ben Affleck will also join the cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Flash and Justice League films are rumored to be released in 2016 and 2017 respectively. On December 4, 2013, Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman to appear in the Man of Steel sequel.

Animation

 * Justice League: The New Frontier is a direct-to-video animated film adaptation of popular DC Comics limited series DC: The New Frontier released on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray Disc in the United States on February 26, 2008. The film was written by Justice League writer Stan Berkowitz, with Darwyn Cooke serving as story and visual consultant.


 * In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, some members of the Justice League (Captain Atom, Power Girl, Starfire, Black Lightning, Captain Marvel and Hawkman) as well as several other superheroes, are shown working for President Lex Luthor.


 * Another direct-to-video film titled Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths was released in 2010. The film was originally brought up as a possible return to the Justice League Unlimited animated series with the title Justice League: Worlds Collide. Justice League: Worlds Collide would have been set in the DC animated universe. It was originally going to be produced concurrently with the first season of Justice League Unlimited, bridging the gap between the second season of Justice League and the relaunched show. The production was shelved just before the start of filming, but the script was later adapted into the direct-to-video film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, with changes that included removing all references to the DCAU continuity. As a result the feature as originally intended is now unlikely to ever be produced. The film featured a League consisting of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash and Martian Manhunter. Aquaman, Firestorm, Black Canary, Red Tornado and Black Lightning appeared near the end of the film, and were supposedly offered full-time membership by Batman. In addition, alternate versions of Justice League Detroit (save for Steel) were shown as part of the Crime Syndicate of America, as were Black Canary and Green Arrow analogues. Analogues of Zatanna, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), Power Girl and Red Tornado made brief cameos on a computer screen.


 * Another animated feature, Justice League: Doom, was released on February 2012. The film featured a Justice League consisting of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Flash (Barry Allen), Martian Manhunter and Cyborg.


 * DC released another animated film on July 30, 2013, entitled Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. The film is centered on the Flash, who inadvertently changes the time stream by travelling back in time to save his mother. In the new world created, Flash finds himself speedless in a world without a Justice League and suffering from a devastating war between the Atlanteans and Amazonians. Relying on the help of Batman, in this world a vengeful, alcoholic Thomas Wayne, the Flash must find the prime suspect, Professor Zoom, and find a way to fix the time stream.


 * Another animated feature, Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite, was released in early February 2013 and features members of the Justice League, particularly Batman and Superman, fighting Lex Luthor and The Joker in Lego form.


 * In DC Showcase: Green Arrow, Green Arrow and Black Canary are members of the Justice League and their logo was seen in Oliver's phone.


 * The New 52 version of the Justice League appears in the movie Justice League: War, with a team consisting of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, the Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), and Shazam.


 * The Justice League is featured in the animated film JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time. The team consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash (Barry Allen), and Cyborg. Karate Kid, Dawnstar, and Robin appear as well.


 * The Justice League appears in The Lego Movie, with Superman voiced by Channing Tatum, Batman voiced by Will Arnett, Wonder Woman by Cobie Smulders, and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) by Jonah Hill.

Parodies

 * A television commercial for Alltell Wireless depicts a group of superheroes who vaguely resemble the Justice League, including lookalikes for Black Lightning and Hawkgirl.


 * In the Tiny Toon Adventures episode "New Class Day" the Supertoons - referring to themselves as the Just-Us League - consisting of Superbun (a parody of Superman), Wonder Babs (Wonder Woman), Little Dasher (Flash), Hawk Loon (Hawkgirl), Keen Arrow (Green Arrow), Scentanna (Zatanna), Pink Canary (Black Canary), and Aqua Mutt (Aquaman) invite Batduck (Batman) and Decoy (Robin) to join their group when they are attacked by Wex Wuthor (Lex Luthor).


 * In a South Park that had the boys join a cult led by magician David Blaine, the boys return to their faith in traditional religions by enlisting the help of Jesus Christ. After a confrontation where Blaine defeats Jesus, Jesus realizes he needs the help of his "Super Best Friends." The team consists of key religious figures from other religions to include Vishnu, Muhammad, Buddha, Joseph Smith, and a super computer Moses. Another character named "Sea-man" (often referred to as semen) was also a parody of Aquaman.

Songs

 * The song "I'll Be Your Wonder Woman" by Dorit mentions the Justice League.