Here's everything you need to know as Zack Snyder's Justice League draws closer. The idea of a director's cut is nothing new, but rarely do two completely different versions of one film see the light of day. Justice League released in 2017 as the grand culmination of the DCEU franchise, but while Snyder's name is in the credits, his vision was greatly altered by Warner Bros. and replacement director, Joss Whedon.
Zack Snyder's Justice League, otherwise known as the Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, with Superman dead and the world under threat from an incoming extra-terrestrial invader. The same core cast return; Ben Affleck is Batman, Henry Cavill is Superman (spoiler alert - he doesn't stay dead), Gal Gadot plays Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa is Aquaman, Ray Fisher portrays Cyborg and Ezra Miller is The Flash. The basic premise of Bruce Wayne uniting a superhero team against Steppenwolf also remains true.
Since Justice League's 2017 failure, the DCEU has adopted a less interconnected movie format, but the Snyder cut offers a glimpse at what might've been had the full scope of Zack Snyder's plan been allowed to unfold. It's an event many believed would never happen, but the Snyder cut (and its red capes) are officially coming.
Why Zack Snyder Left Justice League
Even before Zack Snyder's departure from Justice League, his intentions for the movie were being diluted. Batman V Superman attracted a largely negative response, and changes were made in light of that criticism, including a softening of Steppenwolf's design, and dropping the previously announced two-part structure in favor of a single film. Nevertheless, Snyder completed filming and Justice League found itself in the post-production process as of early 2017. Tragically, Zack Snyder's daughter ed away that March, and in a recent interview with Sean O'Connell, the director describes how the loss left him with no energy to fight over Justice League. Ultimately, Snyder came to the decision that being with his family was more important than the "bullsh*t" he was facing at work.
Zack Snyder left Justice League's post-production in May 2017, and Warner Bros. announced Joss Whedon would be stepping in to complete the project.
Joss Whedon's Justice League Reshoots & Controversy Explained
Many DC fans initially saw Joss Whedon as a fitting stand-in to oversee the finishing touches on Justice League; the director had, after all, only recently led the MCU's Avengers to critical and commercial success. Unfortunately, that optimism quickly began to look misplaced. Widespread reports emerged in the summer of 2017 claiming Joss Whedon was to helm reshoots for Justice League, rather than simply tidying up post-production as promised at the time of Snyder's departure. Statements from both studio executives and crew maintained that Whedon's reshoots were simply standard practice "pickups," rather than sweeping changes.
When Justice League hit theaters, however, Whedon's influence proved far more significant than the official line claimed. A dodgy CGI shave to Henry Cavill highlighted how heavily Superman's story morphed after Zack Snyder's exit, and numerous characters that had previously been announced were missing entirely from the finished product. The script was now dripping with Whedon's trademark humor (including some repurposed gags from old projects), and compared to trailers made from Snyder footage, Justice League was evidently lighter, both in of tone and visual cinematography.
Predictably, the Justice League changes wrought in Zack Snyder's absence were not appreciated by audiences. To the casual observer, the seams between Snyder's work and the Whedon/Warner edits were obvious, and not just on Henry Cavill's upper lip. If the jarring mish-mash of tones and lack of continuity from previous DCEU installments wasn't bad enough, many also felt that Justice League had willfully abandoned Zack Snyder's core vision. Most damning of all, however, these wholesale changes and the millions spent undoing what had already been filmed could only yield a bland and basic superhero movie.
The controversy rumbles on in 2021. Last year, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
#ReleaseTheSnyderCut Campaign
2017's Justice League not only left DC fans disappointed, but also wondering what could've been were Snyder not replaced by Whedon. Early trailers, images and concept art promised something greater, and since Snyder departed during the post-production phase, this original version of Justice League should've been more or less complete. DC fans on Twitter demanded to see this "lost" pre-Whedon cut of Justice League, and as momentum gathered, the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign was born. What began as a simple hashtag quickly picked up pace, as ers hired flyover planes and billboards at major conventions, and big name celebrities began to throw their weight behind the cause. Zack Snyder himself indirectly encouraged these efforts by drip-feeding more and more juicy details about his Justice League, emphasizing how different the two cuts truly were.
Throughout this process, the existence of the Snyder cut went unconfirmed, and no one was entirely sure whether the original Justice League was in a vault somewhere gathering dust, or merely the fabrication of disgruntled fans. As the Snyder cut took on a mythic quality, the online movement hit another level when the director finally confirmed his Justice League movie was no mere myth, and it wasn't long before the cast themselves ed in. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut's evolution from just another hashtag to a genuine cultural movement is nothing short of remarkable, and it should also be noted that the campaign has raised a considerable amount of money for suicide prevention over the past 3 years.
How Zack Snyder's Justice League Is Different To The Theatrical Release
Watching the latest Snyder cut trailer, it becomes painfully clear that the 2021 movie is a completely different beast compared to the 2017 theatrical Justice League, with changes in virtually every area. Various characters dropped by Whedon have been restored by Snyder, including Darkseid, Iris West, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg's family, Desaad, Granny Goodness, and more. Upon completing the Snyder cut over the past year, Jared Leto's Joker has also been added to the recipe. With so many new faces, Zack Snyder's Justice League promises to dive far deeper into DCEU lore than the superficial overview offered by Warner Bros.' 2017 release.
The influx of new and returning characters hints at how radically Justice League's story could change in 2021. Superman's resurrection will be altered completely, paying more attention to Clark's legacy and mindset after coming back to life. As glimpsed in trailers, Supes will also don his famous black Kryptonian suit in the Snyder cut. Cyborg was one of the biggest casualties from Whedon's reshoots, with Ray Fisher's superhero losing a backstory and a major scene where his father is killed by a Mother Box. With these elements restored, Cyborg will be a more fleshed-out (steeled-out?) entity in Zack Snyder's Justice League. Expect a greatly enhanced history lesson sequence too, with more attention on the Amazonian and Atlantean forces that fought off Darkseid's invasion back in the day. Of course, the addition of Darkseid himself changes the entire complexion of Justice League, introducing an overarching antagonist, rather than making Steppenwolf the top dog.
Picking up from Batman V Superman, the Snyder cut will finally address the Knightmare timeline - a post-apocalyptic future where Darkseid takes over the Earth. A grizzled Batman will team up with Cyborg and Flash to travel through time and stop Darkseid's calamity from ever happening, facing old foes such as Joker and Deathstroke along the way.
More so than the plot and characters, the tone of Snyder's Justice League will be the biggest discrepancy from the failure of 2017. After recruiting Joss Whedon, Warner Bros. evidently tried to lighten Justice League in response to the Batman V Superman criticism. The Snyder cut will strip out that awkward, out-of-place humor, and bring back the gritty darkness that defined the director's previous DCEU efforts. This tonal shift will be reflected by Justice League's restored visuals. The strange dawn glow of Joss Whedon's Justice League will be replaced by the gloom of night, and character designs will take on a more mature edge, with Steppenwolf assuming his spiky, horror-inspired form once more.
Breaking away from the confines of a theatrical cut, Zack Snyder's Justice League will be a 4-hour, R-rated movie - a far cry from 2017's brisk 2-hour PG-13 release.
Why The Snyder Cut Is Releasing
Warner Bros. agreeing to release the Snyder cut can be largely attributed to the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign, without which Zack Snyder's Justice League almost certainly wouldn't be happening. Put simply, the movement gathered too much attention to ignore, with the message even spreading to A-list actors like Ben Affleck. The more attention the Snyder cut created, the more Warner Bros.' silence became deafening, and in the end, the studio were left with little option but to listen.
Another key factor in the Snyder cut's release is the launch of HBO Max - Warner Bros.' in-house streaming service. Dropping the Snyder cut online rather than as a regular theatrical release allows the studio to save face; giving the people what they want without openly itting they goofed back in 2017. From Warner Bros.' perspective, the Snyder cut will be a major asset in the ongoing streaming wars, bringing plenty of eyes to HBO Max.
The Future Of Snyder's DCEU
The big problem with Zack Snyder's Justice League is that the original cut was intended to set up a sequel. According to reported story details, Steppenwolf was to act as the main antagonist, but Darkseid would appear near the finale as the DCEU's true villain, leading directly into a follow-up where Batman and the gang face down their new, fearsome opponent. It's not currently known whether the Snyder cut will conclude Darkseid's storyline within the 4-hour runtime, or whether Zack Snyder's Justice League will stick to the original plan and end on a monumental cliffhanger.
Even with 4 hours to play with, Zack Snyder's Justice League won't fulfill the director's entire vision for the DCEU, and there are many more stories to tell within Snyder's world. From Green Lanterns to the Injustice League, there's room for Zack Snyder's Justice League 2 even if the fate of Darkseid is somehow resolved. Unfortunately, Snyder claims Warner Bros. has no interest in making more films within his continuity. Given how unlikely the Snyder cut's release looked only two years ago, however it's impossible to rule out a sequel should Zack Snyder's Justice League prove popular enough.
How To Watch Zack Snyder's Justice League
For North American viewers, Zack Snyder's Justice League will be available through Zack Snyder's Justice League will drop under the title Justice Is Gray.
