Photo: HBO MAX
The long wait forZack Snyder’s Justice Leagueis finally over.
On Thursday, the four-hour-long film debuted on HBO Max years after fans began an online movement, urging Warner Bros. to release directorZack Snyder’s version of the film following his exit as director in 2017.
In January, Snyder told theLos Angeles Timeshis decision to leave the film was also in part becausehe “was kind of done"with fighting Warner Bros. to keep his creative vision intact after the death of Autumn.
Zack Snyder, Autumn Snyder.Michael Stewart/Getty; Zack Snyder/Twitter
“Literally, zero energy for that,” he said. “I really think that’s the main thing. I think there’s a different world where I stayed and kind of tried. And I’m sure I could have… because every movie is a fight, right? I was used to that. But… there was no fight in me.”
Warner Bros. hiredThe AvengersdirectorJoss Whedonto take over directing duties, leading to major changes in the storyline that would disappoint the DC fandom.
What was released in theaters was so far off from Snyder’s vision that his wife and good friend, director Christopher Nolan, advised him, “You can never see that movie,” as Snyder recalled in a recent interview withVanity Fair.
“Because I knew it would break his heart,” Deborah told the outlet.
HBO MAX
The #ReleasetheSnyderCut movement was unprecedented in its power in Hollywood and received support from starsGal GadotandBen Affleckwho play Wonder Woman and Batman in the film.
In May 2020, almost three years to the day of Snyder’s exit, fans' efforts paid off when Warner Bros. announced it would release Snyder’s original version of the film on its new streaming platform, HBO Max.
Snyder thanked the fans who supported his vision with making the redo a reality.
“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,” said Snyder in a statement at the time.
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In this new iteration of the superhero flick, Snyder has completed a four-hour-long extravaganza that reunites Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Cyborg, The Flash and Aquaman.
Dedicated to Autumn, Snyder told PEOPLE earlier this week the journey to releasingZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguewas “a really cathartic” one for him and his wife.
Deborah added the fan involvement in bringing their version of the film to life was “quite historic.”
“That actually, a big corporation would listen to what they had to say. It was interesting for us too to see them grow,” she said. “And as every activation, it started with bus stops at Comic-Con, and then it was airplanes over Warner Bros, and then it was big, giant billboards and jumbotrons in Times Square. They just kept upping the ante and they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Now that the film is out and available to stream, Snyder toldVariety"the four-hour version of the movie is exactly the way I would have made the movie if I made it with zero oversight.”
With that in mind, how does one go about watching a four-hour-long film?
For those not willing or able to sit down for that length of time, HBO Max has created indentations in the timeline for the film, so audiences can click on each chapter of it.
“I didn’t contemplate [the run time] because I knew that binge culture is 100% fine with watching four episodes of a one-hour show back-to-back,” he toldVariety.
Inverse, which covers technology, science and culture, has also suggested watching it in"chapters"and has broken down the film into segments of 20-minutes, 30-minutes and 40 minutes.
Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueis now streaming on HBO Max.
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source: people.com
