Justice League: Is Black Canary in the Snyder Cut?

After years of campaigning and speculating from fans, the Snyder Cut of Justice League is officially a reality, as the film made its long-awaited HBO Max debut on Thursday. From the get-go, it was clear that the film would be starkly different from its 2017 theatrical cut, and the fact that Snyder briefly did reshoots last year made some wonder if other aspects of the DC Films universe could work their way into the film. In the days leading up to the premiere of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, theories have swirled surrounding other potential established DC characters making their way into the film — including a comic-accurate mainstay of the Justice League. Spoilers for Zack Snyder’s Justice League can be found below! Only look if you want to know!

Prior to the release of the Snyder Cut, some fans began to speculate about the possibility of a cameo from Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett), who made her DCEU debut in 2020’s Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). In particular, some had wondered if Black Canary could make a brief appearance in the film’s extended “Knightmare” epilogue, in which a ragtag band of DC’s heroes and villains make their way through a potential future overrun by Darkseid (Ray Porter). While Smollett wouldn’t be cast as Black Canary until nearly a year after Justice League‘s theatrical debut, the added hype surrounded the additional Knightmare scenes being filmed made it seem like a possibility, especially as Jared Leto’s Joker was being added to the sequences. The recent Snyder Cut museum exhibit, which showed an unnamed character sporting gear that resembles Black Canary’s iconic fishnets, only added to the hype.

So, is Black Canary actually in Zack Snyder’s Justice League? Unfortunately, the answer is no — she does not make an appearance in the Knightmare sequence, or anywhere else in the film. Even then, the theories surrounding her potential cameo made sense in the lead-up to the film, especially as Black Canary has had a long tenure with both the Justice League of America and its predecessor, the Justice Society of America.

Still, Smollett’s take on the character is definitely high on fans’ wishlists to join the Justice League in a potential sequel, and the actress has been candid about her desire to return to the role.

“It’s no secret how much I loved playing Black Canary, and [I was] so honored to take on that mantle,” Smollett revealed in an interview last July. “I would absolutely do it again if given a chance.”

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is now available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.