DC’s extended universe may not have started off with a bang when it comes to critical reception, but so far the casting decisions have been among the strongest aspects of the relatively young and growing comic book-inspired universe. From Ben Affleck’s mostly well received turn as the Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to Margot Robbie as the fan favorite villain Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, DC has at least been mostly knocking it out of the park when it comes to its choice of actors.

With the recent announcement of Joe Manganiello being cast as Deathstroke in the upcoming Batman solo film, it was only a matter of time before DC announced another addition. Thanks to social media, fans may have a small clue as to who that new addition may be.

Brought to fans’ attention by Twitter user Dennis Lamb (via Comic Book), it seems that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’s official UK account as well as photographer Clay Enos (who’s been involved in both Suicide Squad and Dawn of Justice) have both started following John Cleese. Similar events preceded the announcement of Manganiello in the Deathstroke role, making it all the more possible that Cleese is the next addition to DCEU.

Obviously, at this point, this rumor has little to no evidence to suggest it as fact, and there’s even less evidence than there was for Manganiello before he was eventually cast. However, the way that DC has gone all in for the aforementioned Affleck (who a lot of fans were skeptical about at first, somewhat paralleling Heath Ledger’s casting in The Dark Knight) and relative newcomer Gal Gadot as the beloved Wonder Woman, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine Cleese finding a place in DC. The possibilities of who he could end up playing are vast, and many fans have already speculated a plethora of characters who would fit the actor’s persona, including those ranging from Dr. Fate to G. Gordon Godfrey.

Granted, who DC casts in the future may pale in comparison to how they’ll course correct their current product in the eyes of critics. The filmmakers could cast the best actors in the world, but if the product isn’t resonating with fans and reviewers, then who is in the film is ultimately meaningless. Though, that may all change with the upcoming 2017 release of Gadot’s Wonder Woman, which Warner Bros. has expressed confidence in after a screening for executives.

Regardless, the DC extended universe has a dedicated fan base who have seemingly enjoyed their string of films thus far (both Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad performed well at the box office) and the potential addition of Cleese could be a proverbial icing on the cake for the DC films.

We’ll keep you updated on all DC extended universe news as it develops.

Source: Comic Book

  • wonder woman Release Date: 2017-06-02 Justice League Release Date: 2017-11-17 The Flash Movie Release Date: 2023-06-23 Aquaman Release Date: 2018-12-21 Shazam! Release Date: 2019-04-05