How ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ rose from the ashes
For fans, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is a nearly miraculous wish-come-true, a fresh, newly constructed four-hour version of a superhero movie that bombed badly back in 2017.
Zack Snyder, now 55, was a fallen giant among superhero fans. As co-writer and director of “Man of Steel,” the hit 2013 reboot of Superman, and its 2016 sequel, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” he had been praised for “Steel” and panned for “Dawn,” which was accused of being too slow, too dark and way too serious.
“Justice League” with its Dream Team of superheroes — Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) — was seen as Warner
Bros’ answer to rival Marvel’s multi-star “Avengers” movies.
However, a troubled “Justice League” production in 2016-17 with continued script changes worsened in every
way when Snyder suffered a family tragedy with the suicide of his daughter Autumn Snyder.
Joss Whedon, the creator and writer of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Agents
of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” had directed two hit “Avengers” movies. With Snyder’s exit, Whedon took control as an uncredited director.
Whedon’s reshoots and rewrites aimed at giving
“Justice League” a lighter tone and more humor. In accord with WB’s decree, the running time was cut considerably to exactly two hours. This “Justice League” bombed big time.
Enter the fans who knew about the film’s troubles, Whedon’s efforts and — along with crew and cast members Momoa and Fisher — wanted to see what Snyder originally intended.
The “Snyder Cut,” as the project became known, gathered 180,000 online signatures of increasingly frenzied, demanding fans who dubbed the bedeviled version “Josstice League” and used the hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut.
What fans didn’t know was that there was in Warner’s vaults already a Snyder cut.
Fans continued for years to plead with the studio execs.
Prior to Comic.Con 2019, there was a crowdfunding effort, half to be spent on ads pleading for the Snyder Cut, half to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
WB surprised and shocked most everyone in February 2020, agreeing to give Snyder his cut. The studio spent $70 million on special effects, a completely new score and new footage with Affleck, Cavill, Fisher and Miller. This version contains none of Whedon’s material and is released theatrically and globally on streaming services. And in a black-andwhite version as well.
“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is dedicated to Autumn Snyder.