'Justice League: Mortal' star reveals story details about the canceled 2009 movie

In 2007 George Miller signed on to direct a live action Justice League movie titled Justice League: Mortal. Armie Hammer was cast as Batman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, D.J. Cotrona as Superman, Common as Green Lantern, Adam Brody as The Flash, Anton Yelchin as The Flash (Wally West), Santiago Cabrera as Aquaman, and Hugh Keays-Byrne as Martian Manhunter. However, the movie never made it into production and it was canceled about a year later due a denied tax rebate and the writer's strike.

Jay Baruchel was cast as the villain Maxwell Lord, and on this week's episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast he dished about the movie that never was. Baruchel explained how far along in production they were before everything that canceled. They were literally days away from shooting. He said the movie was based on the Infinite Crisis comics, and even went into some cool story details involving Superman and Wonder Woman. Listen to Baruchel talk about it all around the 42:13 mark in the audio player below.

SOURCE: Happy Sad Confused

57 comments

Jesse Hernandez

August 30, 2017

I don't know how I feel about his WW suit.... the Gal Gadot Suit is amazing... is there any concept art of Supes and Bats suit ?

RadioYeh
August 30, 2017
I always wondered what the Batsuit for the film what have looked like.
BatmanNewsChris
August 30, 2017
Unfortunately no. I reached out to the person who released this Wonder Woman concept art a few years back for some Batman stuff, but they never replied.
1. Jesse Hernandez
  August 30, 2017
  Damn... well it must be lost like those deleted scenes that Nolan never gave us of the Joker in TDK
  1. BatmanNewsChris
    August 30, 2017
    I know!
  2. Robin Bankes
    August 31, 2017
    Those lost Joker scenes are an absolute tragedy
2. Thinwheat
  August 30, 2017
  Somebody's gotta have it somewhere you'd think. . . Maybe it'll eventually turn up.
  1. BatmanNewsChris
    August 30, 2017
    I hope so!
    1. Dwright816
      August 30, 2017
      I'm dying for them to make a documentary for this like superman lives it sounds so good and interesting
    2. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      ah have to delete my comment because you beat me to it! bravo good sir
  2. Jackrydeher
    August 30, 2017
    Best we have is armie hammers description of it ...
    "Oh yeah, for sure. I put on the whole suit. Weta made our suit. It was all functioning. It had like carbon fiber, and it had like pistons and gears that would function. It was amazing! It was like a exoskeleton suit.
    It was really awesome. Uh… I don’t know if I was supposed to say all that."
Lucas Santana
August 30, 2017
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-...
probably, would be like that.
1. Batpod4L
  August 30, 2017
  Don't make the super suit green.....or animated!
2. Robin Bankes
  August 31, 2017
  Chills lol
Jesse Hernandez
August 31, 2017
That would be an Amazing iteration of a Batman of Exo skeleton .
Alan Conn
August 31, 2017
Cool i used to always look for any pic or even concept art but no luck. Hadnt read this! Thanks!
UltimateEdition
August 31, 2017
i know how i feel about it... not as good!

John Johnson

August 30, 2017

Just got done rereading Infinite Crisis. They were really swingin’ for the fences with that (not anymore) first Justice League movie.

FastestKnight

August 30, 2017

George Miller is a god, but this movie seriously sounds like it was a mess.

Also, a Justice League movie with 20 characters, including a new Batman and a new Superman when they already had Brandon Routh and Christian Bale (with a Batman sequel coming the next year).

Only Warner man, only Warner.

Curtis Lucas

August 30, 2017

I like Jay Baruchel and all, but him as a main super villain might be more head-scratching than Jesse Eisenberg as one.

This movie might've been a train wreck (the one that were actually getting in 3 months might be too, to be fair), but kind of like Superman Lives before it, I kinda would still maybe liked to seen it be made.

If they were really this close to production, there has to be SO MUCH concept stuff somewhere filed away. I hope we at least get to see some more of it one day.

Canucks Fan
August 30, 2017
How is that fair taking a shot at the 2017 justice league movie. Other than the bs rumors the movie has positive buzz. Little more optimism online could go along way discussing these properties.
1. OGmacrazy
  August 31, 2017
  What positive buff? If anything, a shit ton of hopes from WB is riding on it, and it has all the pressure in the world right now to be well received and make a shit ton of money. It's the first JL movie, made by the guy who turned the first Batman and Superman live action encounter into the butt of jokes everywhere...
  1. UltimateEdition
    August 31, 2017
    made by the guy that has produced some of the most die hard fans a comic book film could possibly make
    1. OGmacrazy
      August 31, 2017
      Had those movies not been based on properties with huge fanbases of which some people would love the movies either way (given it's not another Superman IV), that wouldn't happen. That is an extremely weak argument.
    2. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      it's not an argument. it's a fact.
    3. OGmacrazy
      August 31, 2017
      Ok, so does the Twilight, and Transformers movies. What does that fact help you with, exactly?
      As I said, having fans support movies based on properties they're fans of with large pre-existing fanbases is not at all note-worthy. It's to be expected, actually. Big fucking whoop, where were y'all when Sucker Punch released to a joke of a public/critic reaction? Oh right, he still hadn't made a superman movie.
    4. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      you saying that BvS is the butt of jokes everywhere is a summarization of your sheep like mentality. and every director has films that are poorly received in some way or another... assuming people who like Snyder post superman automatically like Suckerpunch?= your ignorance plus more of your nonsensical rhetoric
    5. Mark
      August 31, 2017
      In my case I had never heard of Zack Snyder before Watchmen, but in general I don't watch movies anyway (exceptions for The Dark Tower, Star Trek, Star Wars, DC, and since my nephew likes it the Lego stuff).
    6. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      Watch 300
    7. OGmacrazy
      August 31, 2017
      Is it? Is it not stating a fact, just like you said? Because memes were created around BvS, dude. No need to try and attack me with a very lazy attempt at an insult when I didn't even call it a joke, I merely said it was the subject of them, which is undebatable. Also, yes, every director has a poorly received film or another, but Snyder has all of them, pretty much. From mediocre receptions to terrible ones. Anything else from your defensive point of view? I'm not seeing much in the way of facts there...
    8. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      "Memes were created around BvS dude" lmfao... memes... and because I said snyder has a die hard fan base, you get triggered. critical reception? heard of a little film called 300? but according to you they have all been "mediocre to terrible". can you say anything truthful?
    9. OGmacrazy
      August 31, 2017
      Regardless of your position about memes, they are the most popular form of a joke on the internet. So my point still stands. Also, did I get triggered? Do any of you people know the words you write? Jesus, by that logic, you also got triggered, and everyone around here gets triggered with each and every reply. Stop trying to juggle words you obviously do not know how to use just to fill in the space of your reply to make it seem more lengthy.
      Also, sorry, but if you're going to call a liar to someone, you should do some fucking reasearch first.
      Firstly, one example out of seven is hardly making me an outright liar, but even if it stands as such, 300 currently holds a 60% rottentomatoes approval score and a 52 on metacritic. Like I said: mediocre at best.
      Damn, you've barely made a point, and when you have, you've been shut down in this thread. By all means, keep going.
    10. UltimateEdition
      August 31, 2017
      it took 2 small comments before you begin ranting, dropping F-bombs, writing full paragraphs to argue that snyder has a hardcore fan base. (Which he does) that's all I initially said... then it becomes so easy to negate everything you say... kinda fun really... and citing rotten tomatoes is about as legitimate as citing Wikipedia to back up whatever you say. 1 out of 7? 300 is awesome, dawn of the dead, watchmen, man of steel, Batman v superman, and eventually justice league? 1 out of 7? lmfao... shut down? LMFAO hahaha... I know you will keep going... you can't help yourself!
    11. OGmacrazy
      September 1, 2017
      How is the word 'fuck' the definition of triggered? Dude, people use it all the time in normal conversations, nothing wrong with it. You took it way too personally.
      Also, yet again lying your ass out. Nobody's talking about your opinion on his films.
      You brought up critical reception, I responded that his movies are all mediocre at best when it comes to critical reception and this was your answer
      "critical reception? heard of a little film called 300? but according to you they have all been "mediocre to terrible". can you say anything truthful?"
      I responded with the fact that 300 was not that well received at all and actually had pretty mediocre reception. And now you're talking about how all those movies are awesome TO YOU. Sorry, if anyone's "lmfaoing" here, is me. You backed yourself into a corner and now you're trying to lie your ass out of it. So yeah you brought up ONE film that supposedly wasn't poorly or averagely received, and now you commented as if that was never your point. This is why it's so easy with you, actually. Not even an ounce of thought was put into any of your comments, and it's easy as fuck to shut them down then.
      "Citing rotten tomatoes is about as legitimate as citicing wikipedia to back up whatever you say" not when we're talking about CRITICAL RECEPTION, which you brought up.
      Jesus Christ, it's like you make a fool of yourself with comments like this, and then pat yourself in the back for it. I seriously hope you read this, go back to your comments and realize you were wrong. I don't care about your opinion on them, if you like them that's fine, I also enjoyed 2 of his films myself, but that wasn't the discussion we were having. You brought this to yourself. But by all means, reply with yet another dodging of the argument with yet another lie to try and make me look like the wrong one.
    12. StarTheory
      September 1, 2017
      I must be secretly triggered all the time then because I use 'fuck' even if I have a nice conversation with someone.
    13. OGmacrazy
      September 1, 2017
      Best example of any celebrity I know that does this is Kevin Smith. I do it like he does, and I bet you're the same by your description. Dude uses the word "fuck" and all it's variations almost as punctuation, man. Oh well, I guess some people will still find it a 'bad' word and be put off or whatever.
    14. UltimateEdition
      September 1, 2017
      The sole use of the word fuck is not being triggered but it's how you use it that makes you sound like a whiny pre-teen combined with your novelization of bitching of course...300 made half a billion dollars world wide on a 65 million dollar budget...without a fan base such as twilight or transformers and it's rated R! even more of an accomplishment...and again using rotten tomatoes as your bible for critical reception is a JOKE which is why I blasted you for it... sometimes RT is right but it's black and white, rotten/fresh way of judging things will often leave a good movie with a "rotten" rating... seriously take a walk outside and see how the world works you might learn a thing or two... but knowing it's you we're talking about I doubt it
    15. OGmacrazy
      September 2, 2017
      You know what sounds like triggering, though? Trying to defend your point of view with nothing but your own opinions and lies, and then dodging the fuck out of the subject matter by going after the person you're having the discussion with. Ad hominem through the ass and only insults geared to me is the best you can muster? Not even going to bother replying to this chain anymore.
      Also RT and Metacritic are the biggest critic aggregate websites in the world, wether or not you like them. What is a joke is you, yet again, ignoring facts that do not fit your narrative in the slightest.
      "seriously take a walk outside and see how the world works you might learn a thing or two... but knowing it's you we're talking about I doubt it"
      It's incredible how much of a fool you like to make yourself look like and then act all high and mighty because you were able to throw that jab in.
      No facts, no valid arguments came from you in this thread. Only bringing up subjects to then turn it into an "opinion" argument to then calling RT a joke because it's "sometimes wrong", probably only when you disagree with them, right babe?
      By all means, reply with yet another mix of insults and cliched internet tough guy sentences. This is hilarious, you're just not seeing it.
    16. UltimateEdition
      September 2, 2017
      "Not even going to bother replying to this chain anymore" lol starting to figure it out huh? 🤔
2. Geoff
  August 31, 2017
  You want more positivity but you throw all your support behind a divisive director so pick what you want since you can't have both.
3. Incarnation of Truth ✓Vilified
  August 31, 2017
  Hollywood has 0.00 positive buzz.

ken

August 30, 2017

It would be fun to have Santiago Cabrera back in a DC movie he's a great and underated actor. I was pissed when they killed him prematurely on Heroes, more recently he got a small part in Big Little Lies (great show by the way) and I just remember how talented he is.

Black Adam

August 30, 2017

"Imagine Miller doing Snyder"? WW fighting Minotaur? Superman breaking WW's hands? Sounds cool.
But casting for this movie, including Maxvel Lord, makes me really happy this movie never happened.
WB, you should seriously give Miller something to do with DCEU... Give him Apokolips/New Genesis standalone and watch the world burn...

FastestKnight

August 30, 2017

Yes, it's also on PDF. I've just read it and it's actually pretty good and well balanced.

I hope they do that documentary about the movie cause I'm interested in seeing more of it.

SΛŁIM

August 31, 2017

It was supposed that here, Wally would replace Barry after he sacrificed himself. I would have loved to see that, especially by Anton Yelchin who was perfect as Kid Flash. Rest in peace.
I also looked forward to seeing Adam Brody as The Flash, so I would like to see him in some role inside the DCEU... Plastic Man maybe?

By the way, it seems that from the beginning Warner had in mind a different vision when choosing actors for certain characters:
Jay Baruchel (Maxwell Lord) - Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luthor) -> Someone of you imagined some of them as villains?. Not?. Me neither.
https://image.ibb.co/ndzoBk...
Adam Brody (Flash) - Ezra Miller (Flash) -> They clearly never had a blond Barry Allen in mind.
https://image.ibb.co/dyOLP5...
James Cabrera (Aquaman) - Jason Momoa (Aquaman) -> Long before, they were looking for a dark-skinned Arthur Curry to give Aquaman a more "badass" look.
https://image.ibb.co/n445rk...
This time there will be nothing to prevent the premiere of the JL. Only 79 more days left!!

sbs138
August 31, 2017
Nothing you say? Nuclear War with North Korea?
residentgrigo
August 31, 2017
Watch more Eisenberg movies. He comes off as a psycho in even romantic comedies as Café Society! A time traveling Eisenberg would have made a great Die Hard villain in the 80s and 90s.
Put him in a Hannibal reboot (or the show) and have him wear a skin suit. Note to self, workshop a spec script for Jesse as Buffalo Bill... Or him as Patrick Bateman.

OptimistPrime99

August 31, 2017

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
A tax rebate? The writer's strike? LOL As far as I'm concerned, Christopher Nolan had this movie cancelled, LIKE A BOSS! He probably would've been in post-production of The Dark Knight, at the time. Having two different cinematic Batmens being promoted at around the same time, would've been really weird. When Jared Leto inevitably gets asked about the Leto-less solo Joker project, that's apparently in the works, I hope he's brutally honest about it. If he's got ANY ego, he can't be thrilled.

AquaCthulhu
August 31, 2017
In all honesty, Nolan was still gaping at Star Wars as a kid when Miller had already laid foundation for his magnum opus a couple of years before that.

Ravager

August 31, 2017

I think that casting is super good, but i never liked that WW costume

Humdi 257

August 31, 2017

Omac Proj(WW kills maxwell) and IC is my favorite big event and with this cast it would've been awful.

Alan Conn

August 31, 2017

Screenplay is online. I read the whole thing... wasnt great but wasnt completely terrible at parts either. Wouldve liked to have seen what it couldve been.

UltimateEdition
August 31, 2017
was there an interesting villain choice who played the "muscle" to maxwell lord?
residentgrigo
August 31, 2017
I give it a 5/10. Better than Whedon´s failed and then current WW script but nearly all of the shaky DC original toons are better. The film most importantly wouldn´t have worked for any general audience, as it relies more heavily on comic knowledge than even BvS.
Dat Flash sex scene though! He blows his load quicker than MacLeod in Highlander 2.

AquaCthulhu

August 31, 2017

But this would've been before the general audience was convinced the only way to do this is solo-off every hero and then do a team-up. They probably would've been a lot more open to it and watching all the heroes interact at once like that would've been all the appeal it needed to build the hype for a good run.

PizzaPlanet

August 31, 2017

Thank God

residentgrigo

August 31, 2017

The FULL script has been alible for years now. Here is the whole thing acted out:
https://www.youtube.com/wat...
I would prefer living in a world with a fascinating if mediocre/problematic JLA life action film that predates the DCEU but even i would have pulled the plug here without a serious page 1 rewrite.

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'Justice League: Mortal' star reveals story details about the canceled 2009 movie

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