CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
After years of fan campaigns and millions of dollars, Zack Snyder's Justice League is finally upon us. The titular filmmaker was able to share his original vision for the blockbuster, while also adding a few elements like the new Knightmare sequence. The epilogue set up Snyder's original plans for two more sequels, but it turns out that Fantastic Beasts 3 nearly put a wrench into the scene. Namely, because Flash actor Ezra Miller was unavailable for the necessary reshoots.
Ezra Miller is juggling two major franchise roles, playing Flash in the DCEU as well as Credence in Fantastic Beasts. Since the third installment in the magical property is currently filming, Miller couldn't break his quarantine bubble and travel to LA for Snyder Cut reshoots. Producer Deborah Snyder recently spoke about the challenges of including Flash in the Knightmare, saying:
It was still super challenging because we had to do it at a certain time to get the visual effects done to make it in the film, but all the actors weren’t available at the same time. So we had to shoot some of them separately. Ezra was on Fantastic Beasts in England so Zack had to direct him over Zoom!
Well, that's not ideal. But with the safety protocols currently required for film sets to function, it was an impossibility that Ezra Miller could film his limited footage in person. Instead it was done virtually, and he was added to Zack Snyder's Justice League through some clever editing and visual effects.
Deborah Snyder's comments to ET show what it was really like filming the brief reshoots for Zack Snyder's Justice League. Only a handful of actors were assembled to pull off the new Knightmare sequence, including Jared Leto, Amber Heard, and Joe Manganiello. They filmed in secret, and left the Snyder Cut with countless more questions.
Zack Snyder's Justice League is currently available exclusively on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
As mentioned in the quote above, Zack Snyder had to direct Ezra Miller via Zoom in order to capture the necessary footage of Flash. While this is far from ideal, it's not the first time Miller did a Flash cameo through unconventional means. His brief Suicide Squad appearance wasn't shot by David Ayer at all, but by Zack Snyder during principal photography of Justice League. Is your head spinning yet?
In the Knightmare sequence, Flash is truly the least featured member of the ensemble. In fact, I'm not sure he had more than one line in the scene, which largely focused on Batman and Joker verbally sparring. I have to wonder if the Scarlet Speedster would have factored more heavily into the sequence if Ezra Miller wasn't tied up working on Fantastic Beasts 3.
This additional scene is perhaps the most talked about aspect of the Snyder Cut's four-hour runtime. And while the movie has only recently arrived, some fans are hoping that Warner Bros. will order two more sequels and #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. Unfortunately, the studio recently shut those talks down, while Zack Snyder continues sharing more about his ideas for the future.
Zack Snyder's Justice League is available now, and his next movie Army of the Dead will arrive May 21st. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
