While the new DC Universe Original Animated Movie Justice Society: World War II brings DC's premier Golden Age team to animation, two longtime members of the ensemble didn't make the cut for this film.
Producer Butch Lukic revealed that while he would've loved to incorporate the classic JSA line-up into the movie, it was decided to keep the story to its six core characters to do them justice in the story. This decision meant that Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott and Wildcat were both cut from the final film to keep the narrative focus tighter on the remaining characters.
"We went through a list with a lot of the characters from that period but it was definitely down to JSA characters only. Wildcat was in the running and also the original Green Lantern but just [they didn't work] time-wise and some of the other characters wouldn't be along the same lines," Lukic told CBR. "If I could've added them all in and extended the movie a little bit, I would've done it. But if you just have the six, you have enough character to spread this out equally between. If you add any more, you really limit some of the guys' possible sequences and scenes to make it work."
As revealed by the film's trailer, the main roster for the Justice Society in the animated movie includes Wonder Woman, the Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick, Hawkman, Hourman, Black Canary and Steve Trevor. Aquaman and the modern Flash Barry Allen round out the ensemble, giving the filmmakers plenty of characters and voices to balance out the story as the Justice Society battles the Axis Powers across Europe to liberate the world from their tyranny.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Justice Society: World War II stars Stana Katic as Wonder Woman, Matt Bomer as The Flash, Elysia Rotaru as Black Canary, Chris Diamantopoulos as Steve Trevor, Omid Abtahi as Hawkman, Matthew Mercer as Hourman, Armen Taylor as Jay Garrick, Liam McIntyre as Aquaman, Ashleigh LaThrop as Iris West, Geoffrey Arend as Charles Halstead/Advisor, Keith Ferguson as Dr. Fate and Darin De Paul as Roosevelt. The film will be released digitally on April 27 and on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on May 11.