With Zack Snyder's Justice League just months away from its March 2021 release, Zack Snyder has been sending fans into a frenzy, releasing still images from the film. Getting never-before-seen film stills from the source is a dream for any fan. One such fan is #ReleaseSnyderCut movement leader Fiona Zheng, as seen in a recent social media post.
Years after Justice League’s first release, many DC Extended Universe fans will get their wish to see Zack Snyder’s vision in 2021. A viral campaign sparked by remarks from the director as well as the film’s stars has transformed into a watershed moment for moviegoers. Snyder has kept up the hype by doing interviews, making social media posts and releasing film stills in recent months. Fiona Zheng was a key figure in turning this movement into a director’s cut for HBO Max. As 2020 ends, Zheng took to Twitter to share a still of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) fighting Steppenwolf in the Snyder Cut. Check it out:
As seen in Zheng’s image, the still teases an epic battle between the Amazonian Princess and the menacing villain. Given how high the stakes were in the original Justice League, it seems as if both will be calling on the power of the Gods in a battle to the finish. The moment could be included in the climax of a dramatic moment that the DCEU films are known for. This image also taps into the history between the supervillain and Wonder Woman’s people – The Amazonians and Olympian Gods.
As a leader in the #ReleaseSnyderCut movement, Zheng receiving this image (from Snyder himself, we're going to assume) is well deserved given her's, as well as the DCEU fandom’s, arduous work. It showed Snyder's appreciation for the fandom. The movement gained traction as soon as Justice League was released to a tepid reception. Fans can grab the attention of the media as well as the film industry through social media and email campaigns. These tactics, unfortunately, gained the fandom a negative reputation among those in media and film with accusations of harassment and cyberbullying.
Many cast and crew members supported the movement but didn’t gain any feedback from Snyder until shortly after the release of the theatrical cut. He confirmed a director’s cut existed while facing resistance from WarnerMedia. After seeing the Snyder Cut, WarnerMedia executives decided to negotiate with Snyder about releasing the much-anticipated film. This led to the director announcing in May 2020 that his version of Justice League would be released on the WarnerMedia streaming platform HBO Max. Some members of the cast and crew reunited with Snyder for more shoots to complete his cut along with scenes cut from the original film. The film's release is a bright spot given recent developments in the DCEU and actors' position on WarnerMedia and DC Films.
The wait won’t be much longer as Zack Snyder’s Justice League arrives on HBO Max in March 2021.
