Fans have been treated to yet another look at the doomed Justice League: Mortal, which has become something of a legend among DC fans. Entering pre-production in 2007, the film got as far as casting and early designs before being canceled.
Nevertheless, there are still new pieces of information about the film that pop up from time to time, including this production art for the film that gives us the best look to date at some of the designs.
The suits, which were all conceptualized by Weta Workshop, range from comics-accurate to drastically different. We see the updated Superman costume, which would have been worn by Shazam!’s D.J. Cotrona and ooks surprisingly similar to the one worn in the early days of DC Rebirth. Surprisingly, we also see concept art for a version of Superman’s iconic black costume.
In comparison, the film’s proposed Batman designs seem to lead toward a clunkier suit than usually depicted. The suit, which was intended for Armie Hammer, covers the Dark Knight in pouches, a knife and obscures his eyes with goggles. Another seems to feature a mesh body, but a thick upper body and high-reaching collar.
We also get a look at Aquaman, who was never cast for the film. These Aquaman takes seem to lean into the creepy and disturbing, with one noting the front of the torso has a "fine bony structure." He also appears to have his Waterbearer hand, which first appeared in the comics in 2003. Another look is more traditional, adding armor made from crustacean shells.
As for Green Lantern, who, for the film, was going to be John Stewart, he has a suit that looks to be almost exactly like his normal uniform. There's also concept art for a version of The Flash that sported a black suit instead of red, one with gold highlights and another with muted gray ones.
Despite the short-lived nature of the project, Justice League: Mortal is still subject to leaks. In March, concept art showing more traditional designs for The Flash and Batman surfaced. The film has been speculated on endlessly over the years and has only grown in notoriety following director George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road and the uneven trajectory of the DC Extended Universe.
Canceled after a number of crushing blows, such as an issue with tax write-offs from the Australian government and the 2007 Writer’s Strike delaying production, Justice League: Mortal was given the proverbial "do not resuscitate" following the success of The Dark Knight. That property led DC to refocus on solo films, ultimately spawning Man of Steel and the birth of the aforementioned DCEU.