Director Zack Snyder revealed that the studio only ever saw the official "Director's Cut" of Justice League -- but never saw his personal edit.
"The studio had seen the director's cut, but even the director's cut of the movie was shorter than my cut. Yes, this is my cut of the movie. But there was a cut that I created, that I said, 'This is too much for the studio,'" Snyder said on the latest episode of Us United - Film Junkee Vodka Stream. "You know, the mandate was, 'Make the movie two hours long.' I cannot show them a four hour version of the movie. If I show them a four hour version of the movie, they will like, literally..."
Snyder went on to explain that he originally had the idea to release his Justice League cut as a pair of two-hour-long movies, noting, "My first idea was, you show two hours, and then there's maybe like a month, and then the next two hours come out."
He also discussed how he decided to construct the film as six chapters with an epilogue, which will adapt well when the film is released as four parts across four nights on HBO Max.
"But I can't wait for you to see it in IMAX," the director continued. "My ideal version of the movie is the black-and-white, IMAX version of the movie. That to me, is the most fan-centric, most pure, most Justice League experience...That's how I lived in the movie for two years."
The new information about Snyder's personal cut comes just days after it was revealed that more than half of his version of the film will consist of footage shot but not included in its theatrical release. Snyder also shot about four minutes of new footage ahead of the HBO Max release. The revised film includes other DC characters, such as Jared Leto reprising his role as The Joker from 2016's Suicide Squad.
The version of Justice League released in 2017 was completed by director Joss Whedon, who came aboard after Snyder left the project due to a family tragedy. Whedon reshot most of the movie, and the final theatrical version reportedly featured only 10 percent of Snyder's footage. While the film opened to $93.8 million at the box office -- and eventually grossed $229 million domestically and $658 million globally -- a fan campaign pushed for the release of Snyder's director's cut.
Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Zack Snyder's Justice League will premiere exclusively on HBO Max in 2021.
Source: YouTube