Even though Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was not a critical darling (you can see our initial review here and our round table discussion of pros and cons of the film here), Warner Bros. is still pushing forward with their DC Comics universe in an attempt to rival what Marvel is doing with their cinematic universe. The centerpiece of the DC Universe will be Justice League, which began filming a week ago. The Hollywood Reporter announced that the newest cast member has been added to Justice League: Willem Dafoe will be involved in both parts of the superhero team up film, playing “a good guy.” However, exactly what role Dafoe is playing is still being kept a secret.
Dafoe is no stranger to comic book films, playing Norman Osbourne/Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man film. More recently, Dafoe appeared in 2014’s John Wick and 2012’s John Carter. He has been nominated for Academy Awards for his work in both Shadow of the Vampire and Platoon. He joins an already packed cast of Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Jason Mamoa (Aquaman), Ezra Miller (The Flash), and Ray Fisher (Cyborg). Amy Adams will be returning as Lois Lane, and J.K. Simmons, also a Spider-Man veteran, will take on the role of Commissioner Gordon.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder will be returning to helm both parts of the Justice League film. Justice League: Part I will release on November 17, 2017, while Justice League Part II is scheduled to release on June 14, 2019. Willem Dafoe is playing a role that will appear in both films.
What DC character do you want to see Willem Dafoe portray? Will he be a fellow superhero (he could be interesting as an aging Oliver Queen/Green Arrow), somewhat of a team leader/liaison, or someone else entirely? Let us know in the comments below!
