So pretty much as soon as Marvel's big gamble paid off handsomely with a phenomenal, record-breaking opening weekend, the question has been just how long it would take Warner Bros to start really hauling ass on Justice League, a movie that would bring together the likes of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern.  Now that Marvel and Disney's ensemble has grossed $1.36 billion and moved into position as the third-biggest movie of all time (not adjusted for inflation), we have out answer.

According to Jeff Sneider of Variety, the studio has oh-so secretly tasked writer Will Beall with taking a crack at a Justice League screenplay.   Apparently, this isn't a reaction to the success of The Avengers, but was done in anticipation of that success.  Not that such distinctions are terribly important, I guess.

Beall has been a favorite at Warner Bros since turning in his script for the movie now titled Gangster Squad.  That project became a high priority almost immediately, and former LAPD cop Beall has subsequently been involved with the attempt to remake Lethal Weapon, as well as the script for Logan's Run.  The latter is a property the WB has been trying to get off the ground for years, and Beall is trying to make it happen with director Nicolas Winding Refn and star Ryan Gosling, who also has a major role in Gangster Squad.

A DC superhero ensemble almost happened a few years back with Justice League: Mortal, written by Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney.  That project came within months of shooting in Australia under the direction of Mad Max progenitor George Miller before the plug got pulled for a variety of reasons including a loss of tax incentives down under.  Miller had cast the film with the likes of Armie Hammer as Batman, D.J. Cotrona as Superman, Common as Green Lantern, and Adam Brody as the Flash.  Weta made costumes and everything, but it just didn't happen.

At the time, the plan was to use Justice League as a launching pad for several different franchises; basically the opposite of Marvel's multiple movie universe-building approach.  Presumably that's still the plan, since Christian Bale definitely won't be showing up as Bruce Wayne.  Henry Cavill, who stars in next year's Zack Snyder-directed Man of Steel, is a maybe, while the reception to Green Lantern suggests that Ryan Reynolds won't be wearing a power ring again.