After four years of fan campaigning and a lot of praying, the Snyder Cut of Justice League was finally released earlier this year to great fan acclaim. Central to the movie’s plot is the so-called Knightmare future, the apocalyptic alternate future timeline where Darkseid prevails and Superman is corrupted into becoming his most powerful servant.
While there’s no guarantee yet that the Snyderverse will continue in the DCEU, the ever-present threat of the Knightmare scenario is what will push the DCEU to greater heights, and will certainly form the backbone of whatever Justice League 2 will turn out to be – if Zack Snyder gets to continue his vision.
The Green Lanterns Arrive
Zack Snyder had originally planned to have John Stewart’s Green Lantern show up at the end of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but as Warner Bros claimed they had plans for the character he went with Martian Manhunter instead. While the Green Lantern Corps HBO Max series is still ongoing, in the Snyderverse the Corps didn’t arrive until the Knightmare Future had already happened and they were too late to stop it. Once this future was undone the Corps was instrumental in the defeat of Darkseid during the final battle.
It’s Been Foretold Since Man Of Steel
The Snyderverse, and the DCEU with it, begins with 2013’s Man of Steel. However, while the first official appearance of the apocalyptic future timeline wouldn’t occur until Bruce Wayne’s premonition in Batman V Superman, the dark future and Superman’s part in it is heavily foreshadowed in Superman’s own vision in Man of Steel. During his first meeting with Zod, Superman sees the General plans for Earth, which includes turning it into an apocalyptic hellscape similar to the Knightmare future. The vision even contains the first appearance of Superman’s black suit which would prove vital in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Ben Affleck’s The Batman Would Play Into It
Probably the biggest lost treasure of the Snyderverse, apart from Justice League 2, is the standalone version of The Batman with Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne. While only a few purported facts about the DCEU Batman movie have emerged, but what little revealed shows that the Knightmare future would have had a deep connection to it.
For starters, Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) would have played a major antagonistic role, yet Zack Snyder’s Justice League showed Deathstroke and Batman teaming up in Knightmare. Furthermore, according to the Justice League 2 storyboards, The Riddler would’ve also been in the movie – leading to his eventual appearance in Justice League 2 where he helped to solve the Anti-Life Equation that gives Darkseid ultimate power.
Superman Turning Evil Is Always Awesome
Superman is the ultimate paragon of good, hopefulness, and courage, not to mention a being of limitless power, so it is always disturbing when he gets corrupted. Unfortunately, despite the way it annoys his fans by the way it keeps on happening – like in the Injustice series of fighting games – Superman turning evil is always a storytelling goldmine. Injustice‘s storyline is superb, Lex Luthor of the Superman & Lois TV show is driven by hatred of the evil Superman of his world, and the Knightmare timeline is both fascinating and terrifying. At the end of the day, there’s no bigger threat than Superman for other heroes to face.
Wonder Woman 3 May Feature It
While Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 made a big deal out of being set in the past, way before Diana’s reappearance in the rest of the Snyderverse starting with Batman V Superman, Wonder Woman 3 is reportedly set after Justice League. If that’s the case, then it should be noted that Zack Snyder was a producer on both movies, so the next Wonder Woman movie may well carry on the plan from Zack Snyder’s Justice League instead of the theatrical cut. A key scene in the Snyder Cut was the death of Diana during the Knightmare, and according to the Justice League 2 storyboards, it’s the devastation of Themyscira that truly kicks off the dark future.
Justice League 2 And 3 Would All Be About Avoiding It
By far the movies that would have the biggest connection to the Knightmare future and the key parts of the Snyderverse would be the planned Justice League 2 and 3. All of Zack Snyder’s DC movies from Man of Steel onwards have been about facing the dark future of the DC universe and trying to stop it, but the Justice League 2 storyboards detail a plot where the DC heroes are unable to prevent Darkseid’s invasion – and consequently, the third Justice League would be the final attempt to go back in time with The Flash and undo the Knightmare before it happened. If these movies happen, the Knightmare must be part of them.
Lois Lane Is The Key
There are conflicting reports about the next Superman movie, specifically regarding whether or not it’s still set in the DCEU or whether the likes of Henry Cavill and Amy Adams will return to their iconic roles as Superman and Lois Lane.
If it is set in the DCEU, then it’ll surely have to carry on from Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the future set up in both it and Batman V Superman – where the death of Lois Lane at the hands of Darkseid, something Batman could’ve prevented, causes Superman’s fall to evil. The next Superman movie needs to explore this, even if there isn’t a Justice League 2.
Darkseid Must Return
By far the biggest and most powerful villain in the DC universe is Darkseid, the lord of Apokolips, who made his long-awaited first live-action movie appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League (voiced by Ray Porter) to great acclaim. At the end of the movie, Darkseid plans to invade Earth with his full armada. The original plan was for him to return in both Justice League 2 and a New Gods movie directed by Ava DuVernay, which was also recently canceled by Warner Bros. Darkseid is too big and important a villain to leave on the sidelines, so he has to return and usher in the Knightmare timeline.
Batman And The Joker’s Truce
Arguably the most fan-pleasing scene in all of Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the Knightmare conversation during the movie’s epilogue between Batman (Ben Affleck) and The Joker (Jared Leto). This marked the first time these two iconic foes have ever interacted in the DCEU, and it occurred in the dark DC future where the two of them are uneasy allies. The Joker card that symbolizes their shaky truce first appeared in the Batman V Superman vision scene, where it’s stuck to Batman’s gun. If the DCEU brings back Batman and Joker in a movie, it will have to reference or set up their future alliance.
The Flash Movie Could Feature Knightmare
Next year’s big DCEU movie is The Flash, which will bring back Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) in his own movie, alongside Batman and even the official DCEU introduction of Supergirl (Sasha Calle). Reportedly, it will deal with the “Flashpoint” event where Barry travels back in time, undoes his mother’s murder, and radically alters the timeline. As both time travel and Batman will likely be key parts of The Flash then it’s entirely possible that the movie will the Knightmare future into its storyline. If Justice League 2 is completely off the table, then The Flash may put a stop to the Knightmare future, albeit in a different fashion to the way he tried to do it in Batman V Superman.
