On Monday morning, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder announced that will be hosting a watch party of the 2013 film. It’s not celebrating an anniversary. It’s not to promote an upcoming film. It seems to be aimed at lifting the spirits of Snyder’s fans, if not slightly bolstered by driving a few more users to the Vero app. However, since the announcement, teases and speculation has begin to swirl. It looks like this might be the time where the now very famous “Snyder Cut” of Justice League is officially announced. Cryptic teases from those possibly in the know and non-answers from those who could be certain seem to indicate as much.
Earlier this month, a claim surfaced that Snyder screened his cut of Justice League at Warner Bros. and conversations took place about finishing the film. However, it does not look like the studio has interest in sending it back into any sort of production, both given the finances and talent on set it would require and the current global pandemic state which has essentially shut down Hollywood. However, this does not mean Snyder’s cut of the film which has already been shot can’t be finished and released.
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As the (brief version) story goes, Snyder’s take on the film was never delivered after Joss Whedon stepped in to finish the movie three years ago. Much of Snyder’s vision had been shot but the visual effects on the movie were not completed to theatrical quality — or anywhere close, in many cases.
Still, HBO Max is on the way and is constantly getting pestered by fans hoping to see the originally planned cut of Justice League. Warner Bros. is making every effort to launch their streaming service with popular content but nearly every promo for content headed to the platform is met with “#ReleaseTheSnyderCut” or other Justice League-related responses in the comment sections. Not only does the streaming service need content but it could also benefit from being freed from this Snyder army constantly popping up.
While there exists a toxic portion of this Snyder Cut bunch, a massive portion of the fandom has used the opportunity to raise money for Suicide Prevention charities and connected with each other online to form new friendships. They managed to snag a billboard in Times Square during New York Comic-Con. One reporter is even writing a book on the entire thing.
I would love to see WB #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. I’d watch it, as we all would (don’t act like you wouldn’t), and all the debate could finally be DONE.
Plus, the people who did this would be happy. I like when people are happy. pic.twitter.com/vKYMcEz3aw
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) November 17, 2019
Reps are not commenting, the studio remains silent. Reporters who are often in-the-know are taking to social media with cryptic teases; the kind which are just enough to later claim, “I tried to tell you it was coming but couldn’t,” but simultaneously offer the ability to say, “I never claimed to know anything!” However, the feeling of the Snyder Cut being closer than ever continues to grow. Perhaps the silence is an indicator that the movie will be finished and delivered? Perhaps when the credits roll on Man of Steel during Snyder’s watch party of Wednesday, he will have one last bit of information for his loyal fans?
If the studio does want to give this a theatrical release before sending it to HBO Max (and it can be finished in time), there is the option of sending it to theaters when the reopen to simultaneously test the waters on whether or not people are going to be willing to gather in them when they are declared safe, again. The studios is already re-releasing The Dark Knight trilogy overseas.
If WB does… Release the Snyder Cut… fans who have claimed to be disinterested all along will likely be tuning in, if only out of curiosity with a quick social media claim of having nothing else to watch. However, the landscape beyond it becomes more interesting. What if it is actually very good? Certainly, it’s too late to create any more stories spawning from it, especially with actors like Ben Affleck, right? And what does this mean for future films where fans claim studios interfere with a director’s cut? Does it set a precedent for other fans to feel as though if they rally hard enough, they will get their wish of an alternate version of a movie?
Only time will tell but it looks like the Snyder Cut is finally upon us.
Are you ready to see Zack Snyder release his cut of Justice League? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter!
