Why Warner Bros. Reportedly Regrets Releasing Zack Snyder's Justice League Cut
After years of fan outcry for Warner Bros. to release it, the studio finally gave in and made "Zack Snyder's Justice League," aka the Snyder Cut, a reality in 2021. The four-hour superhero epic debuted on HBO Max — now known simply as Max — in March of that year, and was met with a wide array of responses. Some critiqued it for elements such as its massive runtime, penchant for slow-motion sequences, and overly gritty nature, while others offered praise. Plenty of viewers enjoyed the added scenes, character beats, and side stories that were missing from the 2017 cut of the feature. Not to mention, many were just happy to see the project come to fruition.
As it turns out, though, in hindsight, the minds at Warner Bros. reportedly don't feel too great about the decision to release the fabled Snyder Cut. According to a report from Variety, studio insiders apparently expressed the belief that the film should've never been released. After its arrival, the film did little to get the studio on the good side of the devoted Snyderverse DC fans — the ones who campaigned so incredibly hard to see the movie completed and released. Rather, these studio insiders believe it only made fans more critical of the fact that the studio is no longer collaborating with Snyder.
And as if the release of "Zack Snyder's Justice League" wasn't enough to power the #RestoreTheSnyderVerse movement, the director has also shared his plans for the "Justice League" sequels that fans will likely never see.
Zack Snyder had bold plans for future Justice League movies
Though "Zack Snyder's Justice League" works just fine on its own, it does tease more. The introduction of Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix), the League's staredown with Darkseid (Ray Porter), and a future scene of Batman (Ben Affleck), Joker (Jared Leto), and other DC names wandering a desolate Earth under Darkseid's control all point to plans for another movie or two. Upon seeing these scenes, those already interested in the continuation of the Snyderverse ramped up their online campaigning for more "Justice League" movies. Adding fuel to the fire, Snyder shared what he had in mind for the second and third films.
The director unveiled the broad strokes of the "Justice League: Part II" and "Justice League: Part III" narrative during a chat with Vanity Fair. As Snyder tells it, Darkseid kills Lois Lane (Amy Adams), corrupts Superman (Henry Cavill), and takes over Earth. The Justice League crumbles, and its few surviving members, as well as other heroes and villains, have to figure out a way to stop him. The Flash (Ezra Miller) uses his speed to traverse time, prompting past Batman to sacrifice himself to save Lois' life. And in the end, it comes to light that Lois had a son with Superman somewhere along the line. Suffice it to say, Snyder's "Justice League" trilogy would've been immensely ambitious and a sight to behold.
Unfortunately for those hoping to see them, it's unlikely the second and third "Justice League" films will ever see the light of day. The director has moved on from DC and, evidently, Warner Bros. executives aren't too keen on stepping back into his unique take on the superhero world.