You know how DC and Warner Bros. have been trying to fight the entertainment juggernaut that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe? And how it was trying to follow suit with grim, broody movies that were nonetheless interconnected? Remember how that worked out for them?

2017’s Justice League was supposed to be DC’s version of The Avengers, the first Marvel film to tie up the threads of the previous MCU films all neat and tidy(ish). Only that didn’t work out so well. What should have been a three-hour film was pared down to two, and the change in director from Zack Snyder to Joss Whedon didn’t help the tone of the film either. If you believe the nerd rage, anyway.

Making the cut

For ages after the tepid reception Justice League received, fans have been calling for the so-called Snyder Cut — the original vision for the film. Apparently it’s supposed to be way better than what we got. And, it seems, we’re actually going to get it. It’ll stream via HBO Max (and, likely, Showmax here in SA) in 2021.

And that’s official. The new cut of the DC get-together will cost between $20 and $30 million to put together, and will involve new visual effects, a new score and of course a complete re-edit of the film itself. It’ll be released either as a four-hour movie (thankfully, one you’ll watch at home) or as a six-part series — which you’ll probably consume in a single session anyway so Warner Bros. and HBO may as well not even bother with that option.

Synder said “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.”

Hopefully the recut version of the DC superhero film is exactly what fans have been calling for. After waiting for four years for the by-now idealised film, it’ll have to be rather impressive to avoid some substantial backlash. Which’ll probably happen no matter how the film plays. Ah, internet… you so crazy.