Throughout the history of the Justice League in DC Comics, a vast number of heroes have joined the ranks of the team. The Justice League is undeniably the biggest team of heroes in the entire DC Universe, and has been a consistent part of the comic book continuity for decades. While its main roster is composed of several iconic heroes, there are also many in the Justice League’s ranks that are much lesser known. As James Gunn’s DCU introduces new characters, the franchise will undoubtedly seek to bolster its own version of the Justice League, adding heroes to form a powerful and cohesive team within the live-action continuity.
After Superman, the DCU’s team-up seems inevitable, as the franchise’s inaugural movie has already introduced several potential members of its incarnation of the Justice League. However, there are several heroes who have served as a part of the team in the comics that wouldn’t work in the DCU, and we’ll likely never see them join the team in the franchise. Some are a matter of logistics, while others are unlikely due to societal shifts since their creation that have rendered them problematic. Regardless of the reason, there are some Justice League heroes who will probably never appear in the DCU.
5) John Constantine
Image courtesy of DC Comics
Of all the great and iconic heroes in the DC Universe who have served as members of the Justice League, John Constantine is one of the most well-known who will likely not make it into the DCU. An occultist and demon slayer from Liverpool, John Constantine, also known as Hellblazer, has earned cult status and consistently borders on the mainstream success enjoyed by other DC characters. The antihero has served as a member of the Justice League in various incarnations in the comics, but he isn’t likely to appear in the DCU.
One of the main reasons is that Keanu Reeves is set to reprise his role as the character from the 2005 movie Constantine in an upcoming DC movie that will exist outside of the DCU’s continuity. Having multiple iterations of the character in live-action so close together would likely not work, especially as Reeves’ version is so well-liked. Additionally, the stories that Constantine typically features in are fairly dark, which isn’t necessarily in keeping with James Gunn’s characteristically light and playful tone, making Hellblazer’s DCU role seem even less plausible.
4) Matrix
Image courtesy of DC Comics
There are multiple DCU projects set up by Superman, one of which is the franchise’s own Supergirl movie. Though Kara Zor-El’s role in the 2025 movie was limited, it established her as Superman’s cousin, in line with her traditional comic book origin story. However, this presumably puts another DC hero out of contention for an appearance in the DCU. Matrix is a character introduced as a reimagining of Supergirl after DC Comics’ post-Crisis reboot, and although she commonly shares an appearance with the hero, she has an entirely different backstory.
The first iteration of Matrix, which was effectively a replacement for Superman’s cousin, Supergirl, would make no sense in the DCU. Considering the franchise introduced a more traditional representation of the character so early, it would seem that Gunn’s franchise will stick to the familial connection between the two powerful heroes. This renders the Supergirl version of Matrix completely redundant within the franchise, meaning that we’ll likely never see her join the DCU despite her having served as a member of the Justice League in the comics.
3) Tasmanian Devil
Image courtesy of DC Comics
The character known as Tasmanian Devil is a relatively obscure hero from the ranks of DC’s Justice League. First introduced in 1977, Tasmanian Devil is a complex figure with a relatively convoluted backstory. A gay, pacifistic, Australian metahuman who transforms into a were-beast, Tasmanian Devil first served as a hero in his native Tasmania before eventually joining the team known as the Global Guardians, then later became a member of the Justice League. For all his history in DC Comics, Tasmanian Devil would be an incredibly tough sell for the DCU.
Handling the multiple stereotypes that would undoubtedly come into focus regarding the character would be difficult, especially for movies featuring James Gunn’s often comedic tone. Additionally, the character’s design and lesser-known status could be another barrier to his introduction, as most audiences will not be at all familiar with Tasmanian Devil or his story. While nothing is preventing him from appearing in the DCU, faithfully adapting every aspect of his story would be needlessly tricky, and we probably won’t ever see him in the franchise.
2) Snapper Carr
Snapper Carr is a DC character with a checkered history. He appeared regularly in DC Comics between 1969 and 1989, where he served as something of a mascot and sidekick to the heroes of the Justice League. A young man with the ability to teleport, Snapper Carr has never been a mainstay in the wider DC Universe, but rather a figure occasionally given a role to play within a wider story. Even so, he has been a member of the Justice League at various times during his comic book history.
While it’s possible for James Gunn to bring Snapper Carr into the DCU, it seems unlikely. Not only is he an obscure character, but he isn’t a very interesting one, and his teleportation power makes him one of the weaker characters among the metahumans of the Justice League. Although Snapper Carr is an underrated DC hero in some respects, he just doesn’t seem exciting or interesting enough to warrant inclusion in the live-action continuity.
1) Gypsy
Image courtesy of DC Comics
The character known as Gypsy is, undoubtedly, a great and unfairly overlooked DC hero. However, the identity written for her and the name she goes by make her a pretty problematic character in many regards, and this alone makes her inclusion in the DCU seem all but impossible. Despite being a powerful and interesting figure, there’s no way that the franchise can adapt her as she is depicted in the comics.
For starters, her name is considered an incredibly offensive way to refer to the Romani people upon whom she is based. Additionally, her appearance and power set lean heavily into stereotypes that are better avoided. For all her potential as a hero and a member of the Justice League, it would be far better for the DCU to leave the character in the past due to the problematic nature of her characterization.
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