Never mind #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, how about we allow Zack Snyder to #FinishTheSnyderCut of Justice League? Just when you think he's dropped as many bombs as he possibly could about his plans for Justice League -- and beyond -- he just casually confirmed his major plans for Martian Manhunter.
The reveal was casual -- through Zack Snyder's preferred social media outlet, Vero -- but the news itself was clearly well planned across Snyder's three DCEU films: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Justice League. As he confirmed today, actor Harry Lennix's character, General Swanwick (later Secretary of Defense) was meant to be revealed in Justice League as secretly Martian Manhunter:
Zack Snyder started his Saturday morning reveal with some storyboards, pointing out it's something DCEU fans probably didn't know...
He continued by saying he actually filmed everything except the scenes with actor Harry Lennix, who now stars on The Blacklist. That was apparently the plan before Snyder left Justice League due to a family tragedy and Joss Whedon stepped in.
DC Comics fans were excited by the confirmation -- with some saying they knew or at least figured it all along -- while others were disappointed anew that Zack Snyder's many plans for Justice League were tossed aside. If Snyder had done everything but film the Harry Lennix scenes, what went wrong there? Why did Joss Whedon and/or the Warner Bros. Powers That Be decide to scrap it?
In DC Comics lore, Martian Manhuter is J’onn J’onzz, who is accidentally transported to Earth and becomes a founding member of the Justice League. There have been fan theories about Swanwick as Martian Manhunter since Man of Steel came out in 2013. Fans can only imagine, following the reveal in Justice League, General Swanwick's Martian Manhunter would've been a major presence in the next movie Zack Snyder had planned. Instead, the DCEU is now on a different path. We have a new Batman after Snyder's Ben Affleck, and rumors that Henry Cavill is done as Superman.
Zack Snyder has been sharing reveals every step of the way -- including more about Darkseid and who would've played him, and on Wonder Woman killing Steppenwolf. Kevin Smith said he knows enough people at various levels to confirm a Snyder Cut does exist, although it's "not a finished movie by any stretch of the imagination." Snyder Cut fans revealed plans for this weekend's New York Comic-Con, aiming to raise awareness and convince Warner Bros. to release the "Snyder Cut" and let fans see Zack Snyder's version of Justice League.
Considering Zack Snyder never got to finish this Martian Manhunter reveal, whatever is in The Snyder Cut is definitely incomplete. It also makes me think it's a good thing fans haven't seen the Snyder Cut yet, since there's so much he still wanted to do.
I have no idea if Warner Bros. will ever do anything with Zack Snyder's Justice League footage, but keep up with everything still heading to the big screen this year with our 2019 movie release date schedule.
