Who Is Ryan Choi? Justice League's Future Member Explained
Zack Snyder's Justice League introduced Ryan Choi whose future in the DC Universe may lead him to become a superhero just like in the comics. One of the characters that get his cinematic debut is Zheng Kai's Ryan Choi is established as a supporting player in the Snyder Cut. While Kai shot all of his scenes in 2016, Ryan was one of the many characters and storylines that got cut from the 2017 theatrical film. But with the restoration of the director's original plans for his Justice League film, Ryan finally got to have his storyline told.
This actually marks Ryan's second live-action depiction after Osric Chau portrayed him in the Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths. Technically, Kai's version would have been the first iteration outside the screen had Zack Snyder's original vision for Justice League been released in 2017. But since Warner Bros. meddled with Snyder's initial idea and forced Joss Whedon to make deep cuts, all scenes with Ryan Choi, unfortunately, never made it to the final cut. The 4-hour HBO Max director's cut, however, explores Ryan as a member of STAR Labs, but with a massive tease that more awaits him in his future.
While Zack Snyder's Justice League becomes a big platform for Ryan's debut, the character is still very new to mainstream audiences. The character has over the years gotten bigger in the comics as well as popping up in other DC properties, including the Arrowverse. So who is Ryan Choi in the DC Universe and what might be in store for him after Zack Snyder's Justice League?
Created by Gail Simone in August 2006, Ryan became another hero to carry the mantle of The Atom, a title that has been worn by many in DC Comics. When Ryan is first brought into the comics, he was a protége of Ray Palmer, who is more associated as The Atom in the books. The two had a working relationship over letters when Ryan was still living in Hong Kong until he moved to Ivy Town in America. Ray became his mentor but also the one to get Ryan onto the heroic path after the latter one day discovered the bio-belt that allows The Atom to change size.
However, Ryan was killed off after Deathstroke murdered him in the 2010 Brightest Day comic book event. Throughout The New 52's "Convergence" story, it was revealed that Ryan's consciousness had actually survived. Thankfully, because it's a comic book universe, dead doesn't always stay dead as Ryan was revived properly for DC Rebirth, this time reimagined as a teenage superhero. With his Atom suit and bio-belt, he is able to shrink or enlarge just like Ray is able to. Ryan's DC history also involves him having been a member of both the Teen Titans and the Justice League of America.
While Ryan is one of DC Comics' most beloved teenage heroes at the moment, Zack Snyder's Justice League focuses on him as an adult. Kai's Dr. Choi worked with Silas Stone, Cyborg's father, who was the head of STAR Labs. Even though Ryan's role is in a supporting capacity, it's he who introduces the electron-laser that is later on used by Silas to make the third Mother Box super-heated. After Silas makes the sacrifice to help the Justice League, Ryan is appointed the new director of STAR Labs. But it is during his final scene where the Snyder Cut begins to allude to his larger destiny.
When Ryan became the new boss of STAR Labs, he is referred to as "Ryan Choi, Director of Nanotechnology," making it a clever Easter egg to his Atom persona. While the bio-belt is never seen, Zack Snyder's Justice League does establish that this version of Ryan is at least working within that realm of making something (or someone) change its size. Whether or not it means that he has a similar relationship with Ray as in the comics is unclear. In this iteration, it could be that Ryan will be the one that develops nanotechnology.
Zack Snyder's Justice League does bring Ryan into the franchise to help continue fleshing out the larger universe that the director started in 2013 with Man of Steel. Despite being in it as a supporting role, the way that the Snyder Cut ends with Ryan's foreshadowing implies that they would definitely do more things with him. Snyder has even recently confirmed that Ryan would have had a much larger role after his Justice League appearance. The director had actually pitched Warner Bros. the idea of doing a The Atom movie with Kai's character that would have taken place in China with a Chinese cast.
Given that he was cut from the theatrical cut, it's unlikely that Ryan's future will continue at least in the main DCEU. However, should HBO Max become a platform that continues the so-called Snyderverse, Ryan could hopefully continue to be explored as a character. But more importantly, whether it would be for Zack Snyder's Justice League 2, Zack Snyder's Justice League 3, or The Atom, Kai's character was obviously going to continue in some form of fashion beyond his Snyder Cut role. Given how few Asian-American superheroes there are on in live-action currently, Ryan becoming Atom would help with giving more diversity in the comic book genre.
Currently, there are no active plans for Zack Snyder's Justice League 2 or beyond to happen after the Snyder Cut. Due to Warner Bros. not wanting to continue this specific iteration of the DC brand, Ryan's debut in the Snyder Cut may also be his last time, at least for the time being. But depending on how big the success is for Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max, nothing is written in stone, and should the streaming service want to continue this franchise, perhaps Ryan Choi will get to become The Atom at some point on-screen.
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