HBO Max will finally release the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League.
After years of fans campaigning to see director Zack Snyder’s cut of the Warner Bros. Pictures superhero blockbuster, the extended version of the much-maligned film will go public. HBO Max and Warner Bros. announced Wednesday that the cut will debut exclusively on the streaming service at some point in 2021.
Snyder announced the news during an online commentary session for his 2013 Superman film, Man of Steel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker’s preferred, extended version of the film will either be released in a single, four-hour director’s cut or in a six-part, television-style release divided into “chapters.”
The #ReleaseTheSnyderCut campaign has become a wide-reaching, fan-fueled call to arms in the years following the film’s release, with filmmakers, actors, and fans all calling for Snyder’s cut of the film to be released in some form.
“I want to thank HBO Max and Warner Brothers for this brave gesture of supporting artists and allowing their true visions to be realized. Also a special thank you to all of those involved in the SnyderCut movement for making this a reality,” Snyder said.
Directed and co-written by Snyder, Justice League brought together Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg to defeat a powerful alien invader threatening humanity. Along the way, their efforts resulted in the resurrection of Superman, who must remember why he is Earth’s greatest protector in time to save the planet.
The film proved to be both a critical and commercial disappointment, earning some of the worst reviews of any installment of Warner Bros. Pictures’ DC Extended Universe, and became one of the lowest-grossing films in the franchise both domestically and worldwide. Longtime fans of Snyder’s superhero films were quick to point fingers at the studio for the movie’s failure, and a campaign to release the director’s cut of the film quickly gained traction in social media circles.
The aggressive campaign, which used the hashtag “#ReleaseTheSnyderCut” on social media, only grew more vocal as various filmmakers and actors mentioned an interest in seeing Snyder’s cut, or confirmed that such a version existed.
