With news of a major new superhero movie comes absolutely insane and often hilarious rumor control, so it's only natural that yesterday's announcement regarding Zack Snyder directing the Justice League film has already been followed by plenty of of conjecture, hyperbole, and flat-out ridiculousness. Our favorite Justice League rumor, however, concerns Matt Damon - and it would be quite crazy if true.
In their reporting on the Justice League announcement, The Wrap floats that the Flash, Green Lantern and Aquaman will be on the titular team's roster and, furthermore, conspicuously throws out one potential name for the third hero on that list: Matt Damon. Which just isn't happening, folks. That said, new Batman Ben Affleck is good friends with Damon, and obviously Damon is no stranger to ensemble films: he was one of George Clooney's Monuments Men a few months ago and will show up later this year in Christopher Nolan's star-studded Interstellar.
But does Matt Damon need a hit so badly that he'd be so deferential to buddy Ben? The star might not be on a hot streak right now, but his movies have consistently made bank, especially overseas. Since 2009's Invictus, which grossed $122 million worldwide, Damon has had only two starring roles that didn't make $100 million globally: Paul Greengrass' Green Zone, which tapped out at $95 million, and Gus van Sant's Promised Lane, which was never expected to be a $100 million movie. But Aquaman isn't just a joke - it's an Entourage joke. Maybe there's some other cool actor out there that can make him work in a Justice League movie, but I can't imagine that Damon would bother. The Wrap adds that Jason Momoa is another actor who could end up taking the part, but it all remains speculation at this point.
In addition to the Damon story, the other new Justice League story currently floating around comes from the folks at Latino Review. Yesterday's report about Zack Snyder's hiring - which featured quotes from big name Warner Bros. executives said that Justice League would follow 2016's Batman Vs. Superman by being released in 2018 or later, but that's not what LR's sources are saying. According to the site, Warner Bros. is actually looking to seize the May 5, 2017 slot for Justice League. That would make it the second straight time DC Comics film planted a flag on an established Marvel Studios release date, as Disney already nabbed that weekend for an untitled film last summer. Adding another wrinkle to this story is that some suspect May 2017 is being reserved by Marvel for the eventual Avengers 3. If this is true, then Warner Bros. is showing some serious balls.
Given the way WB has been stepping on Marvel release dates recently, you'd think they had failed to notice that Captain America: The Winter Soldier has managed to make $645 million this month ALONE. The first weekend of May is the best release date on the calendar – just ask Sony, who seized May 2018 for the fourth movie in their Amazing Spider-Man franchise - but the truth is that you can put out a blockbuster almost anytime of the year, with the exceptions being the tail-end of August, the middle of September and early January (and even that may change soon). If this story is true, then DC and Warner Bros. are clearly trying to be competitive, but they're acting like the bully who sets their lunch tray down in the middle of an occupied table, claims its theirs, and kicks someone out of their seat. That early May 2016 showdown between Captain America 3 and that Batman vs. Superman movie makes a little bit more sense for them, since the pairing of Bats and Supes are, comparatively, the top superhero draws. The Justice League taking on The Avengers, though? Good luck, dudes.
