The SYNDERVERSE Getting Restored?

The Snyderverse is being brought back to life! What else could possibly make Snyder Cut enthusiasts happy? The recent reports from Warner Max might be quite exciting for fans of the Snyderverse.

DC Extended Universe

The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and a series of superhero films based on characters from American comic books published by DC Comics, produced by DC Films, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.Despite the fact that there were numerous other DC superhero films, including the 1978 Superman franchise, 1989 Batman film series, 2005 Christopher Nolan's epic The Dark Knight Trilogy, and others, WB never created a shared superhero universe until they wanted to compete with Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios released Ironman in 2008, kicking off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which went on to become the greatest comic book cinematic universe, and is actively developing under Disney's control. When the MCU began to run successfully and break records, WB and DC decided to join the race by establishing their own cinematic universe, the DC Extended Universe. WB had plans to establish a shared superhero universe since 2002 and to do a Justice League film but it was put on hold after the Dark Knight series success but in 2011 WB decided to launch DCEU and for this the man they found was Zack Snyder. 

At that time, Zack Snyder was famous for his films like Dawn of the Dead, 300, Sucker Punch, and he also made a DC movie Watchmen. Snyder's films and unconventional approach to filmmaking were widely discussed among critics and audiences, with many accusing him of being too violent, dark, and reliant on slow-motion sequences, multiple cuts, and close-up shots. At the same time, many praised them for being exactly the same, and Snyder’s films have a cult following. What makes Zack Snyder special is that every movie he makes trends. Positive or negative, his films have been discussed for a long time. The same thing happened when the DCEU launched with Zack Snyder's Superman film, Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill.

What happened to the Man of Steel?

The film was released with sky-high expectations. Despite being a brilliant piece of work, the film did not receive a warm welcome. The primary criticism from critics and audiences was that movie was dark and lacking of comedy. At the same time, the film was well-liked and accepted by many, and it performed well at the box office. People are demanding for Man of Steel 2 right now.

But why was there such a strong reaction to Man of Steel when it was first released? 'MCU,' is the easy answer. The MCU has already delivered Phase I films like as Iron Man 1 & 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Soldier, and the worldwide smash The Avengers, when Man of Steel was released in 2013. The MCU films appeal to a wider audience because they are light, incredibly humorous, and chose to take a much safer treatment path, which is critical in a superhero franchise seeking to appeal to all generations. Then there was Man of Steel, which was more serious, dark, and brutal, with no one cracking jokes. The movie also featured a dramatic storyline that sought to build a serious and darker comic book movie universe, which is what DC movies are meant to be. However, the critics and many audiences who were starstruck by the MCU movies at the time couldn’t accept Snyder's vision.

 

BvS : Dawn of Problems

From here, all the dark acts started in the DCEU. The WB originally planned five movies with Snyder in the DCEU. The second film was Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which will bring Batman, portrayed by Ben Affleck, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, into the DCEU along with several other DC superheroes and characters. WB officials began interfering with Snyder's work when BvS began filming. They compelled the director to cut the film's length and eliminate many plot lines. Snyder claims that establishing several superheroes and characters in a single picture in the way studio executives desired was impossible. Then came the release of BvS: Dawn of Justice, which was widely criticized by the critics and the audience. At this time, it was even darker, more humorless, and too predictable as the story was able to be predicted from the teasers, trailers, and scenes released by the studio.

Fans of both DC and Snyder were confused by the film, believing it to be something Snyder would not deliver. The director and the studio have been the subject of several questions from the media and fans. The theatrical version was eventually discovered to be a studio edited version, not the director's original cut, which had 30 minutes more run time. Everyone demanded the original cut, so the studio had no choice but to release it as Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition on Blu-ray. This was a better-received film than the theatrical version, with many critics stating that although the ultimate edition may not be the finest superhero film, it was a solid film that established the plot for many other films to follow. This also demonstrated how studio interference may impact a film.

The situation became more difficult when studio executives were criticized and Zack Snyder's work was praised. The egos of both studios and the filmmaker prevented both sides from reaching a compromise. Snyder's next DCEU film, Justice League, has begun production. When the shoot was 90% completed, Snyder’s daughter Autumn died, forcing him to step down from the director's chair and spend time with the rest of his family in order for his family to heal from the loss.

During Snyder's absence, the company opted to bring in Joss Whedon to finish the rest of the film. Instead of finishing the few more scenes that Snyder had left unfinished, Whedon made substantial modifications to the original screenplay to rebuild the entire film, and the studio was happy with his work and gave Whedon permission to reshoot the majority of the scenes. Rumours of reshoots began to circulate, but the studio and actors rejected the reports, and Wehdon himself indicated that this is still Snyder's picture, and he is simply assisting with the completion of the section that Snyder was unable to complete. The film was released in November of 2017, and it was a huge flop. Everyone criticized the film, and it was regarded as one of the worst superhero films ever made. The infamous CGI Superman's mouth, Batman behaving like Batman, too many cringe-worthy jokes, and sequences that make no sense in its universe were all harshly criticized. But this time, based on the studio's prior history and reshoot rumors, many were certain that what they saw in theatres was not Zack Snyder's initial work.

Fans began to express their dissatisfaction with the film's handling and demanded to know what actually occurred behind the scenes after Snyder left. Later, rumours of a directors' cut began to circulate, just like they did during the BvS period. However, this time WB ignored the fans as if there wasn't a Snyder Cut.

The SNYDER CUT, is it REAL?

Zack Snyder shared a photo of canisters with label "Z.S. JL Director's Cut, Running Time 214"  on his Vero account in 2019. This was the final proof that the Snyder Cut existed. Many fans were outraged, and they began protesting the release of the Snyder Cut with the hashtag #releasethesnydercut. Snyder stated in May 2020 that the original cut would be published as Zack Snyder's Justice League on the HBO Max streaming service. The visual effects, soundtrack, and editing cost about $70 million, with fresh footage shot in October 2020. The release was initially intended as a six-episode miniseries as well as a four-hour movie, but the miniseries concept was dropped in January 2021. The film opens with a message from Snyder to his fans for the support they gave him in releasing the Snyder Cut, and the film is dedicated to the memory of Snyder's daughter, Autumn.

On March 18, 2021, Zack Snyder's Justice League was released on HBO Max in the United States. That year, it was the fourth-most-streamed film debut on the streaming platform. Despite being four hours lengthy, the film received positive reviews. It was an entirely different movie from the 2017 Justice League.  The CGI was very well appreciated. The action sequences, characters, and storytelling were all praised as well. The film ended on a cliffhanger, leaving everyone eager to see the rest of the sequels. Following the # releasethesnydercut campaign, fans launched the # restorethesnyderverse campaign, urging the studio to allow Snyder to complete his vision by filming Justice League 2 and 3, effectively ending the Snyderverse.

A New HOPE

There was a Warner Max logo when the first Snyder Cut trailer was released at 2020 DC Fandome, however when more trailers were released and the movie ultimately came out, the Warner Max logo was replaced with the Warner Bros. logo.

That was the case with Zack Snyder's Justice League a.k.a. Snyder Cut. To be more specific, Warner Max executives were the ones who waved the Snyder Cut the green flag. Without Warner Max, we would not have seen Zack Snyder's four-hour masterpiece Justice League. The executives at Warner Bros. eventually froze Warner Max and took control of all of their films, including the Synder Cut. Since then, issues have returned in the DCEU, including trailer leaks and the removal of blu-ray trailers.

What gives fans of the Snyderverse hope now is the news that Warner Max is returning. Warner Bros. has reactivated the Warner Max trademark for the film label, indicating that the company is reopening. Within WB, Warner Max is the strongest backer of the Snyder Cut, and they have the power to determine HBO Max's future. The Warner Bros. Discovery merger, we may infer, is the reason for the Warner Max's revival.

Next year, Warner Bros. and Discovery will merge, and David Zaslav, the current CEO of Discovery, will become the new CEO of the merged company. It's also been claimed that the new firm would pay very close attention to what fans and audience members demand. This implies they can't ignore the Snyderverse's popularity. The new C.E.O. and his Discovery team had examined into the WB's activities and discovered that they had made mistakes in a number of areas, including the DCEU and HBO Max's handling.

As a result, it's possible that Zaslav and his crew have moved the strings to reactivate Warner Max, and after the complete merger, they'll be able to focus on the greatest HBO Max material while WB handles theatrical releases. The Snyderverse's hopes have brightened, but will Justice League 2 and 3 be released in theatres? "No" might be the response. This is due to the fact that, if the Snyderverse is resurrected, it will most likely only be available on HBO Max. Although some fans may be disappointed that Justice League 2 and 3 will only be available on HBO Max, this is OK because everyone enjoyed watching the Snyder Cut on HBO Max. HBO Max is also not in the same position as it was a year ago, when it was unavailable in a number of countries. It's now accessible in almost every country, and even if HBO Max isn't, there are plenty of other platforms where you can watch their content.

As a result, the Snydeverse should be kept in HBO Max and made exclusive to it. This would set the Snyderverse apart from the rest of the DCEU films, which are under WB's control, and once the Snyderverse is a standalone universe, Zack Snyder will have entire creative freedom without intervention from WB officials, which has been the root of the DCEU's chaos. Zack Snyder is now under a two-year deal with Netflix, after which the master filmmaker will be able to return to HBO Max and continue his work.

The reopening of Warner Max and Warner Bros., Discovery does not guarantee the restoration of the Snyderverse, but it does provide an ocean of hope for Snyderverse fans, as the merger will bring much more professionalism to the decision-making process, and the egos of certain people will not be a factor.