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Around the turn of the decade,Justice League’s Snyder Cutwas a defining film event, but four years later, it feels like much ado about nothing. What was once seen as a revolutionary fan movement that pushed for greater creative autonomy now seems like a fad, especially considering how things played out afterward.
Without a doubt,the Snyder Cutis better than the 2017Justice League, which Joss Whedon belatedly took over and fans mockingly calledJosstice League. Snyder’s extended version fixed many of the original’s problems, but it came at a cost. So, the question remains: was all the fanfare behind#ReleaseTheSnyderCutworth it four years later? The answer is a resounding no.
Is Zack Snyder’sJustice LeagueStill Relevant In 2025?
The Snyder Cut Has A Complicated Legacy
As things stand, the DCEU is dead, andJames Gunn’s DCUhas taken its place.Justice Leaguewas supposed to be a middle chapter of Zack Snyder’s vision,followingMan of SteelandBatman v Superman, with a fullJLtrilogy planned. But those plans are gone, and so is the SnyderVerse. Some faint calls to restore the300director’s superhero universe can still be heard, but they’re nowhere near as strong as the push for the Snyder Cut.
When it was released in 2021, exactly four years ago, the Snyder Cut felt like a huge win. It proved that studios might cave to fan demands if they were loud enough. The film also redeemed itself from Whedon’s version, running twice as long at a full four hours. It even became the fourth most-streamed film of the year,according toVariety. But in hindsight, was it worth years of fan pressure, studio resistance, celebrity backing, and even rumored behind-the-scenes rigging? Not really.
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Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver(Extended Cut)
TBD
The Snyder Cut might seem like a fan-driven victory, but it set a dangerous precedent. Unlike the calls for the eventualSuperman II: Richard Donner Cutrelease, this campaign became toxic, leading to harassment, boycotts, and even death threats against studio executives.ARolling Stonereportfrom July 2022 revealed thatfake accounts helped pushthe movement. It also claimed that in June 2020, Snyder had allegedly made a menacing remark toward producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg:
Geoff and Jon are dragging their feet on taking their names off my cut. Now, I will destroy them on social media.
This whole fiasco might also be indirectly responsible forthe DCEU’s demise. Fans pushed for a sequel Warner Bros. never planned, which made it harder for the studio to chart a clear course. It also exposed how mismanaged the DCEU had been from the start. The $70 million spent on theSnyder Cut didn’t boost HBO Max subscriptionsin the long run. Adding this to the original movie’s $300 million cost, the studio likely saw the SnyderVerse as a financial dead end.
Ultimately, the Snyder Cut made Zack Snyder even more divisive as a filmmaker. It is true that his extended cuts ofWatchmenandBatman v Supermanare seen as better than their theatrical versions. Weirdly, he designed an approach with theRebel Moonfilms that had original and director’s cuts planned from the beginning… which makes no sense if you have full creative control from the jump. Both versions of the Netflix films were critically panned, and Snyder’s longer R-rated cuts were only slightly better. In all honesty, this whole charade is getting exhausting.
The Snyder Cut ImprovedJustice League, But Not Enough
A Black Suit Superman Can Only Go So Far
Zack Snyder’sversion ofJustice Leaguemay be better thanwhat Joss Whedon made, but let’s be honest — that’s not a high bar. This may be an unpopular opinion among DCEU or Snyder fans, but it needs to be said: the Snyder Cut isn’t the cult-classic masterpiece they believe it to be. IfJosstice Leaguefelt like a bad movie, this was simply a longer, slightly improved, but still mediocre miniseries version of it. It might have worked as a filler film tocontinue the DC Snyderverse, but clearly, that’s not where we are today.
Essentially, Whedon took Snyder’s original vision forJustice Leagueand cut it down to please the studio. Warner Bros. wasn’t happy with Snyder’s direction, especially after the backlash toBatman v Superman. The result? A messy, rushed, and sometimes incoherent film. Characters and major events were thrown in with no setup, and the story relied too much on weak excuses and coincidences, making it hard to care about anything.
Joss Whedon’sJustice LeagueVs. The Snyder Cut
Pick Your Poison
Snyder’s four-hour cut did show just how much was brutally removed. The new script added some context, fixed plot holes, and made the story feel more complete. A lot was lost in Whedon’s version, especially in terms of character development. Cyborg finally got a real backstory and arc here, whileThe Flash and Aquamanbecame a little more likable. It was certainly enough to give Barry Allen his standalone outing and Arthur Curry his sequel, but let’s not go there.
The new version also madeBen Affleck’s Batmanfeel more focused and less exhausted. Superman’s resurrection is mostly the same, but gives him more time to settle back in. Of course, the black suit still looks dapper on Henry Cavill. The finale, though imperfect, is a big step up from the rushed, overblown CGI mess from before. It also showed that Snyder works best when he tells stories at his own pace, but unfortunately, that pace is painfully slow.
The Biggest Problems With Zack Snyder’sJustice League
Overblown For The Sake Of Being Overblown
Even for those who love slow motion, there’s just too much of it here. Speeding things up would make the movie significantly shorter. The editing is sloppy in places, with scenes dragging on much longer than necessary. Plus, since most fans had already seen the 2017 film, they knew what was going to happen, fast or slow. This madethe Snyder Cut’sdrawn-out dialogue and repeated exposition feel even more tedious.
The film’s villain was also a mixed bag. Steppenwolf gets more depth in theSnyder Cut, as he’s no longer just a generic bad guy but a disgraced warrior trying to regain Darkseid’s favor. It was a welcome change, but Darkseid ended up overshadowing him. Instead of sticking to one strong antagonist, the movie teased a bigger threat without the right setup, making it feel rushed. Ultimately, it was another case of the DCEU trying to catch up with the MCU too quickly, but in vain. Now, DC is starting over from scratch with a seemingly much morehope-filled take on the Man of Steelto kick things off. Perhaps fans are simply over dark, gritty, and slow films?
