It was a valiant effort, but the vocal fans who have called on Warner Bros. to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut haven’t made any progress, or so it would seem. In recent works, there has been renewed discussion surrounding director Zack Snyder’s famed cut of Justice League, which never made it to theaters in 2017. In the two years since, many have campaigned to have the Snyder Cut released and it seemed there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon. However, those who are looking forward to the day this bit of DC cinematic history is unearthed may not want to get their hopes up just yet.
A recently released report details the future of DC Films at Warner Bros. Following the release of Justice League, which served as a critical and commercial disappointment, the studio shifted strategies with the brand and, so far, that has paid off. Aquaman became the highest-grossing DC movie ever, Joker recently crossed the $1 billion mark, Shazam had more modest box office success, but was met with tremendous reviews. All seems to be going well, and that could be the biggest problem for those hoping to see the Snyder Cut.
Buried near the bottom of the report is some info on the status of the Snyder Cut. Many had hoped that Warner Bros. would release the movie on the upcoming streaming service HBO Max. By most accounts, a cut of the movie does exist that differs largely from the cut Joss Whedon (The Avengers) finished after Zack Snyder departed the project. That said, the cut needs work, as many of the special effects shots are said to be unfinished. According to an unnamed insider, the studio has no such plans and describes the movie’s release as a “pipe dream.,” while also adding “There’s no way it’s ever happening.”
Justice League stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher have all shown support for the Snyder Cut. When Affleck and Gadot recently advocated for the release, it provided some hope that something might be brewing. This report seems to contradict that in a big way. And, sadly for those who wish to see it, that makes sense. Why would Warner Bros. pump more money into a project that already lost them a great deal of money? Especially when Snyder’s previous movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, proved to be so divisive?
The future of DC Films does include movies such as Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Adam, The Suicide Squad, Shazam 2, Aquaman 2 and several other projects, such as a possible Joker sequel and, perhaps most importantly, Matt Reeves’ long-gestating The Batman. For now, the studio is focused on the future and seems content to not revisit the past. Be that as it may, it’s evident that the conversation surrounding the Snyder Cut isn’t going away. This news comes to us via Variety.
