Names and faces
■ For several years, the slogan “Release the Snyder cut” reverberated online as a rallying cry for comic book movie fans. On Wednesday, they finally got their wish. Warner Bros. Pictures announced that a director’s cut of Zack Snyder’s 2017’s DC Comics film Justice League will next year debut on the streaming service HBO Max. Snyder first announced the news himself in a live video conference commentary for his Superman film Man of Steel. The socalled #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement began around the release of Justice League, a movie that Snyder directed but who was replaced in post-production by Joss Whedon. The Avengers director, who was credited as co-writer, oversaw extensive reshoots, editing and visual effects. While Snyder’s stewardship of the DC Comics films had drawn much criticism, some fans remained loyal, even as Warner Bros. reshuffled their approach to DC films. Snyder remained the sole credited director of Justice League and it was panned by critics (40% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and considered a disappointment by most fans. But some have maintained that Snyder’s vision of the film would have been better. In November, even the film’s stars Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot added to the chorus on Twitter. It’s unclear if another Snyder cut ever existed before the director’s departure, Snyder said he still had work to do on it. “I want to thank HBO Max and Warner Brothers for this brave gesture of supporting artists and allowing their true visions to be realized,” Snyder said in a statement. “Also a special thank you to all of those involved in the SnyderCut movement for making this a reality.”
■ The body of former World Wrestling Entertainment pro Shad Gaspard was found early Wednesday on Los Angeles’ Venice Beach after he was caught in a rip current last weekend, police said. Patrol officers were flagged down around 1:25 a.m. by a person reporting that a body had washed ashore, a police statement said. The body was identified as Gaspard and his family was notified, police said. Gaspard disappeared Sunday after he went swimming with his 10-year-old son, Aryeh. The boy was rescued and several other swimmers made it out of the water safely. Gaspard, 39, gained prominence in the WWE as one half of the tag-team group Cryme Tyme, along with his partner, JTG. After retiring in 2010, Gaspard has had small roles on TV and in movies, including the 2015 Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard. He was about 50 yards from shore when he was last spotted by a lifeguard, police said. A wave crashed over him, and he was swept out to sea.