9 Snyderverse Characters Ready for Redemption in James Gunn’s DCU

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Zack Snyder had a grand vision for bringing the Justice League and the wider DC Extended Universe to life on screen. Although his full plan never came together, the movies we did get were often exciting and featured powerful characters and impressive stories. However, many of the characters he introduced had their storylines cut short, canceled, or significantly altered – usually to their detriment.

With James Gunn fully taking the reins of the DC Universe (particularly after the release of Superman in 2025), it’s a great opportunity to reimagine several characters from the previous DC film universe (often called the Snyderverse) with fresh faces and new storylines. Here are 9 characters from Zack Snyder’s DC films who could be successfully reintroduced in James Gunn’s DCU.

Cyborg

Ray Fisher’s Cyborg was originally intended to be a central character in the Justice League movie. However, his part was drastically reduced in the 2017 release, due to problems behind the scenes and interference from the studio.

Victor Stone’s journey – dealing with loss, sadness, and becoming a hero, even when he didn’t want to – was a particularly strong part of the DC story. We really saw his original vision come to life in the 2021 film, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Now, there’s an opportunity to revisit Cyborg and delve even deeper into what makes him human and who he truly is.

Many DC fans would probably enjoy seeing Cyborg return to the Teen Titans. While the recent movies focused on his role in the Justice League – a change that started with the 2011 reboot of the DC comics – Cyborg is currently a Titan again in the comics themselves, so a return to his roots would be fitting.

Flash

Look, I really wanted to love The Flash. Ezra Miller has this undeniable charisma, and there were definitely scenes that hit me emotionally. But honestly, it was hard to separate the character from all the stuff happening with the actor off-screen. And the movie itself? Sadly, it just didn’t land. As one of the last films in the DCEU, it really felt like a letdown – critics and audiences were pretty disappointed, and I was among them.

Hopefully, the new DC Universe will give The Flash a fresh start, keeping the core idea Zack Snyder established – a hero trying his best to fully embrace his powers and responsibility. It would also be a good idea to learn from the success of the CW’s nine-season Flash series, as many fans loved Grant Gustin’s portrayal of the character.

Martian Manhunter

The appearance of Martian Manhunter in Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a major surprise, especially because his introduction had been entirely removed from the 2017 theatrical release of the film.

Harry Lennix played J’onn J’onzz, a character who initially appeared in disguise, advising Lois Lane as both a general and Martha Kent. By the end of the movie, he revealed his true alien form to Batman, foreshadowing future dangers in planned, but ultimately unmade, sequels to Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Unfortunately, J’onn J’onzz, also known as the Martian Manhunter, wasn’t able to participate in the battle as planned. Hopefully, the new DC Universe under James Gunn will find a way to include him properly. The Martian Manhunter is a truly great hero – a brilliant tactician and powerful shapeshifter – and he could be key to expanding Earth’s heroes’ stories into the wider galaxy.

Ryan Choi/The Atom

Okay, so you know how a lot of stuff got cut from the original Justice League back in 2017? Well, Ryan Choi was one of those characters. Thankfully, Zack Snyder’s version brought him back in! He’s played by Ryan Zheng (sometimes credited as Kai Zheng), and he’s a scientist working at STAR Labs. Basically, he and Silas Stone – Cyborg’s dad – were both digging into the secrets of the Mother Box together. It was cool to finally see his story included!

I was so thrilled to see Ryan Choi take charge of that Kryptonian ship by the end of the movie! And getting named Director of Nanotechnology at STAR? That definitely felt like they were setting him up to become the next Atom – though it’s cool they made it clear he’s forging his own path, separate from Ray Palmer.

Although James Choi’s character was originally suggested to become a superhero in the DC Extended Universe, that didn’t happen. However, there’s still potential for him to appear in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. It would be exciting to see a shrinking hero like Ant-Man join the ranks of the DCU someday.

Comissioner Gordon

J.K. Simmons was excellent as Commissioner Gordon in Justice League, bringing a strong presence to the role. It’s a shame he didn’t get much screen time in the DC Extended Universe overall. His serious attitude and clear dedication to Batman suggested a richer backstory for Gotham City that, unfortunately, wasn’t explored.

Warner Bros. changed direction with its Batman films. Instead of continuing with Ben Affleck in a movie connected to the existing DC Universe, they opted for director Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson. This new film takes place in its own separate world, with a different storyline, and features Jeffrey Wright as a younger version of Commissioner Gordon before he reaches that rank.

With the new Brave and the Bold movie on the horizon, fans are wondering if we’ll see a new version of Commissioner Gordon. While the film seems like the perfect opportunity to introduce a fresh face, some believe J.K. Simmons could return to play the role, even though it’s a separate DC Universe.

Marvel and Sony previously brought back J.K. Simmons to play J. Jonah Jameson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even though he’d already played the same character in the earlier Spider-Man movies with Tobey Maguire. This sets a precedent for bringing back actors to reprise roles across different cinematic universes.

Deathstroke

Joe Manganiello played Deathstroke in both cuts of the Justice League movie, and his appearance hinted at a large-scale battle with Batman (and maybe other heroes) that ultimately didn’t happen.

This mercenary, equipped with impressive real-world armor and weapons, would have been a fantastic addition as a key villain in the DC Extended Universe. He also made a brief appearance in Zack Snyder’s final vision of a dark future, unexpectedly fighting alongside Batman, Cyborg, Flash, Mera, and even the Joker against Darkseid and a Superman who had turned evil, in a post-apocalyptic world.

As a huge cinema fan, I’m really hoping James Gunn’s new DC Universe brings back Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke. He’s such a compelling villain with a long history in DC, and I’d love to see his story continue. I especially think it would be fantastic if Joe Manganiello got another chance to play him. He really embodied the character, and it felt like we never fully got to see what he could do with the role in the old DCEU. It’d be amazing to see him get a proper run in the DCU.

Joker

Jared Leto’s version of the Joker is still a very controversial take on the character. When it first appeared in the 2016 film Suicide Squad, many found it chaotic and superficial, and it didn’t quite capture the essence of the classic Joker.

Although Joker only appeared briefly in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and in the Knightmare scene, those moments suggested a more interesting and complex future for the character, hinting at a possible alliance with Batman in a darker version of the DC Universe.

James Gunn’s new DC Universe offers a fresh opportunity to reimagine the Joker, potentially creating a version that audiences connect with more and that feels like a truer representation of the character.

Maxwell Lord

Pedro Pascal’s character, Maxwell Lord, in Wonder Woman 1984, was undeniably charismatic. However, the impact of his performance and the character itself were heavily influenced by the film’s distinct 1980s aesthetic.

The concept of a powerful and charming businessperson controlling superpowered individuals is full of possibilities, and we’re already getting a glimpse of that in the DC Universe. Sean Gunn has started to play this role with brief appearances in both Superman and the first episode of Peacemaker season 2.

Everything we’re seeing now seems to be building towards a larger story. Currently, Maxwell Lord is funding a team of heroes called the Justice Gang, which could eventually become the Justice League within the new DC Universe. It will be interesting to see if James Gunn portrays Lord as becoming a villain, as he has in past iterations.

Green Lantern (John Stewart)

Zack Snyder had intended to feature Green Lantern in his Justice League movies, and had cast Wayne T. Carr as John Stewart. He even shared photos of Carr in costume, showcasing the character’s iconic power ring.

The upcoming DCU series Lanterns will finally bring John Stewart to live-action, with Aaron Pierre playing him as a new recruit alongside the experienced Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler. This is especially exciting for fans who were hoping to see John Stewart in a live-action role in the previous DC Universe, as those plans never came to fruition.

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2025-11-03 00:47