We’ve long known that the much-mooted ‘Snyder Cut’ of DC's Justice League movie will be vastly different from the theatrical cut we got in 2017 – a completely reworked four-hour edition of the film, largely comprised of previously-unseen footage and $70 million of additional reshoots and post-production work. And, in keeping with Zack Snyder’s chosen moody milieu, his original vision for the film looks be to darker in tone than the version that originally hit the big screen – with confirmation from the MPAA that Zack Snyder’s Justice League has been rated R in the US.
The American ratings board has classified the film as R for violence and some language (scandalous!), suggesting that the free reign of HBO Max has resulted in a darker and harder-edged film than we’d normally expect from a major studio superhero movie. This may not come as a surprise, as back in December Snyder told Entertainment Weekly__ that he expected his version to get the higher rating. “The movie is insane and so epic and is probably rated R. We haven’t heard from the MPAA, but that’s my gut,” he said. “There's one scene where Batman drops an F-bomb. Cyborg is not too happy with what's going on with his life before he meets the Justice League, and he tends to speak his mind. And Steppenwolf is pretty much just hacking people in half. So [the rating would be due to] violence and profanity, probably both."
Elsewhere, there have been other Snyder Cut updates this week, with the official synopsis for the movie now unveiled. Here it is in full: "In Zack Snyder's Justice League, determined to ensure Superman’s ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf, DeSaad and Darkseid and their dreadful intentions.”
Not only that, but Snyder himself recently shared a picture of Jared Leto’s return as the Joker, who seems to have a new look here more similar to Joaquin Phoenix’s incarnation – with a full face of makeup, and long, tangled hair. We know that Leto returned for additional shooting late last year, so fingers crossed for less on-the-nose “damaged” tattoos, and a more focused, thought-provoking portrayal of the iconic character. Additionally, three new posters dropped last week, confirming the release date to be the 18 March.
Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how exactly UK viewers will get to watch this mythical new cut when it finally drops – it’s not yet been confirmed when and how the film will arrive here, with the only sure thing being an HBO Max release for the US. Premium VOD rental? Picked up by another streaming service? Stay tuned, and here’s hoping we’re not in for a long wait.