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The DC Extended Universe's life in theaters has been full of twists and turns, as Warner Bros. adjusted based on each new release's performance. No project's life has had a more unique journey than Justice League, as calls for a director's cut immediately followed the movie's release in 2017. The Snyder Cut is becoming a reality on HBO Max, and Zack Snyder recently revealed what Darkseid's intentions are in the alternate cut's trailers.
While the Snyder Cut won't arrive until 2021, the first two teasers have both opened with the villainous Darkseid striking the earth. The previously cut character has a hulking appearance, and fans are eager to see how he's incorporated into the story of the four-part movie event. Zack Snyder recently broke down the latest black and white teaser, where he revealed what Darkseid is up to in the first footage. As he put it,
He had his stick and dug the earth up because he felt like the Anti-Life equation was here. And then he had to pound the earth to reveal the Anti-Life equation, which we, in the movie, you see it in a physical form, which is all those patterns of lava that exist on the ground. That’s how you’re able to visualize it. That would have to be deciphered to figure out how the Anti-Life equation actually is put into practice.
Mind blown. It looks like Darkseid isn't merely attacking Earth for the fun of it, but is specifically searching for the Anti-Life equation. This macguffin is often the character's main motivation, and it's exciting to learn how Zack Snyder approached it for Justice League. And this will likely only add to the hype surrounding the Snyder Cut's upcoming release.
Zack Snyder's comments come from a Justice League teaser breakdown the filmmaker did over on Vero. The filmmaker offered some inside scoops behind his creative process, which should help buoy excitement for the alternate cut ahead of its arrival on HBO Max next year. Comic book fans were thrilled to see Darkseid included, and now it turns out that the Anti-Life equation will also factor into the story in a unique way.
Justice League's theatrical cut is currently available on HBO Max, which will also be the home of the Snyder Cut. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
For those unfamiliar, the Anti-Life equation is a mathematical equation that has a major effect on the world of DC comics. On the page the formula is the key to controlling minds, and is usually sought after by Darkseid himself. It's a high concept that is sometimes difficult to explain, although Zack Snyder seems to know exactly how he wanted to bring said macguffin to life in live-action.
As the filmmaker mentioned, Darkseid will find the key to the Anti-Life equation in the patterns shown on the ground in the Snyder Cut trailer. It should be interesting to see exactly how this affects the villain, and how much of Darkseid is in the four-part event coming to HBO Max. Justice League's theatrical cut scrapped the villain altogether, instead focusing entirely on Steppenwolf. But all that is set to change, including the appearance of Steppenwolf.
The Snyder Cut is expected to hit HBO Max sometime in 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.
