DC Comics and its parent company, Warner Bros. Entertainment, have been trying for years now to catch up with Disney and Marvel in the film industry. Though adaptations of smaller DC imprint titles such as A History of Violence, V for Vendetta, and RED have found some success on the big screen, more mainstream comic properties such as Green Lantern and Superman Returns simply haven’t matched the huge box office successes of Marvel’s Iron Man, Avengers, and Captain America movies. Only Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy stands out as a wildly successful DC movie property in recent decades.

From this perspective it is no surprise that Warner Bros. is looking to make Zack Snyder, the director of last year’s hit Man of Steel, the linchpin of its DC Comics movie initiative. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Snyder has been chosen by Warner Bros. to direct an upcoming Justice League movie.

The report was confirmed by Warner Bros. via its Twitter page:

Yep. MT @benfritz: Warner confirms "Justice League" movie plans. Zack Snyder will direct after Batman v Superman. http://t.co/pAI8CcxCV6

— Warner Bros. (@WarnerBrosEnt) April 28, 2014

A screenplay for the movie has yet to be written, though Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are confirmed as characters in the movie. A release date has also not been set and Warner Bros. President of Worldwide Production Greg Silverman told the Wall Street Journal that the movie likely won’t hit theaters until at least 2018.

In the meantime DC and Warner Bros. will continue preparing for the Snyder-directed Man of Steel sequel, currently dubbed Batman Vs. Superman and scheduled for a 2016 release. That movie will see Henry Cavill return as Superman and Ben Affleck make his debut as Batman. Jesse Eisenberg will also appear in the movie as Superman baddie Lex Luthor and Israeli actress Gal Gadot will be playing Wonder Woman.

As core members of the Justice League in the comics, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all expected to make an appearance in the Justice League movie. Cyborg has also been rumored as a character for both Batman Vs. Superman and Justice League. Other prominent Justice League members that could appear include Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern, who was played by Ryan Reynolds in a 2011 movie.

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