Why Zack Snyder Kept His Name Attached To Justice League Theatrical Cut

Coming off the release of Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated director’s cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the filmmaker spoke about why he kept his name attached to the film’s theatrical cut. The original Justice League came out in theaters in 2017 to mixed reactions from both fans and critics. Snyder had completed principal photography when his daughter tragically died by suicide, leading the director to step down from the project. He was replaced by Joss Whedon, fresh off his departure with Marvel Studios after the lukewarm reception to Avengers: Age of Ultron. Whedon was tasked with completing the film’s post-production, but at the behest of Warner Bros., ended up shooting additional scenes and making more dramatic changes to Snyder’s original film than many initially thought.

Leading up Justice League’s theatrical release, there were some questions as to who would be credited as the film’s director. Eventually, it was revealed that Snyder would hold the sole director credit on the film, with Whedon only receiving a credit for its screenplay. Despite that, both fans and critics noted how the theatrical cut of Justice League did not feel like a traditional Snyder project, and many of Whedon’s trademark cinematic quirks were strewn throughout the film. However, as per the DGA’s rules, it wouldn’t have been possible for Whedon to get credited as the sole director of the film – as Snyder had completed principal photography himself. Still, many wondered how Snyder himself felt about being credited as the sole director, considering the film felt so far removed from his typical style.

Speaking to MTV News, Snyder discussed his decision to leave his name attached to the theatrical cut of Justice League. When asked if Snyder had fought to keep his name off of Justice League, the filmmaker remarked that he doesn’t think he ever considered taking his name off the film. Snyder argued that at the time, it just didn’t seem important, and he wanted to honor the hard work his crew put into the film. He also stated that he never saw the theatrical cut, which might have changed his opinion on leaving his director credit on Justice League. Check out his full comment below:

Did I fight it? I don’t know if I even thought about it. I mean, in retrospect, maybe that would have been a thing I could’ve done, but my friends were all in it and everyone worked so hard. I never saw it. Maybe if I had seen it I might have wanted to take my name off it.

The differences between Whedon and Snyder’s versions of Justice League are stark, and with the release of Snyder’s cut on HBO Max – the general public can finally see what Snyder’s vision was. Snyder’s version, although being criticized for its four-hour runtime, has been overwhelming and considered to be superior to the theatrical cut – addressing many of the complaints fans and critics leveled against it back in 2017.

Even if Snyder had decided to take his name off of the theatrical cut of Justice League, it was unlikely that Whedon would have received a director’s credit due to the DGA’s rules. Chances are that the film’s director would have been credited as Alan Smithee – which is historically what happens when a director pulls their name off of a project. In the name of solidarity with those he worked on the project with, it’s understandable why Snyder made the choice to keep his name on the project – despite how different it ended up being from his original vision. However, we no longer have to guess what that vision was, as Zack Snyder’sJustice League is readily available for viewing on HBO Max.

Source: MTV News

About The Author