One of the first new projects Warner Bros. announced in an attempt to lure viewers to their new streaming service HBO Max was a ‘director’s cut’ of 2017’s Justice League, aptly renamed Justice League: Director’s Cut. Colloquially referred to as Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the release promises to fulfill Snyder’s original directorial vision for the film after he had to leave the project midway through due to a family emergency.
Indeed, the 2017 theatrical version of Justice League has often been referred to as a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’ by viewers, as replacement director Joss Whedon seemingly took the remaining film in a starkly different direction than Snyder had initially intended. Fans have been lobbying ever since for the original ‘Snyder Cut’ of the film to be released, although that was initially deemed impossible as only some of the ‘Snyder scenes’ had been filmed.
Now, however, Warner Bros. has given Snyder $70m and their blessing to ‘complete’ his vision and finally give fans the ‘Cut’ they’ve been demanding. New material for Justice League was filmed in October 2020 with a scheduled release in March 2021 as a miniseries. Yes, in an effort to further add content to their streaming platform, Warner Bros. will initially be releasing the project as a four-part miniseries (with each episode being roughly an hour long), before combining all the segments into a single film. Of course, this naturally gives rise to the question of how will the film be broken up? What could each episode of Zack Snyder’s Justice League look like? Answering this question is actually far more complex than it seems.
For one thing, there were significant changes to the original theatrical cut, meaning it’s difficult to assert what will remain in the film, what will be removed, and what will be added. Some elements reportedly removed from the original ‘Snyder Cut’ include: at least 10 comic book cameos, including Jared Leto’s the Joker, Atom and Martian Manhunter; scenes involving cut primary antagonist Darkseid; additional lore and backstories for the Flash, Aquaman, and The Cyborg (Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has mentioned that “practically none” of Cyborg’s origin scenes were included in the theatrical cut); the first invasion of Earth; and changes to Superman’s arc, namely the presences of his iconic black suit. It’s impossible to know for sure how many of these scenes will be readded to the upcoming mini-series and which will be discarded again.
On a meta-level, the Justice League film is in a unique position. With this new cut, Snyder can react and respond to criticisms leveled at the initial film, doubling down on them or perhaps acquiescing. Equally, because it’s on a streaming service, Snyder will be less pressured to make the film accessible to the average movie-goer, as box-office returns are less critical. Therefore, with all these additional influences and considerations, it’s a Herculean task to try and cut it up into four known episodes.
However, it is possible to discern a rough structure for the film. Assuming the film will follow the same basic narrative beats to the original film and considering elements mentioned by Snyder and the cast, it is possible to predict this structure:
- The first invasion of Earth: Darkseid, Steppenwolf, and their legions of Parademons attempt to conquer Earth, utilizing the power of the Mother Boxes. Their attempt is foiled by a united alliance of Olympian Gods, Amazons, Atlanteans, mankind, Green Lanterns, and other extra-terrestrial beings (like the Martians)
- In the Present: the world is still grieving for Superman’s death, with extra time being given to exploring the origins of Cyborg and the Flash (less for Aquaman as he now has his own film), and featuring characters like Iris West, Nuidi Vulko, and Calvin Swanwick.
- Steppenwolf returns to Earth and retrieves a Mother Box that is being kept by the Amazons on Themyscira, prompting Hippolyta to ask Diana and Bruce Wayne to begin to gather other ‘metahumans’ in response.
- Diana and Bryce Wayne go about trying to convince Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman to their cause, with mixed results. However, Steppenwolf attacks an Atlantean outpost to retrieve the next Mother Box, provoking the Justice League to begin working together
- Cyborg reveals he has the last Mother Box and the League resolve to use its power to resurrect Superman.
- The League attempt to resurrect Superman, but he awakens hostile and with amnesia, so the team have to fight him off, to limited results. It looks as though Superman will overpower them in a cliff hanger…
- At the last minute, Batman reveals Lois Lane, prompting Superman to calm down. The majority of this episode would be centered around Superman, delving further into his return to Earth and his decision to fight on the side of good, as well as featuring flashbacks to his childhood
- Intermittently throughout, the other League members (with help from an in-disguise Atom and Martian Manhunter) work out Steppenwolf’s plan and resolve to confront him in Russia, where he is building a ‘Boom Tube’ to help transport Darkseid and their remaining forces to Earth. At the end of the episode, Steppenwolf and Darkseid interact, revealing the team has less time than predicted.
- The League members (without Superman) go and confront Steppenwolf in Russia, only to find themselves hopelessly outmatched. However, help arrives in the form of both Superman and Green Lanterns. With their combined might, the heroes are able to overpower the forces, beheading Steppenwolf and interacting with Darkseid before the Boom Tube closes. Also, during the fight, Flash briefly discovers he can travel through time.
- The Justice League resolve to work together moving forward, and each return to their respective lives. In a series of post-credits scenes, it is revealed that Lex Luthor and Deathstroke are planning an Injustice League, and Batman is visited by Green Lanterns Kilowog and Tomar-Re.
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