Why were there two versions of Justice League? Looking back at the true story behind Zack Snyder's superhero epic
Four years after Joss Whedon's Justice League (2017) premiered, HBO Max released Zack Snyder's version in March 2021, popularly known as the "Snyder Cut." Joss Whedon's version, which many refer to as “Josstice League,” was originally supposed to be Zack Snyder’s take on the film.
Snyder was filming Justice League when his daughter committed suicide, which led him to leave the project. Warner Brothers brought in Whedon as his replacement to complete the movie.
For the unversed, Snyder had previously directed DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movies such as Man of Steel and Batman v Superman and he was the prime figure who spearheaded DCEU.
Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinion.
Why was another Justice League (Snyder Cut) released after Whedon's 2017 version?
Joss Whedon, who had previously worked with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, took upon the task of completing Zack Snyder's 2017 project that was left incomplete. However, rather than completing the editing process of the film already shot by Snyder, Whedon chose to rewrite and reshoot the maximum part of the movie that the former had created.
Fans were heavily disappointed with "Josstice League” after learning how little of Snyder’s vision finally made it to the movie. Moreover, Whedon added some unnecessary romantic twists to the plot, and his writing was not well received by fans.
Following the release, fans began a petition asking Warner Brothers to #ReleasetheSnyderCut. The issue was one of the biggest Change.org petitions in 2017 and it received over 180,000 signatures. It turned into a global social media movement, with the cast and crew of 'Snyder Cut' joining in.
Finally, in 2020, Zack Snyder and his wife announced during a livestream that the 'Snyder Cut' is scheduled to be released in 2021 on HBO Max. Zack Snyder’s Justice League has received positive reviews from fans and movie critics alike.
What are the main differences between the two versions of Justice League?
Justice League 'Snyder Cut' is a four-hour-long film divided into six chapters and an epilogue, while Whedon's "Josstice League” wraps up in two hours. Moreover, Whedon's movie was not well-received by fans, and criticism was aimed towards Whedon’s writing, bad CGI, and overall plot decisions, including the lack of introduction given to some characters.
The treatment of people of color and women on-set as well as on-screen was also an important point of criticism. Whedon was accused of abusive behavior on set by Ray Fisher and other cast and crew members, including Gal Gadot.
Another point of criticism for Whedon's film was the unnecessary romance between Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) where there were framed shots that solely brought the focus to Gadot’s body.
Compared to Whedon's version, 'Snyder Cut' with its expanded plotlines, easter eggs for comic book fans, and a surprise reveal of the seventh founding member of the Justice League, won the hearts of fans.
Apart from the aforementioned differences, the two Justice Leagues have quite a bit in common between them. They have the same main characters, namely Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, the Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. Even the overarching plot of defeating alien invader Steppenwolf and his leader, the supervillain Darkseid, runs through both the movies.