Highlights
- The DCEU's lack of vision and failure to meet fan expectations, highlighted by the demand for the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League cut, contributed to its downfall.
- Warner Bros. used the Snyder Cut as a way to promote its streaming platform, Max, but the subsequent failure of other DCEU films led to the abandonment of continuity plans.
- While fans may have strong opinions and demands, ultimately, film studios prioritize financial success and reaching a broad audience over catering to specific fan desires.
The DCEU was doomed to fail from the beginning, and the highly anticipated team-up of all the powerful DC superheroes, Justice League, was a letdown for many. The DCEU kept hitting new lows, especially due to a lack of vision for the superhero universe, with the infamous demand for Zack Snyder's Justice League cut to be released.
While Warner Bros. did some fan service by funding and releasing the project, it backfired heavily on them and is a prime example of why studios nowadays should ignore fan demands and proceed with their own vision. James Gunn's DCU has indeed learned something from this, and it's better for fans to, for once, trust his vision for DC's new live-action future.
WBD Used The Snyder Cut To Sell People On Max
The DCEU causing Warner Bros. huge losses is no secret, especially after The Flash and Shazam: Fury Of The Gods. The Snyder Cut was rumored to be a project that would consolidate the relationship between Warner Bros. and HBO. This came soon after Wonder Woman 1984 was released on Max on the same day as its theatrical release. Snyder had always been a major part of the DCEU franchise and it was his vision that kept the franchise alive in its early stages. 2015's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice was also directed by Snyder but it debuted with poor reviews and box office. However, a director's cut for the movie featuring additional content and changes was released later that redeemed the movie and the director
Justice League debuted with subpar reception with everything seeming to be over for the DCEU. However, the reason for it was a major behind-the-scenes story. After suffering a personal tragedy, Snyder had to step away from the movie as a director and Joss Whedon, the director of the first two Avengers movies took over. However, Whedon's vision for the movie was entirely different from that of Snyder which led to a disaster upon release. Much of the content was cut from the movie and the story was all over the place.
Soon after, rumors of a Snyder Cut began circulating the internet implying that a director's cut existed which led to the birth of the infamous social media hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. The trend kept rising over the years up until 2020 when Zack officially announced that he was working on his director’s cut for the movie. Witnessing what Snyder did with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros. took this as an opportunity to replicate the same later success with the Justice League Snyder Cut and the streaming numbers clearly speak for its success
Restore The Snyderverse Became The Next Demand
When Warner Bros. announced that Zack Snyder's director's cut would be released, they had no idea what would come next. Snyder's cut did instill faith in the DCEU from Warner Bros. executives' perspective, but everything hinged on the success of subsequent movies. Wonder Woman 1984, Black Adam, and The Flash—all major DC characters unfortunately faced disappointment at the box office, even though Black Adam was considered relatively successful. Warner Bros. abandoned their entire continuity plans and began developing a new universe under James Gunn, the new co-CEO of DC Studios. Unfortunately, this move backfired terribly for Warner Bros., with fans expressing their outrage on social media.
They felt deceived, especially regarding Henry Cavill, who briefly appeared in Black Adam and was initially welcomed back by DC and Warner Bros. as the Man of Steel. However, Cavill was subsequently sidelined for future roles, further infuriating fans who had hoped for more. The Snyder Cut supporters began demanding the restoration of their beloved universe or perhaps its coexistence with the DCEU, after selling it to Netflix. Such demands were seen as outrageous by some, but the call for the Snyderverse's return remains strong despite the DCU's new plans. Even though future DCU movies like Superman: Legacy are still in development #RestoreTheSnyderverse movement still remains high.
Fans Don't Always Know What Works In The Film Industry
There's much more to the business side of the film industry than what may appear to an average viewer. A film studio’s motivation just like any other business is to generate profit. While fan service is undoubtedly appreciated, it doesn't always take precedence. It's reasonable to assume that many executives may not prioritize catering to fans and their specific desires, as their work aims to reach a broader audience, not just the dedicated fans of a particular medium.
This was also the case with the DCEU which, over time, had become too complex and needed a clean slate sooner or later. The Flash and Shazam: Fury of the Gods did prove that in fact by being major flops at the box office. The release of the Snyder Cut initially led fans to believe that the continuity would remain intact, and this plan persisted for a while. However, with the subsequent failure of later movies, Warner Bros. executives were compelled to push DC Studios to start anew, this time with a clear vision that would build a cohesive universe and ensure financial success.