Here's What Chiwetel Ejiofor Would Look Like As Martian Manhunter

With the release of a slightly updated trailer for Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League on November 17, 2020, interest in the DC Extended Universe's cast of crime-fighting characters is understandably high. Fans are eagerly waiting for the four hour-long project to drop next year, 2021, on the HBO Max streaming service, largely to look over the differences between this version and the widely-maligned theatrical edition cobbled together at the last minute by Joss Whedon and Warner Bros. If the storyboards Snyder previously revealed on Vero are any indication, audiences are in for some serious changes — and awesome surprises, including the DCEU emergence of a fan-favorite Justice Leaguer.

Despite the marketing for the 2017 movie including the tagline "Unite the Seven," by the time the credits rolled, only six heroes stood together after defeating Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). As it turns out, the original version of the story would have included an appearance from J'onn J'onzz, better known as Martian Manhunter. Storyboards released by Snyder himself have shown that the seemingly forgotten DCEU character of General Swanwick (Harry Lennix) was, in Justice League, going to be revealed as J'onn's Earthly disguise. 

This is a major story beat that never came to fruition, years ago, and will presumably happen in the Snyder Cut, marking the character's first appearance on the big screen.

However, while Lennix himself is entirely capable of knocking the role out of the park, the DC multiverse is vast and unending, meaning he isn't the only actor that could conceivably take on the role. For example, Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) is one such name that fans would like to see give the part a try, and he very much fits the bill.

Instagram's V2V Designs mocked up this fitting alternate casting, as seen above, putting Chiwetel Ejiofor under the guise of J'onn J'onzz. 

If Harry Lennix were to, ultimately, leave the alien behind in hypothetical future projects, slotting in Ejiofor as his DCEU replacement would fit the rules of the universe and make his introduction seamless: after all, J'onn is generally portrayed as a shape-shifter. Also, as the art depicts, Ejiofor would pull off the traditional Martian Manhunter garb to perfection, from the flowing blue cape, to the iconic red "X" logo across the chest. 

Not to mention, Chiwetel Ejiofor is no stranger to the superhero genre, already establishing himself as a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2016, he starred alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and potential Grindelwald actor Mads Mikkelsen in Doctor Strange, as the hero turned villain Karl "Baron" Mordo. He'll reprise that role for 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, keeping his comic book adaptation acting chops well-trained. 

If Warner Bros. begins searching for a fresh face to portray Martian Manhunter at the cinema, or on the small screen, Chiwetel Ejiofor is more than deserving of a spot at the front of the line.