This New Look At Martian Manhunter In George Miller’s Justice League Is A Masterclass In Prosthetics, And I So Wish This Movie Wasn’t Scrapped

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As a die-hard fan who’s grown up with the thrill of comic book adaptations, the cancelled Justice League: Mortal remains a bitter pill to swallow. Having followed George Miller’s illustrious career, I can’t help but wonder what marvels his unique vision would have brought to the superhero genre.

Over the past few decades, enthusiasts of superheroes have been spoiled rotten. With an endless stream of Marvel and DC films on the horizon, their desires seem minimal. However, despite the abundance of movies we’ve enjoyed so far, there are some gems that will never grace our screens. One such missed opportunity from the last decade was the now-canceled “Justice League: Mortal,” a superhero film concept that I can’t help but yearn for even more now.

Justice League: Mortal was going to be George Miller’s foray into the superhero genre, and the movie came remarkably close to happening. All the major roles in the film had been cast, which included Mad Max’s Toecutter (and future Immortan Joe) Hugh Keays-Byrne as Martian Manhunter. On Instagram, some images recently dropped showing Keays-Byrne doing what is likely a screen test in full makeup as the character, and it looks awesome.

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As a devoted fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the concept art of Justice League Mortal characters. However, this rare image offers a unique glimpse into what the actual cast might have looked like in their respective roles. The snapshot of Hugh Keays-Byrne seated in the makeup chair stirs both admiration and a tinge of frustration, as it suggests he probably spent countless hours in that chair for a screen test that sadly never materialized. Alas, Justice League: Mortal was destined to remain on the shelf, leaving us fans yearning for what could have been.

The Justice League: Mortal movie nearly became a reality. It had already finalized its cast, with Armie Hammer portraying Batman/Bruce Wayne, Adam Brody as The Flash, and D.J. Cotrona as Superman. However, even though a film gets to the casting phase, it doesn’t always guarantee success; this was an exception.

As a gamer, I’ve learned that sometimes even the best-laid plans can go awry. In this case, it seems Warner Bros. felt our screenplay needed more tweaking, but unfortunately, we hit a snag during the 2007-2008 WGA strike, which meant no progress could be made on our script. To make matters worse, there was a tight deadline for filming to secure financial incentives from the Australian government. Unfortunately, our contracts expired before we could finalize the script, and we missed the start date. The project never quite recovered after that, much like a game over screen in my favorite video games.

It’s possible that the movie Justice League: Mortal might not have been the greatest superhero film of all time, but given George Miller’s impressive history as a director, it would be fascinating to see his unique interpretation of a superhero story. With a diverse portfolio spanning live-action, animation, family films, and action movies, Miller has consistently demonstrated his knack for success across various genres. Consequently, the prospect of him directing a superhero movie is undeniably intriguing.

Things aren’t entirely disappointing. Adam Brody and D.J. Cotrona got their shot as superheroes in the Shazam! films. George Miller would later create Mad Max: Fury Road, which might not have materialized if Justice League: Mortal had been a tremendous success. And given Armie Hammer’s career situation today, perhaps it was fortunate he didn’t play Batman. Yet, I can’t help but long for the movie I never got to see.

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2024-08-21 21:07