Movie News

89 Comments | Add a Comment

Send to a Friend Print

Justice League Heroes Standing United
© Warner Bros

Warner Bros Has SUPERMAN Cast in JLA Movie?

By: Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor
Date: Saturday, August 25, 2007
Source: Robert Sanchez at IESB

Last night, Robert Sanchez over at IESB warned us that he would be "breaking" something tonight when G4TV aired their "Attack of the Show". Sure enough, he popped into break the story earlier tonight on the network and has since published it over at his site. More details for the JLA movie and a major casting announcement. Earlier this week, we found out that Warner Bros was going ahead with the casting as soon as next week but we also heard some slots have already been looked at and some stars have already been attached for a while. See the Ryan Reynolds as Flash story for one such example.

So who else is attached to the coming JLA Movie by Warner Bros?

Well, this should please those SMALLVILLE fans because Rob is reporting it's none other then Tom Welling (plays Clark Kent in the WB show) who the studio wants in the role of Supes for the big screen. IESB called his rep over at CAA and immediately got transferred to the PR department for theatrical releases. We have no confirmations as of yet but this is coming from up high it seems like a sure thing he will indeed be doning the tights in an upcoming JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA movie which will hit theaters Summer 2009.

Also, there are reports of the film being a motion capture film. It should be noted that after digging from IESB, the whole film will not be shot in motion capture...Just some of the heavy FX-related shots including some underwater scenes. Basically, it's going be done in the same context that a lot of recent Fantasy movies have used. There will be a mixture of both styles in the film.

So, now the question hanging over everyone's heads is where does this leave the BATMAN and SUPERMAN franchises? Nowhere. Both Nolan's Batman series and Singer's Superman series will continue onward with their theatrical franchises as before. The JLA, Batman & Superman film series will exist in different storyline based universes. All three franchises are moving forward for Warner Bros and DC.

More Content By Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor

Agent Zero & Barnell Revealed for WOLVERINE
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
Amazon Producing Fantasy CHILD
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
Cameron Updates Status on AVATAR
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
Doomed JLA, More Mutants & Ant Man!
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
First Bloody Pic from LOST BOYS 2
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
IRON MAN Trailer Debuts on Feb 28 Lost
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
New Victims Ready for FINAL DESTINATION 4
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
Two More Gangsters for Mann's ENEMIES
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
Weaving Tracks After the WOLFMAN
(Friday, February 22, 2008)
BIONIC WOMAN Officially Axed by NBC?
(Thursday, February 21, 2008)

Buy These Related Products

Comments/Responses

sharpe95th • Aug 25, 2007, 12:15am •

Tom Welling and Ryan Reynolds aside, this movie is going to hinge more on pinpoint creative narrative writing that makes us care about the characters and their dynamics. The X-Men franchise was just all over the place and granted it's only two hours but never ever really captured the essence of the X-Men comics and why we cared. The JLA has got to be more engaging with already established icons. I'm just interested in who's gonna play Bats to flesh it out for me.

metalwater • Aug 25, 2007, 12:48am •

That's fine with me, just as long as Nathan Fillion is playing Batman!!!

As far as Superman goes, Brandon Routh never really worked in the role anyway!!!

tobruk • Aug 25, 2007, 12:54am •

Supposedly there was a rumour running around back when Superman Returns was about to be filmed that Tom Welling was going to do it, but then they got Brandon right before he was signed, so not very suprised by this.

So since this happening, whos going to play Batman, and start sending the Wonder Woman castings my way.

scoxocs • Aug 25, 2007, 12:56am •

How cool would it be if Tom Welling out-Supermans Brandon Routh? I love it. This is good news. Will this movie be in the Smallville continuity? If so, will Green Arrow be in it? Cyborg? Kid Flash?

Will the Legion of Doom feature Michael Rosenbaum's Lex?

Who is Nathan Fillion?

tobruk • Aug 25, 2007, 01:00am •

scox- hes the captain of the ship Serenity from The movie Serenity and the show Firefly.

videocide • Aug 25, 2007, 01:05am •

I had thought today at work that WB should just cast all their rolls with the Smallville cast. Figured it would never happen but then I read this. weird

Merin • Aug 25, 2007, 01:12am •

Using the Smallville Clark is a workable solution. I'm happy with Welling in the role.
It'd be nice to see them use Green Arrow from Smallville, too. But the JLA movie will probably not be tied to that tv series by more than Welling.

scoxocs • Aug 25, 2007, 01:22am •

Thanks tobruk! I googled him. I never saw Firefly. Is he too old for Batman considering Welling as Supes? Is he really being considered or just in metalwater's wish list?

gauleyboy420 • Aug 25, 2007, 01:28am •

OH YEAH!
Been a fan of Smallville for some time (season 1) Tom Welling was born to play Supes, Not to mention maybe He'll bring executive Producer Loeb along to shape this movie into a fanboy's wet dream.
Ryan Reynolds Perfect as the wise cracking speedster. I said it on every board on this subject and I'll say it again. THE JLA MOVIE is GONNA ROCK THE HOUSE!! YEE-HAAWW! (sorry I'm from the WV we say yee-haw)
tobruk,
The way I heard it was Singer approached Welling to play the part, but Welling refused, not wanting to be typecast. Looks like he's ready to bring the role he played so well for so long to the big screen. AND this works out well because Smallville has been experimenting with a young Justice League, and Smallville is wildly popular (even outside of fanboy circles) which means there will be no problem with the JLA movie existing outside of current Supes and Bats continuity. I'M STOKED!
sharpe95th, I couldn't disagree more. I think the first 2 X-films were extremely successful in capturing not only the characters, but the essence and the draw of the X Men. They had the definite theme of racism and acceptance associated with the x-men.

daforce • Aug 25, 2007, 01:32am •

Did anyone read the article above? Tom Welling is being considered for the role.

I'm still not sold on the motion capture animation, since that's a very expensive technology, and we've seen what happens when the WB wastes large amounts of money on a movie (*coughSupermanReturnscough*).

Hopefully WB has enough brains (I know they don't, but I am trying to think positive) to hire some of Bruce Timm's guys to write a decent script, or at least be script consultants. The story needs to rock if it's going to pull DC comics properties out of the mire they've been in for the last 15 years (not including Batman Begins).

Mania is the premiere online destination for fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and anime entertainment. It is the largest community offering profiles, video, science fiction movies, sci fi TV, art, sci fi comics, photos, cheats, blogs, science fiction books, forums and feedback. Mania offers insider entertainment industry info and original content for science fiction, fantasy, and horror entertainment genres including: video games, comics, gadgets, movies, television, toys, music, books, DVDs and more.