Zack Snyder's take on the iconic Justice League is finally making its way to HBO Max after a long 'Snyder Cut' campaign that eventually saw Warner Bros. allow the original director to complete his vision. Now that the Snyder Cut is official, the director has the chance to tell his Justice League story the way he always intended. The sheer difference between the cuts was made evident just through some trailers, as there are some drastic changes in this new four-part miniseries when compared to the original movie.
While these changes may be pretty big, many of these decisions are the direct results of the narratives within the comic books. Snyder has clearly chosen some iconic Justice League and DC Universe arcs that he wishes to include in his movie, with DC Comics' stories influencing character choices, particular dynamics and even the way in which the the final film was designed. Based on the trailers and what Snyder has said, here are the ten biggest changes that the Snyder Cut will employ that were influenced by the comics (so far).
10 Cyborg's Backstory Will Be Explored
Cyborg's story was significantly rushed in the original version of the film. While he was included in the final Justice League lineup, the character's backstory was almost forgotten about and he was really around just to fill up the team's sixth slot.
Snyder's take looks to take some of the comic book elements of Cyborg's backstory, including tracking him during his football days before moving into his injuries that turned him into half man half robot. While this Cyborg's backstory has more in common with his New 52 incarnation rather than his original Teen Titans origins, it's still good to know that this previously underused character is finally going to get a proper introduction and arc.
9 Darkseid Is The Main Villain
As discussed by Snyder more than once, Darkseid was initially supposed to be a part of the original take but he was edited out with the plot revolving round alternative villains (i.e. Steppenwolf) instead. But in the Snyder Cut, Darkseid has returned in his full glory.
This take on the character is heavily influenced by the comics. Asides from the physical choices in the character design, it's clear that his world domination plans are always taken from the source material, with the team really facing a god-like being. Hopefully, Darkseid unleashes his Omega Beams in the final cut.
8 Superman's Black Suit
The black suit of Superman was introduced in the comics after his revival. Much like in the DCEU, the man of steel was killed by Doomsday but later brought back to life. When he returned, he was donning this new unique look.
Snyder has used digital techniques to bring in Superman's black suit, showing that the film will be directly affected by the death and later resurrection of Superman. Fans were excited to see this suit previously in the Arrowverse, and are even more hyped for its big screen debut.
7 Batman's Leadership Is Up Front & Center
The iteration of Batman in the original film wasn't quite like the comics. He was unsure of himself and seemed to resort to quips and relied upon other heroes. He was certainly not the leader that he was in the source material.
However, the final scene of the trailer for the Snyder Cut demonstrates that in Superman's absence, Wayne is in control. He rallies the troops for a fight that they cannot possibly win and demonstrates that he is the worthy leader of the Justice League after all.
6 The League Unites Properly
The team was separate for the first half of the original Justice League and then they united to fight the final foe without any real cohesion to speak of. Superman stepped in and saved the day too, rendering the point of a group effort meaningless. Thankfully, the new trailer showcases that their fight isn't finished yet.
The team unite as one to take on Darkseid, with a group shot showing them jumping into their aircraft. It's safe to assume that they get on board to face the new threat together and can only get the job done as a unit, much like how they would do it in the comics.
5 Exploring The Speed Force
The Speed Force was barely explored in the first film, suggesting that this concept was being left for a Flash spin-off movie. However, it appears as though the Snyder Cut will actually dive into the speedster's powers a little more than anyone expected.
There's a sequence in the trailer that shows time travel and the Speed Force itself interacting with the environment. These are elements not seen in this manner in the DCEU before, but can be seen all across the comics and in other on screen adaptations of the character.
4 Martian Manhunter Will Join The League
As far back as Man of Steel, Martian Manhunter has been teased before and was supposed to be a part of the final Justice League lineup. However, for whatever reason the decision, was made to cut the character. This affected a piece of comic book history in more ways than one, denying Justice League the chance to introduce one of the group's most iconic members to audiences while also failing to payoff a tease.
With rumors swirling that the Snyder Cut will bring the character in his rightful place, it's very possible that Martian Manhunter could actually be a part of the final fight against Darkseid, much like he would be in the comics.
3 Steppenwolf's Original Secondary Role
Steppenwolf's role in the theatrical cut was as the main villain, which was clearly not what he was intended to be. In the comics, he's a servant to Darkseid and that's exactly the role he will be playing in the new version of the movie.
The Justice League will likely dispatch this version of the character far more quickly, whereas he was the final fight of the original cut. With a new monstrous design that reflects how menacing the villain is, Steppenwolf will be a lot closer to his comic book origins this time around.
2 Iris West Returns
Despite some hype surrounding her before the movie's release, Iris West wasn't even featured in the Joss Whedon iteration of Justice League, but Zack Snyder is bringing back the famous character into his cut.
She's, of course, famous for being a well renowned reporter and for being the wife of the Flash. They are one of the most well rounded couples in the DC Universe and bringing in Iris showcases that Snyder wants to pay as much homage to the comics as possible. Her appearance will also tease her role in the upcoming Flash movie, where she will probably have a larger part to play.
1 DeSaad Makes His Live-Action Debut
DeSaad is a new character for the DCEU but a well-known villain in DC Comics. He's the right hand man to Darkseid and that's exactly the role he will fill in the movie.
As of now, it's unknown what kind of threat he will pose in the film, but the Justice League will be facing off against someone who is well known for inflicting pain and torment. After all, DeSaad is usually used by Darkseid to torture his victims!