There’s been pressure for years for Zack Snyder to get his chance to release his cut of Justice League. Now that he finally has the opportunity, though, he’s got a new set of challenges to contend with. At least, that’s what Jason Blum thinks -- and he has some interesting things to say about what those challenges could be.
The founder of Blumhouse Productions knows a thing or two about what happens behind the scenes. He recently spoke about the factors that directors deal with when they’re trying to bring their movies to the screen:
I think what I agree with is directors and writers are directors and writers for a reason, you know.. Producers and executives are producers and executives for a reason. If producers were the greatest or executives were the greatest notes givers ever, they shouldn’t be producers. They should be writer/directors. A lot of people disagree with me, but that’s my point of view. I put the artist first. I give them final cut on our movies. I make my opinions heard very loudly, but ultimately, I live or die on what the directors want to do.
On that note, while speaking with Fox 5 DC reporter (and ReelBlend podcast co-host) Kevin McCarthy, Jason Blum also shared his on how important it is for filmmakers to be able to do their jobs without a lot of outside influence or noise:
I think you have to be very careful. An artist has gotta kinda do their vision without the noise of fans and everything else. Some fans like stuff, some hate stuff. I think the best art and the best work comes from having a pure vision and going for it.
Jason Blum also offered some perspective on the potential downside of fan-driven movements like #ReleaseTheSnyderCut:
If you’re so worried about what everyone’s going to think and what fans think and what that thinks, I think it ultimately frustrates and hinders the creative process. So yeah, the fans made an uproar to get his cut. I think that’s great, but I think you have to be very careful. I think fans are fans for a reason. You have to be very careful.
The point that Jason Blum seems to be making is that the very people who are there to support filmmakers can also make it harder for them to do their jobs. Zack Snyder’s vision for Justice League has already been subject to the influence of producers and executives. The question is whether he will be able to stay focused on his vision, as he finally gets a chance to finish his version of the film. There’s no question that fans helped make it possible for him to do that -- but it’s also fair to say he still deserves to release the Snyder Cut on his own terms. That long-awaited cut is slated to debut on HBO Max sometime in 2021.
