Our first look at the Snyder Cut is here. Fans’ calls to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut were heard, and last month, HBO Max confirmed that Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of Justice League will debut on the streamer in 2021.
“I want to thank HBO Max and Warner Brothers for this brave gesture of supporting artists and allowing their true visions to be realized. Also a special thank you to all of those involved in the Snyder Cut movement for making this a reality,” the director said in a statement in May.
For those unaware of what the Snyder Cut is: During production of 2017’s Justice League, it was announced that Snyder had to step away to deal with a family tragedy and Joss Whedon would step in to direct any reshoots and help steer the film to completion.
But following dismal reviews and the exit of at least one star from the DCEU, fans rallied around a campaign to release Snyder’s original cut of the film — as Snyder stoked hype that he did, in fact, have his own cut, Whedon be damned.
Watch the first tease for the Snyder Cut below.
During a Man of Steel virtual watch party on May 19 with Superman himself, Henry Cavill, and fans, Snyder shared the news. “We got a little work to do,” he said of why it won’t stream until next year. What that work entails is to be seen, though it likely won’t include shooting any new footage. (That would prove difficult because 1. Ben Affleck hung up his cape and cowl and 2. We’re in a global pandemic.)
“When Zack and Debbie shared the extraordinary vision of where Zack wanted to take Justice League, my team and our counterparts at Warner Bros. took it as a mission to solve the many issues that stood in the way,” said HBO Max’s Kevin Reilly.
According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, this version of Justice League will be “an entirely new thing.” Snyder added, “You probably saw one-fourth of what I did.” His cut might be released as a four-hour movie or six-episode limited series, with a new score, new special effects and additional dialog recorded by Cavill, Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher, among others.
As for how much of an improvement The Snyder Cut — or Zack Snyder’s Justice League, as it appears to be officially billed — will ultimately be upon the cut that was released, that is also TBD. But we’ll find out when “Zack’s ultimate vision” is unleashed on us in 2021, Zod help us all.
