Nothing gets a conversation and/or debate going faster than an alternate casting. Everyone has their own opinion about what actor should play which role and, more importantly, nobody can ever agree with anyone else’s picks. If it’s even slightly different than what you pictured in your head, you will immediately disregard it and ridicule the person who suggested it. The FanCast aims to inspire conversation, create debate, and provide ammo for the bloodthirsty nerds who can never be wrong.
According to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, DC Studios intends to bring together David Corenswet’s Superman with the DC Universe‘s Batman and Wonder Woman for a new Justice League movie (duh!). However, outside those three heroes, the lineup for the first Justice League team remains shrouded in secrecy. The DCU currently has the “Justice Gang,” an obvious precursor to the eventual Justice League that is funded by Maxwell Lord. In the comics, it was Lord who helped form the Justice League International.
While some fans believe Gunn is pulling inspiration from the comics featuring the JLI for the DCU, the superheroes he has so far introduced (or are confirmed to be on the way) do not match the team’s initial lineup. So, who might appear on the first Justice League team? Well, another theory is that Gunn plans on using the lineup from the acclaimed Justice League cartoon, an entire generation of which grew up with and are now movie ticket-buying adults. That’s the lineup Sailor and I have decided to use, so, without further ado, let’s get fancasting…
The Three Cast So Far
Three members from the animated Justice League cartoon have already been cast for the DCU: John Stewart / Green Lantern, Clark Kent / Superman, and Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl. The latter two made their DCU debut in Superman and were played by David Corenswet and Isabela Merced, respectively, while Aaron Pierre will make his first appearance as John Stewart in the HBO series Lanterns in 2026.
All three were absent from the first Justice League International lineup, which lends credence to the theory that Gunn’s Justice League team will use the cartoon lineup, even if Merced’s Hawkgirl is Kendra Saunders instead of Shayera Hol. Merced even hinted during an interview with Nerdist that she wanted to see the Hawkgirl/John Stewart romance from the cartoon replicated in the DCU. And, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner may be the Green Lantern on the Justice Gang, but there’s a good chance that it will be John Stewart for the Justice League, especially since he remains the go-to Green Lantern for the generation who grew up with the cartoon.
Jack Lowden | Bruce Wayne / Batman | Tom Bateman
Sailor’s Case for Lowden: Most actors who get floated for Batman fall into two categories—”square-jawed beefcakes” or “emo tortured souls.” Jack Lowden? He’s the rare bastard who can do both. He’s got the looks of a golden-age matinee idol, the grit of a street brawler, and the kind of intensity that smolders instead of screams. He’s not your fancast-friendly TikTok pick. He’s your “where the hell did this guy come from?” pick. And that’s exactly what Batman needs next. Lowden is one of those actors who disappears into roles, and I don’t mean that in a PR puff piece kind of way. He can do slick, charming, emotionally frayed playboy, Bruce Wayne. He can go full vengeance mode, no notes, no compromises, Batman. The best Batmen are dual roles, and Lowden’s already fluent in duality. Batman isn’t about biceps and gadgets; it’s about presence. That silent intensity. That stillness that tells you this man has done terrible things in the dark and didn’t flinch once. Lowden doesn’t overact. He lets you come to him. And when he stares you down, you get an immediate sense that this man is calculating every way to break your jaw in four moves or less. It’s not loud. It’s not theatrical. It’s controlled wrath. That’s Batman. And that’s what Lowden could bring to the role.
Karlston’s Case for Bateman: I’ve been championing Tom Bateman as Batman long before he starred in the underrated Peacock dark comedy series Based on a True Story. He can do brooding. He can do the silent intensity. He can pull off cracking the odd joke that Batman liked to do in the DCAU Justice League cartoon. At 36 years old, he’s the perfect age to act opposite Corenswet’s Superman while also being believable as someone who might have already had four Robins. Gunn has so far done a great job of finding actors who were scene stealers in projects where they weren’t the lead, and everything I’ve seen Bateman in has proven that he has what it takes to make a killer Dark Knight. Gunn just needs to give him the chance.
Adria Arjona | Diana Prince / Wonder Woman | Monica Barbaro
Sailor’s Case for Arjona: If the internet had its way, every superhero would be played by the flavor of the month. Fans see a dark-haired actress with cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass and immediately scream, “She’s perfect for Wonder Woman!” But when it comes to Adria Arjona, this isn’t fan-casting delirium—it’s destiny. She has the two most essential Wonder Woman traits: charisma and grit. Watch her in Andor, and you’ll see someone who commands attention without hogging the screen, someone who radiates strength even when her character isn’t throwing punches. There’s an innate warmth in her performances—an empathy that feels baked into her DNA. Diana Prince isn’t just a demigod in a tiara; she’s a diplomat, a bridge between worlds. Arjona gets that duality. Plus, there’s the physicality. Arjona has that tall, athletic, “could-probably-kick-you-through-a-wall” presence that feels natural, not manufactured in a gym six months before filming. She’s statuesque without being unrelatable, a warrior who looks like she might also share wine and philosophy lessons after beating an army of Parademons into the dirt. Gal Gadot gave us the Wonder Woman we needed for a decade. Adria Arjona could give us the Wonder Woman we didn’t know we wanted.
Karlston’s Case for Barbaro: If Tom Cruise ever decides to retire from acting, he could have a great career as a casting agent. The whole cast of young guns in Top Gun: Maverick have had their careers explode in the years since the 2022 blockbuster. Glen Powell is everywhere, Lewis Pullman just joined the MCU, Greg Tarzan Davis jumped over to Mission: Impossible, Manny Jacinto is about to get freaky a few Fridays from now with Lindsay Lohan, and Monica Barbaro just snagged an Oscar nomination for A Complete Unknown. However, outside of A Complete Unknown, Barbaro hasn’t done much except for FUBAR, which looks godawful. She has the looks, talent, action chops (I guess, thanks, FUBAR?), and is the right age range to make a killer Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. You can just see her fitting in with Corenswet’s Superman.
Mahershala Ali | J’onn J’onzz / Martian Manhunter | David Jonsson
Sailor’s Case for Ali: Martian Manhunter is the soul of the Justice League. He’s the quiet sentinel, the telepathic warrior, the immigrant from a dead world who sees more humanity in us than we do ourselves. He’s the character every writer loves but every studio ignores because he’s “too weird” or “too alien.” But if anyone could make J’onn J’onzz a household name, it’s Mahershala Ali. Ali doesn’t just act, he radiates gravitas. Every role he takes feels like it’s dipped in gravestone poetry. Whether he’s playing the stoic mentor in Moonlight or the smooth-talking politician in House of Cards, Ali brings a calm, commanding energy that feels otherworldly. Martian Manhunter isn’t a character you play with big, loud gestures. He’s about presence. He’s about looking someone dead in the eye and making them feel seen. Ali could pull off those haunting telepathic monologues without breaking a sweat. And let’s face it: Blade is never going to happen. Their loss is another potential win for DC.
Karlston’s Case for Jonsson: I first learned of David Jonsson’s existence by watching the underseen British rom-com Rye Lane, and I’ll be honest, at no point during that movie did I think, “This guy could play Martin Manhunter.” But then I watched Alien: Romulus. Jonsson’s android Andy in Romulus is quiet, smart, and gets straight to the point. He’s constantly serving questioning looks and, even when he’s standing still, his presence is dominating the space. Martian Manhunter will never be the lead of a Justice League movie, but he’s the one who will have that one talked-about moment, a speech or fight scene, that fans will talk about for weeks after. Jonsson has proved that he has no trouble being the scene-stealer instead of the lead. But DC better move quickly because if Romulus failed to turn Jonsson into a household name, his upcoming turn as the sardonic Peter McVries in The Long Walk should do the trick, meaning that he could end up on Marvel’s radar before you know it.
Jack Quaid | Wally West / The Flash | Cameron Monaghan
Sailor’s Case for Quaid: The Flash is the only overtly comedic character in the Justice League unless Gunn goes wild and includes Plastic Man. He’s the guy who crashes weddings, makes dumb jokes mid-fight, and saves the day with a grin so wide you forget he can vibrate through walls. If you cast the wrong actor, Wally West turns into a discount Spider-Man or a quippy nuisance. But Jack Quaid? He is Wally West—just walking around, existing, waiting for Warner Bros. to wise up. Quaid has a rare thing you can’t fake: likability that never feels forced. Watch him in The Boys as Hughie (a character who should, by all accounts, be insufferable), and he somehow makes you root for him even when he’s whining, bleeding, or looking like a lost puppy surrounded by psychopaths. That’s Wally West energy. Physically, he’s also perfect for the role. The Flash isn’t supposed to be a shredded god like Superman; he’s a lanky runner, a guy who looks like his superpower is cardio. Quaid’s tall, wiry frame gives off that effortless, kinetic energy. You look at him and believe he could accidentally trip over his own feet one second and then outrun a lightning bolt the next. If Warner Bros. wants The Flash to finally click with audiences, they need Jack Quaid.
Karlston’s Case for Monaghan: I’m not even going to try and suggest that I picked Monaghan for any other reason than his red hair. Wally West is a ginger, and I think the actor should also be repping that hair color. I like the idea that I’m seeing fans throw out online about Hal Jordan and Barry Allen being the OG Green Lantern and Flash, of say the 1990s, and John Stewart and Wally West being their replacements. While Monaghan’s name doesn’t immediately spring to mind when thinking of a comedic actor who would be perfect for The Flash, his past acting credits — Shameless, Gotham, Star Wars Jedi — have proven that he can play pretty much any role thrown at him. Plus, he’s got the right build to be believable as the superhero who is always on the go. Basically, I just want to see Monaghan get the chance to wow on the big screen like he’s been doing on the small screen since he was a child. Make him Wally West, Gunn!
Well, those are our picks for the remaining four members of the Justice League. Do you think this is the lineup Gunn will go with for the first Justice League movie? Which picks do you like more? Share your own thoughts and picks down in the comments!