Writer/Director Kevin Smith has confirmed the existence of the ‘Snyder Cut’ of Justice League and thinks that it should be released. In the wake of the film’s underwhelming reception, numerous fans joined forces to call for Snyder’s original version to be released. A member of that vocal group recently even made and released an edited version of Justice League‘s opening scene. The group’s collective efforts culminated in a huge campaign at San Diego Comic-Con.
Speaking with CinemaBlend, Smith has confirmed that such a cut does indeed exist. “I’ve not seen it firsthand, and also to be clear, I know Zack, but it’s not like, ‘We’re f****** tight son!’ … That being said, I’ve spoken now to enough people at various levels in that production. There IS a Snyder cut. For sure. That’s not a mythical beast. It exists. Now, it’s not a finished movie by any stretch of the imagination. There were things that went away from the story that they shot that didn’t wind up going into (visual) effects or anything like that. So I would assume, based on what I’ve been told, that large sections of that Snyder Cut are, you know, pre-viz (with) a lot of green screen. We’re not talking a finished movie. When people hear ‘Snyder Cut’ in their heads, they think about, like, a DVD they’ve seen of an extended cut or something that’s finished. The ‘Snyder Cut’ that, again I haven’t seen, but the one I’ve heard everyone speak of was never a finished film. It was a movie that people in production could watch and fill in the blanks. It was certainly not meant for mass consumption.”
While it is unfinished, Smith thinks releasing it in that form would be fine for what people are looking to the Snyder Cut for. They don’t want a finished movie but instead a look at Snyder’s original vision for the film.
“I feel confident that the audience could handle that cut of the movie without being like… I think there’s a common thought process, probably within the studio – and again, no studio has said this to me, but I would assume that they’re like, ‘We can’t show people this,” Smith said. “Yes, there is a Snyder Cut, but no audience would be able to look at this and see what the director’s intent was.’ I disagree. That would seem like common wisdom because everyone always wants to put their best foot forward. But I think the audience now, particularly the audience that would consume the Snyder Cut and discuss it at great length, can watch a workprint. They can watch a work-in-progress and fill in the blanks in their heads.”
Whether or not Warner Bros. surrenders to that demand or continues to double-down on the theatrical version remains to be seen. Whatever the case, the Justice League campaign has added yet another vocal supporter to their corner.
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