We’ve known for a few weeks now that Zack Snyder’s Justice League is coming. It will be on HBO Max in 2021, following a three-year battle by the director and his fanbase to get the Snyder Cut of his superhero team up blockbuster released. But a lot has happened since Snyder walked away from the DCEU in 2017, and Warner Bros. has moved on with its universe. So, when the Snyder Cut is released, where will it fit with the continuity of the DCEU? Will it still fit at all?
Zack Snyder addressed that concern during an interview with Beyond the Trailer’s Grace Randolph, explaining:
For me, where the movie falls, it really starts to represent its own path. It’s kind of separate now from what I would say the DC cinematic universe [is] in continuity. I think it’s divergent, in that way. And I think that’s a good thing. The power of DC, and one of its cool strengths, is the sort of multiverse concept … They also put filmmaker’s first and they say, ‘We want to hear your individual voices. Take these characters and do a run. Show us what you would do.’ In the great tradition of comic book writing, and runs that have been done with all of these amazing characters. … And so, for me, I think Justice League, I’ve heard someone say, ‘Oh, you’re entering the Snyderverse now.’ And frankly, this notion that, what you will see in Justice League, Batman v Superman and in Man of Steel, there’s continuity across those three movies. They are really, because I made them, that’s my main focus is to satisfy that narrative structure [and] continue that story.
It’s important to remember something obvious that Zack Snyder points out in the interview. And that’s the fact that five years will have passed since Snyder finished filming his movie in 2016, and when this will come out on HBO Max in 2021. And a lot has happened with characters like Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). The latter had his own solo movie that could be affected by anything that happens in Justice League. And so dropping a new movie into the middle of the timeline could be disruptive, unless Snyder’s Justice League is able to exist on its own, and doesn’t have to rely on, or push, any story narratives that would rely on it in the past ways.
There’s a freedom that comes with Zack Snyder being able to complete his vision for Justice League on HBO Max. And the streaming service can continue to provide freedom to explore ideas and avenues for filmmakers in the DC universe. Many fans at this moment are campaigning for the David Ayer cut of Suicide Squad to be restored on the streaming service. And there soon will be campaigns, undoubtedly, for Ben Affleck to return as The Batman on HBO Max, if Justice League does well.
Want to learn more about Justice Con? We made this handy video:
Zack Snyder’s panel will be held on Saturday evening, July 25, at 5:30 pm EST. And on Sunday, yours truly will be hosting a panel as part of Justice Con that will be all about the book that I have written about the Snyder Cut movement. Titled Release the Snyder Cut, the book is coming out in 2021. Follow this Twitter account for all of the latest details.
