The Snyder Cut of Justice League is arriving on HBO Max in 2021, but will it be in black and white, or color? The latest trailer for the film was entirely black and white, a surprise to many. Should fans expect the film to be in black and white as well?
The newest trailer for the long-anticipated Snyder Cut does offer a better look at a few things fans haven't seen much of up until this point, particularly Darkseid and Superman, indicating that the new edit will indeed make up for Superman a story fans largely viewed as a disappointment back in 2017. Still, one could easily blink and miss some of these new additions. What stands out more than anything is the trailer's monochromatic color palette. Zack Snyder has been commonly criticized for relying too heavily on muted color schemes in his films in the past. Particularly as it relates to superhero films, Snyder's imagery often leans into a high contrast, low saturation look. Could this black and white take on Justice League simply be the next step in Snyder's evolution as a director?
Snyder does already seem to have a strong affinity for monochromatic color schemes, which may explain why he released this trailer in black and white. In discussing his ideal version of Justice League, Snyder has said that he imagines the film in black and white. He has referred to this color scheme as the purest version of Justice League, and predicted that it might be the one fans gravitate towards the most. While working on the original version of the film, Snyder kept all of his footage in black and white, and that's the version of the movie he had at home to show friends in the 3 years since leaving the project, so it is also the version of the film that he is most comfortable and most familiar with.
Clearly, Snyder sees this version of Justice League as a more serious, more cinematic experience. For a director who has always tried to downplay color in his films, some might think a black and white version of arguably his most anticipated project yet makes perfect sense. And yet, there are no plans for the film to be in black and white when it releases on HBO Max next year. After all, HBO Max even shared a color version of the exact same trailer to its YouTube channel.
While the Snyder Cut won't be entirely dark and gritty, it will certainly be more serious than the final product put forth by Joss Whedon in 2017. The original film's brighter colors and high saturation were praised at the time for departing from the darkness that had defined so much of the DCEU up until that point, but most of the visuals aged quickly and have since become highly memed.
Of course, that doesn't mean Snyder and HBO Max couldn't release a black and white version of Justice League later on down the line. Films like Logan and Mad Max: Fury Road found new life after their initial releases via this exact approach. It is worth noting that Logan director James Mangold was inspired to release the "Noir" edition of Logan after finding success promoting the film with certain black and white images. Sound familiar" edition of Mad Max: Fury Road met mixed reception, as some felt the original version succeeded in large part due to its vibrant color scheme. HBO Max would therefore be taking on a lot of risk in releasing a black and white version of Justice League. Besides, HBO Max may not even be the ideal home for such a version. Snyder has said that he would want fans to see the black and white version in IMAX, a possibility that could be years away considering the current state of the industry.
Ultimately, it seems Snyder just wanted to share with his fans a vision of Justice League that he has indulged in over the last several years. Nevertheless, Zack Snyder's Justice League is set to stream early next year, leaving fans with plenty to get excited about.
