Now that we know who’ll headline the first part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC universe, the question (and speculation) has naturally pivoted to who can show up in what movie. Superhero fans have been trained for over a decade to expect more than just the title characters in a film or show, and the eclectic lineup of shows and films presents some interesting opportunities for guest appearances.
Recently, IGN made a poll asking fans which DC characters they wanted to see pop in future films. In the end, the top 10 came down to Nightwing, Red Hood, Mr. Freeze, Zatanna, John Constantine, Deathstroke, the Court of Owls, Brainiac, Martian Manhunter, and Lobo. With a screenshot of the results posted to his Instagram Stories, the eternally online Gunn added fuel to the speculation fire by asking “Will 5 of 10 do?”
If we’re meant to assume these characters will have substantial roles in whatever movie they’re in, then at least two of them feel like no-brainers, given the slate of announced films. Batman: The Brave & the Bold was previously said by Safran to feature other Bat-family members that have been “left out of the Batman stories in the theatre for far too long,” so you can reasonably assume Dick and Jason will feature in that movie to some degree. Since it’s meant to introduce Damian Wayne, the youngest Robin of the bunch, bringing in two of his big brothers is only natural.
It’s the other characters who are bigger question marks. You could argue that Brainiac and Deathstroke may fill two spots; fans have wanted the former to be in a Superman movie for years, and he’d be a good threat for an inexperienced Kal-El. Deathstroke showed up in the animated Son of Batman adaptation, and like Brave & the Bold, it was inspired by the 2008 run by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert. Zatanna and/or Constantine may also serve as good candidates thanks to the Swamp Thing feature, as both magic users are frequent allies with the humanoid superhero. Assuming that Gunn wouldn’t want to have two Constantines running around, that is.