STACK #199 May 2021

FILM FEATURE

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In December 2019, Snyder finally confirmed that his cut of Justice League did indeed exist, and Warner Bros. gave the greenlight in February 2020, allowing him the creative freedom to complete the film the way he originally intended. The post-production team returned to re-edit, score and complete visual effects shots at a reported cost of $70 million, and on the 18th of March 2021, Zack Snyder’s Justice League was finally revealed on US streaming platform HBO Max, with a running time of 242 minutes and presented in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1 – atypical for an epic superhero spectacle to be sure, but Snyder’s preferred ratio so that the film could play in IMAX theatres. “I’m excited for fans to see this giant, four-hour movie that’s completely singular to their investment,” says Snyder in the film’s promotional featurette. “It really does go as big as you can go. It’s so epic and it’s such a giant world to dive into. So, I’m excited for an audience to immerse themselves in a four-hour Justice League world and experience it in a way they never would have gotten to.” Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a completely different experience to Whedon’s more cursory theatrical version, and a better and more satisfying one. Divided into six parts and an epilogue, the plot remains basically the same – the League must resurrect Superman to help them defeat the villainous Steppenwolf – but the longer running time allows it more breathing room, and there’s now much more character development and interaction. “Because there’s no time restraint on the film, it does give us an opportunity to really see everyone fulfil their arc within the context of the movie,” notes Snyder. “That’s especially true of Cyborg – he really has a huge transformation within the body of the film, and it’s awesome!” There’s also more backstory for Aquaman, The Flash and Lois Lane; Steppenwolf has been given a cool makeover that makes him a much more formidable foe; and a new ending is guaranteed to thrill longtime DC Comics’ fans. The arrival of the Snyder Cut sees justice done for both the director and the legion of fans, who finally have the version of Justice League that they always wanted.

JUSTICE FOR ALL DC’s Justice League returns this month in an all-new epic version that restores the original vision of director Zack Snyder. Words Adam Colby

• Zack Snyder’s

Justice League is out on May 26

F an activism can be a powerful thing, having saved a number of TV series from permanent cancellation ( Family Guy , The Expanse , Brooklyn Nine-Nine, to name a few). But big studio films are rarely – if ever – given a second chance if they don’t succeed the first time around. Justice League has proven an exception to that rule. Poised to be the DC Extended Universe’s tentpole equivalent to Marvel’s Avengers – uniting Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Mamoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and newcomer Cyborg (Ray Fisher) on a world-saving mission – Justice League was in post-production when a family tragedy resulted in director Zack Snyder (and his producer wife, Deborah) departing the project in May 2017. Marvel alum Joss Whedon was brought in to complete the film and subsequently made quite a mess of it, rewriting and reshooting approximately three quarters of the movie. Moreover, Snyder and Whedon’s styles couldn’t be more different – Snyder favouring dark, Whedon light-hearted – resulting in a tonally uneven and ultimately underwhelming film. Released to cinemas in November 2017, Justice League disappointed fans and critics and fell short of matching the billion-dollar box office of Marvel’s The Avengers , grossing US $657 million worldwide.

Zack Snyder on the set

However, speculation began to mount that Snyder’s original vision still existed and a movement to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut would gather momentum over the next two years, with the film’s stars – Gadot, Affleck and Fisher – adding their voices to the push.

JUSTICE IS GRAY Continuing the trend of filmmakers releasing black and white versions of their movies ( Parasite, Mad Max: Fury Road, Logan ), Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice

Is Gray will present the revised DC epic in moody monochrome. “My ideal version of the movie is the black-and-white IMAX version of the movie,” Snyder revealed last November. “That to me is the most fan-centric, most pure, most Justice League experience. Because that’s how I lived with the movie for two years, in black and white.” According to the director, the film underwent “an extensive colouring pass or uncolouring pass,” adding a striking new aesthetic to his restored cut.

A new look for Steppenwolf

• Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice Is Gray is coming soon to home entertainment

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50 MAY 2021