Zack Snyder’s Justice League Comic Book Prequel Turned Down by DC Comics

Zack Snyder reveals DC Comics “decided not to do” a comic book prequel set before the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In a December interview with TheFilmJunkee, Snyder said he’s “talked quite a bit” with DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee about a comic book continuation set within the post-apocalyptic Knightmare world glimpsed in Batman v Superman and revisited in the Snyder Cut coming to HBO Max. Within that story, where Batman (Ben Affleck) and the Joker (Jared Leto) meet once more after the collapse of society, would be a story about the Robin murdered by Joker and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).

“We talked about doing a [comic book tie-in]. DC, they decided not to do it,” Snyder told SnyderCutBR. “But we did talk about doing, possibly, I wanted to do a sort of a mini kind of comic book run on the death of Robin, and what happened. How Joker killed Robin, and what it did to Batman and started him sort of down this darker road that ended, kind of culminated with the arrival of Superman. That would be cool.”

When describing his proposed comic book in December, Snyder said the Justice League tie-in would explore the apocalyptic world ruled by Darkseid (Ray Porter) and “the ragtag team that’s left alive trying to put it back. Inside of that story, we would also do that story of Joker killing Robin.”

The story would involve Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Flash (Ezra Miller), who appear in the new Knightmare scene premiering in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In October, Snyder reassembled Affleck, Fisher, Miller, and Superman star Henry Cavill for a brief round of additional photography that included Leto, Amber Heard (Mera), and Joe Manganiello (Deathstroke).

“The Joker is somehow involved in the stealing of the Mother Box and using it to create the treadmill. Cyborg is going to do the math, ‘This is what we’re going to have to do to jump back in time and warn Bruce correctly,’” Snyder said at the time.

Earlier this month, Snyder said Warner Bros., DC Comics’ parent company, had “no interest and/or appetite to do more of these movies” with the Man of Steel director at the helm. “But I didn’t think making this, finishing this film correctly would ever happen. But I did do my best to — as far as the creation of the Justice League, those different personalities being brought together — that idea, that’s what this movie is about.”

Zack Snyder’s Justice League releases March 18 on HBO Max.