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Despite being released back in 2017, conversation around Zack Snyder's Justice League haven't slowed down. The blockbuster was a critical and box office disappointment, and was mired with some behind the scenes shakeups. Snyder departed the project following a family tragedy, and Joss Whedon was brought on to complete its production. The end result left something to be desired, and the campaign #ReleaseTheSnyderCut was born. And that movement will be excited to hear that composer Junkie XL scored the entirety of Snyder's original movie.
Junkie XL wrote the music for Zack Snyder's DC movies, writing iconic songs like Wonder Woman's badass entrance music. But when Joss Whedon took over production for Justice League, there was a shakeup. Danny Elfman came in to take over the music, but it turns out that Junkie XL aka Tom Holkenborg had a full soundtrack for the original cut. As he put it:
The full score is still there. It's a really great score, and it's just there. It never goes away. We'll see what happens in the future, you know?
While he was careful not to fan the fires of the Snyder Cut campaign, Tom Holkenborg has confirmed that the full score for Snyder's Justice League exists. But there's no telling if the fandom will ever get to hear it, of course.
Junkie XL's comments to Screen Rant are sure to excite the moviegoers who are holding onto hope for the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. The fan interest is clearly there, and plenty of crew members have been in support of the movie as it was originally intended. The community recently went so far as to crowdfund enough money to campaign for the Snyder Cut at both San Diego and New York Comic-Con. So it's clear that #ReleaseTheSnyderCut isn't slowing down anytime soon.
Related: See A New Wonder Woman Shot From Zack Snyder’s Justice League Snyder Cut
Fans are especially eager to see how Zack Snyder's version of the movie adapted the titular team, who has lived on the page for decades. To catch up on the Justice League comics, you can get your hands on those pages here.
Of course, there are plenty of obstacles standing in the way of that movie ever coming to fruition. Perhaps the most obvious is that the Zack Snyder version of Justice League is incomplete. There is missing visual effects, and possibly even reshoots needed. The 2017 blockbuster would need a brand new budget from Warner Bros. But considering how poorly it performed at the box office, that seems unlikely.
So if the Snyder Cut ever did make it out there, it likely would be an unfinished product. But one part of the film is seemingly ready: Junkie XL's score. The full score exists, and can be used to bring Zack Snyder's vision to life. Until then, we'll be able to see how the rabid fanbase continues to campaign for that to become a reality.
When Justice League hit theaters in 2017, pressure and anticipation for the blockbuster was at a fever pitch. The movie followed the massive success of Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, which showed everything the shared universe was capable of. Plus, DC's heroes were were finally assembling in live-action for the first time. Unfortunately, the movie that arrived in theaters failed to truly connect with audiences, and was a box office disappointment.
The failure of Justice League set ripples through the shared universe, and some major changes were made to the shared universe's leadership. Zack Snyder was no longer at the center of the filmmaking process, and plans for individual solo movies came to a screeching halt, with the exception of Aquaman. What's more, Ben Affleck departed his role as Batman, after all three of the movies he appeared in were critical disappointments.
Warner Bros. shifted the DC Extended Universe away from crossover heavy movies and ensemble projects like Batman v Superman. Instead, the next few releases focused solely on one hero, and their experience within the shared universe. Shazam! and Aquaman both did well critically and financially, so the changes made within the studio seemed to be working.
It should be interesting to see how the DCEU continues moving forward, and how many crossovers actually happen. Todd Phillips' Joker was set outside the greater DCEU, with the next bonafide DCEU movie being Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). That highly anticipated blockbuster will expand Gotham City, with Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn interacting with a slew of new characters along the way. The Suicide Squad is also set to bring new villains into the the shared universe, so there are going to be way more characters populating the shared universe.
Both of those blockbusters are being brought by directors making their DC debuts, but it is important to note that they'll be the first ensemble DC movie in a number of years. Will audiences respond well, or do single-protagonist movies work better in that way? Only time will tell. Luckily, those cinephiles who like a more intimate superhero movie will get just that with Patty Jenkins' long-awaited sequel Wonder Woman 1984.
As for Junkie XL, I'm hoping he gets to collaborate on another DC live-action movie sometime in the future. He produced some great tracks for the early installments in the shared universe. I already mentioned Wonder Woman's theme, but its arguably the most iconic music to come from the DC Extended Universe. Her entrance onto the battlefield in Batman v Superman was an epic one, largely due to the pulsing track that accompanied it. Junkie XL also worked on Man of Steel, in addition to collaborating with Zack Snyder on Justice League ahead of the director's departure.
The next installment in the DCEU is Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7th, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
