Justice League | |
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Directed by | Zack Snyder [a] |
Screenplay by | |
Story by |
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Based on | Characters from DC |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Fabian Wagner |
Edited by | |
Music by | Danny Elfman |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 120 minutes [6] |
Country | United States [3] |
Language | English |
Budget | $300 million [7] |
Box office | $661.3 million [8] |
Justice League is a 2017 American superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, [b] Atlas Entertainment, and Cruel and Unusual Films, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the fifth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Zack Snyder who was replaced by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the project and written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, the film features an ensemble cast including Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane, Connie Nielsen, and J. K. Simmons. In the film, following the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Batman and Wonder Woman recruit The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg after the death of Superman to save the world from the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons.
Warner Bros. began to develop a live-action Justice League film in 2007 with George Miller set to direct, but the project was canceled due to production delays and budgetary concerns. Principal photography took place from April to October 2016. After Snyder stepped down from the film following the death of his daughter, Whedon was hired to oversee the remainder of post-production, including writing and directing additional scenes, as well as reshooting a large portion of the film, which changed many aspects of it; Snyder ultimately retained sole credit as director. With an estimated production budget of $300 million, Justice League is one of the most expensive films ever made.
Justice League premiered in Los Angeles on November 13, 2017, and was released in the United States four days later. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $661.3 million worldwide against an assumed break-even point of $750 million, becoming a box-office bomb and losing Warner Bros. an estimated $60 million. Whedon's major involvement during post-production also received harsh criticism, including from cast members such as Gadot and Fisher. A director's cut, titled Zack Snyder's Justice League , was released on HBO Max in 2021, following a fan campaign that advocated for Snyder's vision for the film.
Steppenwolf and his legions of Parademons attempt to take over the Earth using the combined energies of the three Mother Boxes. The attempt is foiled by a unified alliance including the Olympian Gods, Amazons, Atlanteans, humanity, and extraterrestrial beings. [c] The Mother Boxes are separated and hidden in different locations. Thousands of years later, humanity is still in mourning two years after the death of Superman, [d] which triggered the Mother Boxes' reactivation and Steppenwolf's return to Earth. Steppenwolf aims to gather the boxes to form "The Unity", which will destroy Earth's ecology and terraform it in the image of Steppenwolf's homeworld.
Steppenwolf retrieves one Mother Box from Themyscira, prompting Queen Hippolyta to warn her daughter Diana. Diana joins Bruce Wayne in an attempt to unite other metahumans to their cause: Wayne goes after Arthur Curry and Barry Allen, while Diana locates Victor Stone. Wayne fails to persuade Curry but finds Allen enthusiastic. Stone joins after his father Silas and other S.T.A.R. Labs employees are kidnapped by Steppenwolf, who is seeking the Mother Box protected by humanity.
Steppenwolf attacks an Atlantean outpost to retrieve the next Mother Box, forcing Curry into action. Stone retrieves the last Mother Box for the group, revealing that his father used it to rebuild Stone's body after an accident almost killed him. Knowing this information, Wayne decides to use the Mother Box to resurrect Superman, not only to help them fight off Steppenwolf's invasion but also to restore hope to humanity.
Clark Kent's body is exhumed and placed in the amniotic fluid of the genesis chamber in the Kryptonian scout ship, along with the Mother Box, successfully resurrecting him. However, his memories have not returned, and he attacks the group. Batman enacts his contingency plan: Lois Lane. Superman calms down and leaves with her to his family home in Smallville, where his memories come back. In the turmoil, the last Mother Box is left unguarded, allowing Steppenwolf to retrieve it. Without Superman to aid them, the five heroes travel to a village in Russia, where Steppenwolf's lair is located. They fight their way through the Parademons; just when all hope seems lost, Superman arrives and assists Stone in separating the Mother Boxes. The team defeats Steppenwolf, who is attacked by his own Parademons when they smell his fear.
After the battle, Bruce and Diana set up a base of operations for the team. Diana and Arthur resume their heroic duties; Barry acquires a job in Central City's police department; Victor continues to enhance his abilities with his father in S.T.A.R. Labs; Superman resumes his life as reporter Clark Kent and protector of Earth.
In a post-credits scene, Lex Luthor has escaped from Arkham Asylum and recruits Slade Wilson to form a league of their own.
During a scene a half-hour into the film, depicting Steppenwolf's first invasion thousands of years earlier, Olympian Old Gods Zeus, Ares, and Artemis are portrayed by fitness model Sergi Constance, stuntman Nick McKinless, and MMA fighter Aurore Lauzeral, respectively. [20] [21] [ non-primary source needed ] All three were required to reach a specific degree of physicality, with Snyder instructing McKinless to sport "veins like worms and paper thin skin". In the finished film, McKinless' face was replaced with that of David Thewlis using special effects; Thewlis received the credit as Ares. [20] [22] The scene also shows a Green Lantern, named Yalan Gur, created through motion-capture CGI and embodied by an uncredited actor. [23] Two ancient leaders of Earth appear during the scene, including King Atlan of Atlantis and King Arthur Pendragon of ancient England; portrayed by Julian Lewis Jones and Francis Magee, respectively. [24] [25] Billy Crudup appears, uncredited, as Henry Allen, Barry Allen's father. Joe Manganiello and Jesse Eisenberg appear uncredited in a post-credits scene as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke and Lex Luthor, respectively. [26] Michael McElhatton appears as the leader of a group of terrorists who clash with Wonder Woman early in the film, [27] while Holt McCallany makes an uncredited appearance as a burglar. [28] Marc McClure, who portrayed Jimmy Olsen in the Christopher Reeve Superman film series, has a brief cameo as a police officer. [29]
Willem Dafoe and Kiersey Clemons filmed scenes as Nuidis Vulko and Iris West, although their roles were cut from the final film. [30] [31] A scene depicting Green Lanterns Kilowog and Tomar-Re visiting Batman was filmed as an additional post-credits scene, further teasing the upcoming Green Lantern Corps, but the scene was later scrapped. [32] Other scenes that were filmed, but cut from the theatrical film, include: Ryan Zheng as Ryan Choi, setting up the character's future as The Atom; [33] a fight between Ares and Darkseid, with the villain portrayed by Ray Porter; [34] Harry Lennix reprising his role from Man of Steel and Batman v Superman as Calvin Swanwick, in a scene where it would have been revealed that his character is actually J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter; [35] and scenes featuring Darkseid's servant DeSaad, with the character voiced by Peter Guinness. [36] These characters were included in Zack Snyder's Justice League .
We're going to make a Justice League movie, whether it's now or 10 years from now. But we're not going to do it and Warners is not going to do it until we know it's right.
In February 2007, it was announced that Warner Bros. Pictures had hired husband-and-wife duo Michele and Kieran Mulroney to write a script for a Justice League film. [38] The news came around the same time that Joss Whedon's long-developed Wonder Woman film was canceled, [39] as well as The Flash , written and directed by David S. Goyer. [40] Reportedly titled Justice League: Mortal, [41] the script by Michele and Kieran Mulroney was submitted to Warner Bros. in June 2007, receiving positive feedback, [42] which prompted the studio to immediately fast track production in the hope of beginning filming before the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike. [43] Warner Bros. was less willing to proceed with development of a sequel to Superman Returns , having been disappointed with its box office. Brandon Routh was not approached to reprise the role of Superman in Justice League: Mortal, [44] nor was Christian Bale from Batman Begins . [45] Warner Bros. intended for Justice League: Mortal to be the start of a new film franchise, and to branch out into separate sequels and spin-offs. [46] Shortly after filming The Dark Knight , [47] Bale stated in an interview that "It'd be better if it doesn't tread on the toes of what our Batman series is doing," and felt it would make more sense for Warner Bros. to release the film after The Dark Knight Rises . [45] Jason Reitman was the original choice to direct Justice League, but he turned it down, as he considers himself an independent filmmaker and prefers to stay out of big budget superhero films. [48] George Miller signed to direct in September 2007, [43] with Barrie Osbourne producing [49] on a projected $220 million budget. [50]
The following month, roughly 40 actors and actresses auditioned for the ensemble superhero roles, among them Joseph Cross, Michael Angarano, Max Thieriot, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, and Scott Porter. Miller had intended to cast younger actors, as he wanted them to "grow" into their roles over the course of several films. [47] D. J. Cotrona was cast as Superman, [46] along with Armie Hammer as Batman. [51] Jessica Biel reportedly declined to play Wonder Woman role after negotiations. [52] The character was also linked to actresses Teresa Palmer and Shannyn Sossamon, along with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who confirmed that she had auditioned. [53] Ultimately, Megan Gale was cast as Wonder Woman, [54] while Palmer was cast as Talia al Ghul, whom Miller had in mind to act with a Russian accent. [55] The script for Justice League: Mortal would have featured John Stewart as Green Lantern, a role originally offered to Columbus Short. [56] Hip hop recording artist and rapper Common was cast, [57] with Adam Brody as Barry Allen / Flash, [58] and Jay Baruchel as the lead villain, Maxwell Lord. [59] Longtime Miller collaborator Hugh Keays-Byrne had been cast in an unnamed role, rumored to be Martian Manhunter. Santiago Cabrera was eventually revealed to be Aquaman after the film was cancelled. [60] Marit Allen was hired as the original costume designer before her untimely death in November 2007, [61] and the responsibilities were assumed by Weta Workshop. [62]
However, the writers strike began that same month and placed the film on hold. Warner Bros. had to let the options lapse for the cast, [63] but development was fast tracked once more in February 2008 when the strike ended. Warner Bros. and Miller wanted to start filming immediately, [64] but production was pushed back three months. [46] Originally, the majority of Justice League: Mortal was to be shot at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney, [50] with other locations scouted nearby at local colleges, [49] and Sydney Heads doubling for Happy Harbor. [41] The Australian Film Commission had a say with casting choices, giving way for George Miller to cast Gale, Palmer and Keays-Bryne, all Australian natives. The production crew was composed entirely of Australians, but the Australian government denied Warner Bros. a 40 percent tax rebate as they felt they had not hired enough Australian actors. [50] [65] Miller was frustrated, stating that "A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Australian film industry is being frittered away because of very lazy thinking. They're throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars of investment that the rest of the world is competing for and, much more significantly, highly skilled creative jobs." [66] Production offices were then moved to Vancouver Film Studios in Canada. Filming was pushed back to July 2008, while Warner Bros was still confident they could produce the film for a summer 2009 release. [67] [68]
With production delays continuing, and the success of The Dark Knight in July 2008, [69] Warner Bros. decided to focus on the development of individual films featuring the main heroes, allowing director Christopher Nolan to separately complete his Batman trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. Warner Bros. relaunched development for a solo Green Lantern film, released in 2011 as a critical and financial disappointment. Meanwhile, film adaptations for The Flash and Wonder Woman continued to languish in development, while filming for a Superman reboot commenced in 2011 with Man of Steel , produced by Nolan and written by Batman screenwriter David S. Goyer. In October 2012, following its legal victory over Joe Shuster's estate for the rights to Superman, Warner Bros. announced that it planned to move ahead with the Justice League film. [70] Shortly after filming on Man of Steel was complete, Warner Bros hired Will Beall to write the script for a new Justice League film. [71] Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov explained that Man of Steel would be "setting the tone for what the movies are going to be like going forward. In that, it's definitely a first step." [72] The film included references to the existence of other superheroes in the DC Universe, [73] and set the tone for a shared fictional universe of DC Comics characters on film. [74] Goyer stated that should Green Lantern appear in a future installment, it would be a rebooted version of the character, unconnected to the 2011 film. [75]
With the release of Man of Steel in June 2013, Goyer was hired to write a sequel, as well as a new Justice League, with the Beall draft being scrapped. [76] The sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , not only had a new Batman sharing the same universe as Superman but helped set up the Justice League film by introducing other superpowered DC heroes through in-universe footage cameos and teasing an impending doom through cryptic and ominous dreams and warnings. Though the universe of Man of Steel was separate from that of Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, he was still involved as an executive producer on both Batman v Superman and the Justice League film. [77] In April 2014, it was announced that Zack Snyder would also direct Goyer's Justice League script. [78] Warner Bros. was reportedly courting Chris Terrio to rewrite Justice League the following July, after having been impressed with his rewrite of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. [79] On October 15, 2014, Warner Bros. announced the film would be released in two parts, with Part One being released on November 17, 2017 and Part Two on June 14, 2019. Snyder was set to direct both films. [80] In early July 2015, EW revealed that the script for Justice League Part One had been completed by Terrio. [81] Zack Snyder stated that the film would be inspired by the New Gods comic series by Jack Kirby. [82] Although Justice League was initially announced as a two-part film, with the second part set for release two years after the first, Snyder stated in June 2016 that they would be two distinct, separate films and not one film split into two parts, both being stand-alone stories. [83] [84]
Principal photography began on April 11, 2016, with shooting taking place at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, as well as various locations around London and Scotland. Additional filming took place in Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles; and Djúpavík, in the Westfjords [85] of Iceland. [86] [87] Snyder's longtime cinematographer Larry Fong was replaced by Fabian Wagner due to scheduling conflicts. [87] Ben Affleck served as executive producer. [88] In May 2016, it was revealed that Geoff Johns and Jon Berg would produce the Justice League films, and would also be in charge of the DC Extended Universe, after the largely negative critical reception of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. [89] The same month, Irons stated that the Justice League storyline would be more linear and simple, compared to the theatrical version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. [90] Johns confirmed on June 3, 2016, that the title of the film is Justice League, [91] and later stated that the film would be "hopeful and optimistic" in comparison to previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films. [92]
Justice League had a troubled production. During filming, it was reported that the rewrites by Geoff Johns caused issues with Chris Terrio and Warner Bros. executives. Warner Bros. was unsatisfied with how the film was shaping up under Snyder due to the negative feedback that the theatrical version of Batman v Superman received. It was reported that Warner Bros. held a footage summit for writers that include Whedon, Wonder Woman screenwriter Allan Heinberg, Seth Grahame-Smith, and Andrea Berloff. This caused numerous rewrites as Justice League was filming. [93] [94] [95] Filming wrapped in October 2016. [96] [97] [98]
In May 2017, Snyder stepped down from directorial duties on Justice League to cope with his daughter Autumn's suicide, and Whedon assumed his position to oversee post-production and complete the film. [99] That July, it was announced the film was undergoing two months of reshoots in London and Los Angeles, with Warner Bros. putting about $25 million into them, more than the typical $6–10 million additional filming costs, [100] which brought the budget of the film up to $300 million. [7] The reshoots coincided with Cavill's schedule for Paramount Pictures' Mission: Impossible – Fallout , for which he had grown a mustache which he was contracted to keep while filming. [101] Director Christopher McQuarrie, unwilling to let Cavill shave unless compensated, requested $3 million from the Justice League production to cover the costs of digitally re-adding Cavill's facial hair back for Fallout until it regrew. Paramount executives eventually intervened and refused permission altogether, necessitating the mustache to be digitally removed for Justice League. [102]
Whedon received a screenwriting credit on the film alongside Chris Terrio, [103] while Snyder received sole director's credit. [1] Producer Charles Roven said in an interview that the film was shot originally by eighty to eighty-five percent. [104] Conversely, Snyder estimates that only a fourth of his material was used in the theatrical version based on what he has been told of the theatrical cut, as he has not watched it. [2] Cinematographer Fabian Wagner estimates that only 10% of the original footage shot by him and Snyder was used in the final cut. [105] Whedon's rewrites were around 80 pages, further confirming that the theatrical cut was mostly his work. [106]
Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara mandated the film to be under two hours. [7] [107] [108] In consequence, the final cut runs for that exact time. [109] The company also did not opt to delay the film's release despite the fact that there had been numerous problems in post-production, so that the executives would receive their cash bonuses before the company's merger with AT&T. [110] [111] In February 2018, it was reported that Snyder was fired from directorial duties from Justice League, after his cut was deemed "unwatchable" according to Collider's Matt Goldberg. "I'd heard similar things from separate sources over the last year as well, I also heard that Snyder's rough-cut of the movie was 'unwatchable' (a word that jumped out at me because it's rare you hear two separate sources use exactly the same adjective). Of course, even if that's true, there's obviously more to the story since rough cuts can be fixed up with reshoots, rewrites, etc.", Goldberg wrote. [112] [113] According to DC Comics publisher, comic book artist Jim Lee, Snyder was not fired. Speaking at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, Lee stated "that [Snyder] was not fired at all and that he stepped down from the production due to a family matter", as far as he knew. [114] In July 2020, Ray Fisher claimed that Whedon's on-set treatment of the film's cast and crew was "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable." [115] Justice League and Batman v Superman writer Chris Terrio called the theatrical cut an act of vandalism, and attempted unsuccessfully to get his name removed from the film. [116]
In March 2016, Hans Zimmer, who co-composed the score for Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, stated that he had officially retired from the "superhero business", [117] though he would later score X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Wonder Woman 1984 . Junkie XL, who wrote and composed the soundtrack of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with Zimmer, was originally scoring the film, [118] but was replaced by Danny Elfman the following year in June. [119] Elfman had previously composed the films Batman and Batman Returns , and the theme music for Batman: The Animated Series . Elfman used the Batman theme music from the 1989 film Batman . The John Williams' Superman theme was used during "a dark, twisted moment" in the film [120] [121] where a resurrected Superman fights the Justice League and later during the climax where Superman arrives to defeat Steppenwolf. The film features a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" performed by Sigrid, "Icky Thump" performed by the White Stripes, and a cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" performed by Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL. [122] WaterTower Music released the soundtrack album digitally on November 10 the same year, with a release of the physical format on December 8. [123]
Superman was intentionally left out on all early Justice League marketing materials, including trailers, clips, and posters, which actor Cavill commented as "ridiculous". Despite his character being hidden from promotional materials, Cavill still joined the rest of the cast on the film's press tour. [124] [125] Clark Kent was revealed in a final trailer before the release of the film, but edited in a way that writers felt Lois Lane was dreaming about Clark. [126] [127] Sponsorship and marketing partners of the film included AT&T, [128] Gillette, [129] Mercedes-Benz, [130] and TCL. [131]
Justice League had its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on November 13, 2017, [132] and was released in the United States on November 17, 2017. [80]
The film was released on digital download on February 13, 2018, and was released on Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray 3D, 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, and DVD on March 13, 2018, in various international markets. [133] The Blu-ray features two deleted scenes titled Return of Superman. [134] It is also notable for having no director commentary from either Zack Snyder or Joss Whedon. [135] As of August 20,2021 [update] , it has made $30.4 million in DVD sales and $41.5 million in Blu-ray sales, totaling an estimated $71.9 million in domestic video sales according to The Numbers. [136]
Justice League grossed $229 million in the United States and Canada and $432.3 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $661.3 million. [137] It had a worldwide opening of $278.8 million. [138] [139] Up against an estimated break-even point of as much as $750 million, [140] Deadline Hollywood reported that the film lost the studio around $60 million. [141] Due to the film losing the studio money, the movie was deemed a "box office bomb" or "flop". [142]
In the United States and Canada, industry tracking initially forecast the film debuting to $110–120 million from 4,051 theaters (including 400 IMAX screens). [143] It made $13 million from Thursday night previews, up from the $11 million made by Wonder Woman the previous June. [144] However, after making $38.5 million on its first day (including Thursday previews), weekend projections were lowered to $95 million. It ended up debuting to $93.8 million, down 45% from Batman v Superman's opening of $166 million, and being the first film of the DCEU to open under $100 million. Deadline attributed the low figure to lukewarm audience reaction to the film and most of its predecessors, as well as poor critical reception, and film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes not posting their aggregated score until the day before release, causing speculation and doubt from filmgoers. [145] In its second weekend, the film dropped 56% to $41.1 million, finishing second at the box office, behind newcomer Coco . [146] It was the second-best second weekend hold of the DCEU, behind Wonder Woman's 43%, but the lowest overall gross. [147] In its third week it again finished second behind Coco, grossing $16.7 million. [148] It made $9.7 million in its fourth week and $4.3 million in its fifth, finishing a respective second and fifth at the box office. [149] [150] In 2018, Forbes compared the drastic incohesive shift from Snyder's darker films Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to the lighter Justice League (co-written by Whedon), to the similarly drastic and incohesive change in tone experienced from the older 1989 and 1992 Tim Burton's Batman films to the direct light-hearted sequels directed by Schumacher, although noting the former shift in tone was better received than the one in Justice League, affecting box office, due to going against the expectations of Snyder fans in its attempt to reach a higher demographic, while alienating its own established core audience. [151]
In other territories, the film was projected to debut to $215–235 million for a worldwide opening of $325–355 million. [152] It made $8.5 million on its first day from nine countries, including South Korea, France, and Brazil. [144] It ended up having a $185 million international debut from 65 countries, including $57.1 million from China, $9.8 million from the United Kingdom, $9.6 million from Mexico, and $8.8 million from South Korea. The film broke a record in the Philippines with a debut of $1.12M (PHP 57.3M), making it the biggest industry opening day for a film in 2017 and eventually becoming the 7th-most successful film of all time. [153] In Brazil, the film opened to $14.2 million, the biggest opening in the country's history. [138] Outside North America, the film's largest markets were China ($106 million), Brazil ($41 million), Mexico ($24.8 million), and United Kingdom ($24 million). [154]
Justice League received mixed reviews, which praised the chemistry of the cast and the direction, but compared it unfavorably to Marvel and criticized the character of Steppenwolf. [158] [156] [157] [159] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 40% of 412 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10.The website's consensus reads: "Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise." [160] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 45 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [161] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, and those by PostTrak gave the film an 85% overall positive score (average 4 out of 5 stars) and a 69% "definite recommend". [145]
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising the cast, especially Gadot, and saying "It's a putting-the-band-together origins movie, executed with great fun and energy." [162] Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a positive review, which conceived the film and described it was not "messy or bombastic", and light, clean, and simple. [4] Bilge Ebiri of the Village Voice similarly gave it a positive review, and said the action scenes of the film went "start and stop and then start again, [and] then go in different directions." Ebiri also describes the film had a "few moments into the Big Climactic Face-Off," but the "rhythms actually lend the film a pleasant unpredictability." [163] Writing for Rolling Stone , Peter Travers gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, praising the cast but criticizing the action sequences and writing, saying: "The scenes of the League members together, bickering and bonding, spike the film with humor and genuine feeling, creating a rooting interest in the audience. Without it, the film would crumble." [164] Conversely, Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter , while praising Gadot and Miller, called the film visually ugly and boring, saying, "Fatigue, repetition and a laborious approach to exposition are the keynotes of this affair, which is also notable for how Ben Affleck, donning the bat suit for the second time, looks like he'd rather be almost anywhere else but here." [155]
Writing for The Washington Post , Alyssa Rosenberg also returned with a negative review, and described the film was a "symbol of just how entrenched superhero movies have become in the Hollywood ecosystem, it's also a potent illustration that success hasn't necessarily artistically elevated the genre." Rosenberg felt the film was nearly identical to lots of superhero films that "have come before", and featured some of "the ugliest, most pointless special effects." [165] James Berardinelli gave it 2 out of 4 stars, said that the film and DC Films "came late to the party", as Marvel Studios planned their Cinematic Universe, which they were "sometimes criticized for overthinking and overplanning," and compared to The Avengers , which has its "formula worked", and The Avengers was "a popcorn bliss [and] a superhero nirvana". [166] Writing for the Film Ireland Magazine, Ellen Murray found the characters interesting, but their setting unworthy, said that "there is something undeniably thrilling in seeing these iconic characters work together on the big screen." [167]
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins particularly disliked Justice League because the film itself seemed to contradict her film, as both she and Zack Snyder worked together to keep continuity between their films, in details like not changing Wonder Woman's costume, but Joss Whedon reshot the film to the point the characters were not being portrayed as previously shown in past films. [168]
Justice League received each nomination at two Golden Trailer Awards ceremonies: Best Action Poster (2017) and Best Wildposts (Teaser Campaign) (2018). [169] [170] [171] [172] Ezra Miller was nominated for Best Comedic Performance at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2017. [173] [174] At the 2018 Kids' Choice Awards, the film was nominated for Favorite Movie Actor (Affleck) and Favorite Movie Actress (Gadot). [175] Justice League garnered nominations for Choice Action Movie, Choice Action Movie Actor (Cavill), and Choice Action Movie Actress (Adams and Gadot) at the 2018 Teen Choice Awards. [176]
The divisive reaction towards the theatrical cut of the film, with Zack Snyder leaving directorial duties and the final cut of the film in the hands of Joss Whedon, has led to an argument comparing the situation to the one experienced by the film Superman II (1980). Both Justice League and Superman II feature a director who was replaced, for different reasons, before completion of a film, which led to a second director coming in and making substantial changes to the tone of each film. Although the reasoning behind each director's departure differs, Richard Donner was able to complete his Superman II cut in 2006. In the belief that Snyder had shot enough material for a finished film, a campaign for a "Snyder Cut" was started to allow Snyder to receive a similar treatment to Donner. Arguments were made that Snyder's vision would be more cohesive to the previous films than the actual theatrical cut, which Snyder has refused to see. Warner Bros. initially remained silent regarding any intention of making a "Snyder Cut". [177]
In March 2019, Snyder confirmed his original cut existed, and stated that it was up to Warner Bros. to release it. [178] In November, an insider claimed that Warner Bros. was unlikely to release Snyder's version of Justice League in theaters, calling it a "pipe dream". [179] In December, Snyder posted a photo in his Vero account, which showed boxes with tapes labeled "Z.S. J.L Director's cut", and with the caption "Is it real? Does it exist? Of course it does". [180] Snyder officially confirmed in May 2020 that his cut of Justice League will be released for HBO Max service in 2021. [181] The cut cost $70+ million to complete the special effects, musical score, and editing. [182] [183] Some of the film's original cast, including Affleck, Fisher, and Miller (remotely), returned to help complete the project, [184] which also included limited additional filming. Jared Leto, Amy Adams, and J. K. Simmons appeared in the cut as the Joker, Lois Lane, and James Gordon, respectively. [185] As a result of the new cut, the original theatrical cut is referred to by fans as the "Whedon Cut" [186] or "Josstice League", [187] referring to the film's replacement director Joss Whedon. [188] Despite being far better received than the theatrical version, Snyder stated that his cut would not be made canon to the DCEU, with Warner Bros. still considering the 2017 cut to be the official version. [189]
A sequel was originally scheduled to be released in June 2019 [80] but was subsequently delayed to accommodate the release for The Batman. [190] By March 2017, producer Charles Roven said that Zack Snyder would direct the film [191] and in October J. K. Simmons stated that the studio was working on the script of the sequel, alongside The Batman. [192] Shortly after the release of Justice League, Henry Cavill said that he was under contract with Warner Bros. to play Superman for one more film. [193] In December, it was revealed that there were "no immediate plans" for Zack Snyder to direct any future DC films, being relegated to an executive producer position instead. This came after a reshuffling of film production staff at Warner Bros. due to the film's mixed critical reception and disappointing financial performance. [194] By 2019, Warner Bros. had prioritized solo films over the project.
In 2019, after previously declining an offer to direct the first film, [195] Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins noted she was open to directing a Justice League sequel. [196] [197] [198]
Though Snyder's cut of Justice League has been described by DC Films executives as "a storytelling cul-de-sac" with no sequels planned, [199] [200] Snyder stated that he would be willing to return to direct the sequels if the studio offered him the chance. [201] In January 2021, Ray Fisher (who had a fallout with Joss Whedon, Geoff Johns, Jon Berg and former DC Films president Walter Hamada) stated that he would only be willing to reprise his role as Cyborg in a future DCEU film if Justice League Part Two were to be made by Snyder. [202] However, shortly after the "Snyder Cut" was released, Warner Bros CEO Ann Sarnoff said in March that there were no current plans in place for Snyder to return as a director/writer for future DCEU films suggesting a direct sequel to his version of Justice League remained unlikely. [203] Later in August, DC Films producer Charles Roven stated that a Justice League sequel was still possible, though it would be several years away. [204] A sequel was once again under consideration while De Luca and Abdy were in charge of DC Films (later renamed DC Studios), before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over in 2022. [205] In October 2023, Variety reported that no actors cast in Snyder's DCEU films would reprise their respective roles in the new franchise, the DC Universe (DCU), effectively ending any chances of a sequel being made. [206]
Steppenwolf is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in New Gods #7. A New God and military general from the planet Apokolips, Steppenwolf is Darkseid's uncle and subordinate who commands his army of Parademons.
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill is a British actor. He is known for his portrayal of Charles Brandon in Showtime's The Tudors (2007–2010), Superman in the DC Extended Universe (2013–2023), Geralt of Rivia in the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher (2019–2023) and Sherlock Holmes in the Netflix film Enola Holmes (2020) and its 2022 sequel.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film based on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, DC Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, and Cruel and Unusual Films, and distributed by Warner Bros., it is a follow-up to the 2013 film Man of Steel and the second film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was directed by Zack Snyder, written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, alongside Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together, as well as the first live-action cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman. In the film, criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman, who Luthor is obsessed with destroying.
Zachary Edward Snyder is an American filmmaker. He made his feature film debut in 2004 with Dawn of the Dead, a remake of the 1978 horror film of the same name. Since then, he has directed or produced a number of comic book and superhero films, including 300 (2006) and Watchmen (2009), as well as the Superman film that started the DC Extended Universe, Man of Steel (2013), and its follow-ups, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), the latter of which had a director's cut released in 2021. He also directed the animated film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010), the psychological action film Sucker Punch (2011), the zombie heist film Army of the Dead (2021), and the two-parter space opera films Rebel Moon (2023) and Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver (2024).
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Since their first appearance in The Brave and the Bold #28, various incarnations of the team have appeared in film, television, and video game adaptations.
The Batman franchise, based on the fictional superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has seen the release of various films. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s, Batman and Batman and Robin. The character also appeared in the 1966 film Batman, which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with 1989's Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever, with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of a sequel titled Batman Unchained.
DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. The character debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941 and was the protagonist of two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After multiple scripts and several years in development, Richard Donner was hired as director, and he shot two films, Superman (1978), and Superman II (1980), at the same time, both starring Christopher Reeve. Donner had filmed 75 percent of Superman II before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester returned to direct Superman III (1983). The Salkinds also produced the spin-off Supergirl (1984). They then sold the rights to Cannon Films, which produced the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights in 1993.
The many incarnations of the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern have appeared in numerous media over the years.
Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, and Syncopy, it was directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer who developed the story with producer Christopher Nolan. The film is a reboot of the Superman film series, depicting the character's origin story, and it is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill as Superman in the title role along with Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Russell Crowe. In the film, Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton. He assumes the role of mankind's protector as Superman, making the choice to face General Zod and prevent him from destroying humanity.
The Flash is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash. Directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and a story by Joby Harold and the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, it is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Ezra Miller stars as Barry, who travels back in time to prevent his mother's death and becomes stranded in an alternate past. Sasha Calle also stars in her film debut, alongside Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The DCEU also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
The 2017 film Justice League had a troubled production history, undergoing major changes before and during production, including a change in directors. This resulted in the theatrical release being markedly different from its conception in pre-production and principal photography.
Zack Snyder's Justice League is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 American superhero film Justice League, the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) based on the team of the same name appearing in DC publications. It is intended to match director Zack Snyder's original vision for the film, prior to his departure from the production and subsequent studio interference. The film follows Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Aquaman, the Flash, and Superman as they form an alliance to stop the extradimensional New God Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons from conquering Earth for his overlord Darkseid.
Clark Joseph Kent, best known by his superhero persona Superman, is a superhero in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) series of films, based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. In the films, he is a survivor from the destroyed planet Krypton who lands on Earth and develops superhuman abilities due to environmental differences between the planets and their respective star systems.
Diana of Themyscira, also known by her civilian name Diana Prince or her superhero title Wonder Woman, is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by William Moulton Marston and H. G. Peter. First appearing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, she is portrayed by Gal Gadot and later plays a major role in the films Wonder Woman,Justice League, and Wonder Woman 1984, along with cameo appearances in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash. She has become one of the central characters in the DCEU. Gadot's performance as Wonder Woman, the first of the character in live-action cinema, has received critical praise.
Bruce Wayne, also known by his superhero vigilante alias Batman, is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The character was portrayed by Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's 2016 superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the 2017 film Justice League, Suicide Squad (2016), and The Flash (2023). Fans nicknamed this iteration of the character "Batfleck", a portmanteau of "Batman" and "Affleck". In the films' universe, Bruce had already been active as Batman for twenty years before the emergence of Superman, and despite being initially at odds with him to the point of paranoia and anger, Batman comes to appreciate the former, starting the Justice League in his honor after Superman's sacrifice to stop Doomsday. The Justice League, under Wayne's leadership, fights to prevent Steppenwolf from collecting the three Mother Boxes and destroying Earth alongside his master Darkseid, eventually resurrecting Superman to aid in their collective efforts.
Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen, also known as The Flash, is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name, he is portrayed by American actor Ezra Miller. Originally appearing in a minor role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, Barry had a prominent role in the film Justice League, its director's cut, and in his titular film. Miller also reprised the role in cameo capacity in other DC Comics media such as the Arrowverse event series Crisis on Infinite Earths and in the HBO Max series Peacemaker. The DCEU marks the first time The Flash has been portrayed in live-action film.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) media franchise has experienced a turbulent history since its inception in 2013, characterized by highly publicized clashes between studio executives and talent, constantly changing approaches to worldbuilding, and repeated changes in management. Warner Bros. Pictures originally announced plans for a shared universe of live-action films based on the DC Comics, starting with the release of Man of Steel (2013), with director Zack Snyder set to spearhead the franchise. Following the negative reception to Snyder's follow-up film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros. created DC Films, a new division led by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg tasked with overseeing development of the DCEU. DC Films attempted to correct the course of the franchise, culminating in the troubled production and disastrous release of the crossover film Justice League (2017), which significantly deviated from Snyder's original vision.
Whedon directed and oversaw what WSJ describes as "significant" reshoots that brought the budget up to $300 million.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)The film would have to make at least $750 million just to break even [...]
Some new personalities who missed the Whedon Cut show up
After their private screening of the Whedon cut
Her answer was blunt, and wholly understandable when one compares the so-called "Whedon Cut" with the recently resurrected "Snyder Cut".
Instead, these believers in truth, justice and the Snyder way got what they derisively refer to as "Josstice League".