Well, it looks like it’s finally happening. After years of rumors and supposed development, a live-action adaptation of Justice League Dark is actually coming. However, we won’t see a big movie being added to the DCEU, but a series for the upcoming HBO Max. Sounds exciting enough, but there are still some questions to be asked. For one, reports have suggested that a television series based on the Justice League Dark characters in in development. By “characters,” are they suggesting the series will cover only certain characters or the team as a whole? I’m going to be the optimistic one and say that this upcoming series will be about the chief members of Justice League Dark. The closest thing they ever came to it was the short-lived Constantine series, as well as the Swamp Thing series.
It’s unfortunate they didn’t last long, but the fall of one creation can lead to the beginning of another. I’m very stoked for this series, especially when I heard who will be the executive producer. Bad Robot Productions will helm this project for HBO Max, which should trigger the name of only one man of Hollywood: J.J. Abrams. Wait, the same J.J. Abrams who directed The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker? Yes, I’m afraid it’s the same guy. Now, I really don’t mean that in a bad way. Personally, I loved The Force Awakens, but The Rise of Skywalker greatly disappointed me. I can go on about that for hours, but that’s not the main topic here. The reason I bring it up is because Abrams’ work on Star Wars has not made him everyone’s favorite director.
Yes, he failed to deliver an outstanding finale for the new Star Wars trilogy, but it shouldn’t tarnish his reputation as a whole. If you look at his track record, it won’t be too hard to believe that he just might be the best guy to run this upcoming series. He knows how to handle some super cool fantasy/science fiction material (Super 8, Star Trek, Star Wars) and has experience running very successful television shows. Anyone remember Alias and Lost? He was the executive producer of those shows, and will serve the same role for the upcoming Justice League Dark series. If you lost faith in him because of Star Wars, just keep in mind of the great things he has actually done.
But what exactly can he bring to a Justice League Dark show? Well, as I said, Abrams know how to handle the fantasy/science fiction element. Now I’ll admit, I don’t read a lot of Justice League Dark comics, but I know about the team and what they bring to the DC universe. Their stories have a significant horror/fantasy element to them that separates them from the traditional Justice League. Their members represent the more supernatural and rather unorthodox side of the DC universe, and tackle the most bizarre and occult-like threats they can find.
Just take a look at their core members. I’m going to emphasize this heavily, because this is vital for the show’s success. Let’s begin with John Constantine, who is arguably the most normal guy on the team. He was once played by Keanu Reeves, he lacked some of the qualities that makes the character special. Yes, he smoked the cigarettes and hunted demons, but he also lacked that killer British accent. Yes, that’s important, and it’s something the next live-action version needs. Our next Constantine needs to be the cynical, foul-mouthed occult detective with a bad attitude. He’s our star character, so he has to be done right.
Oh, but the team doesn’t stop there. Every team needs a tough woman to stand out amongst the boys, and Justice League Dark has Zatanna. If you want to envision what the rabbit-out-of-the-hat magician would look like as a superhero, Zatanna fits the bill. She works as magician on stage, but the difference between her and other magicians is that she actually performs real magic. Unlike other Justice League Dark heroes, she often works with the Justice League and has a history with Batman. Heck, she’s usually John Constantine’s love interest, so you got to have her in the show. Even better, if they explore the relationship between her and her magician father, Zatara, if could lead to some interesting story arcs.
Now for the rest of the team. Yipes, where to begin? The most obvious choice would be Swamp Thing, a character I’ve been dying to see for a while. If the team needs a Hulk, Swamp Thing fits the bill. It’s unfortunate his series didn’t last too long, but at his core, he’s a tragic character. That’s the kind of element the show needs and plus, he just looks awesome. Who doesn’t want to see Swamp Thing on the big-screen?
There’s still room for more, though. Every team needs a mascot, so why not add Detective Chimp? He’s a talking chimp, and he’s a detective. If Batman doesn’t help them, they’re going to need a world class detective to do some digging. This character puts the “B” in bizarre, exactly the kind of element the show needs to roll with.
How about a funny guy? I have the perfect candidate, and his name is Boston Brand, better known as Deadman. In a team of freaky and dark characters, Deadman balances things out by adding some humor. He’s a former circus performer who was murdered, but was resurrected as a ghost in order to avenge his own murder. Despite being dead, he still somehow manages to find the humor in everything. His main power is to possess any sentient being, giving him complete control of whoever’s body he chooses. Give a bad person this power, and it would be bad news, but thankfully, Boston Brand is a ghost with a heart. This kind of character would be the heart and (kind of) soul of the team they need to keep them in line and given their lineup, it sounds like a much-needed element.
Above everything else, this show just needs to get the characters right. The best way to do that is to embrace the supernatural vibe that defines the comic series. These characters are weird, and they need a weird setting to thrive in. With Abrams’ experience with handling outlandish fantasy and science fiction, I believe this series has been put in good hands.
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