Now that Justice League is in theaters, you might be wondering if you really have to sit through all 119 minutes of the movie, until the very last credit rolls past the screen. Taking a page from Marvel’s playbook, DC’s Justice League has 2 end credits scenes, so you do have to watch the credits. Sitting through the entire movie and the credits will give you the reward of those extra scenes, so that extra 5 minutes or so will be worth it.
Actor Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman in the movie, revealed to BBC Radio 2 earlier this month that the movie will have post-credit scenes. Apparently there was chatter to have a comedic after-credits scene when Man of Steel was being made, but that idea was shot down by producer Christopher Nolan, who said “a real movie wouldn’t do that.” The producers of Justice League obviously didn’t feel the same way since one of the post-credit scenes has a lighthearted and humorous tone.
Warning: Justice League spoilers ahead. Continue reading for in-depth information about what, exactly, the end-credits scenes contain.
The First Scene: The Funny One
The first post-credits scene is the funny, lighthearted and straightforward one. It pits the Flash against Superman in a race to find out who’s actually the fastest superhero. While they race, they share banter. It’s obvious that they share mutual admiration. There are also plenty of callback jokes and the scene does a good job wrapping up the team bonding feel that’s seen throughout the film.
Throughout the movie, Superman and Flash have a brother-like dynamic, much like the two characters shared in CW’s long-running show Smallville. Their interactions are enjoyable throughout the film. The post-credits scene in particular does a good job of showing off The Flash’s role in the Jusice League dynamic. He’ll provide much needed comic relief, much like Spider-Man does for The Avengers.
The Second Scene: The Serious One
The second scene shows recent prison escapee Lex Luthor, who’s played by Jesse Eisenberg, sitting on a yacht somewhere in Europe. A masked man appears in front of him as he talks about his return and preparation to take on the Justice League.
The masked figure that appears is Deathstroke, who will make his full debut in the next Batman movie, The Batman. This is one of the first times that Deathstroke has appeared on the big screen. The character can also be seen in many animated films like Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.
This version of Deathstroke is played by Joe Manganiello, and he doesn’t say much in this scene. It’s clear that he’s game to help Lex Luthor take on the Justice League. Luthor does suggest that it’s time for the villains to form a “league of our own” at the end of the scene, which could have many different implications.
Of course, this could reference many possibilities for the villains going forward in DC’s extended universe. In the comics, Deathstroke is a founding member of Lex Luthor’s Secret Society for Super Villains. The group goes by many names in different issues including the Injustice League, Anti-Justice League and the Brotherhood of Evil. In the past, Deathstroke has mostly been seen as a leading member of the Secret Society for Super Villains, but anything is possible in the coming film adaptations. We’ll definitely learn more about his DCEU origin and motivations in the coming Batman films.
It’s exciting that this set up could mean that we get to see bigger battles between the Justice League and an organization of villains in the future.