A surprise new look at George Miller’s canceled Justice League movie features an underrated DC hero
George Miller was set to direct 2008's Justice League: Mortal
Filmmaker Ryan Unicomb has released a surprise look at George Miller's unmade Justice League movie – featuring an underrated DC hero.
"The late, great Hugh Keays-Byrne as J’onn J’onzz Martian Manhunter for George Miller’s Justice League," Unicomb wrote alongside the official production still.
Back in 2007, Miller was set to direct Justice League: Mortal. Alongside Keays-Byrne, the cast included Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Teresa Palmer as Talia al Ghul, Adam Brody as Barry Allen aka The Flash, and Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord. The production was reportedly put on hold due to the 2007-08 WGA strike, before being canceled indefinitely after the success of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.
Joss Whedon and Zack Snyder's Justice League wouldn't hit theaters until a decade later – which ultimately bombed at the box office and was poorly received by fans and critics alike. Zack Snyder's Justice League, aka The Snyder Cut, hit HBO in 2021 and had a much more positive reception.
A post shared by Ryan (@itsryanunicomb)
A photo posted by on
The Martian Manhunter, created by Joseph Samachson and Joe Certa, made his comic book debut back in 1955. He's one of the seven original members of the Justice League, and was played by Harry Lennix in Zack Snyder's Justice League.
A documentary about the pic, titled Seven Friends: George Miller's Justice League, was announced back in 2020 – though Unicomb posted in the comments under his photo of Keays-Byrne that he was no longer producing the doc.
For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond, or check out our complete guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows that you need to know about.
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for 12DOVE currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.