Why The Snyderverse Keeps Haunting DC’s Future

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Movie franchises conclude regularly in Hollywood, yet few, if any, have maintained such enduring visibility as Zack Snyder’s DC movies, commonly referred to as The Snyderverse. Launched with 2013’s Man of Steel, Snyder’s DCEU faced numerous challenges behind the scenes, including reshooting and reworking films like Suicide Squad and Justice League, as well as deviations from Snyder’s original vision for the franchise. This included a predefined ending to the story. The Snyder cut of Justice League was eventually released following the campaign #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, but with DC Studios established and James Gunn planning the new DCU, starting in 2025’s Superman, one might assume that the Snyderverse would be forgotten in discussions about DC’s cinematic future. However, this is not the case.

The emergence of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the subsequent demand for David Ayer’s original Suicide Squad version have put Warner Bros. Discovery and DC in a tricky position when it comes to mapping out a new cinematic path for DC, separate from any influence or residue from the previous DCEU. Additionally, several other intricate and distinctive elements associated with this situation mean that regardless of future plans for DC on both big and small screens, the Snyderverse will persist in some form. Here are the key points that make the Snyderverse stand out among abandoned movie franchises started by studios.

The Snyder Era of DC On Film Was Actually Very Successful

Despite popular belief suggesting that the transition from DCEU to DCU was due to the former’s lack of mainstream success, data tells a different story and indicates that it was on the right path before 2017’s release of “Justice League”. Although films like “Man of Steel”, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” received mixed reactions, particularly in comparison to the highly praised 2017 film “Wonder Woman”, it is not accurate to say that the franchise failed to attract audiences or leave a lasting impact compared to the widespread success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The early DCEU’s box office numbers do not support this claim.

The films Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman, along with a less successful version of Justice League released in 2017, collectively amassed an impressive $3.1 billion at the box office. These movies also sold well on home media platforms. Despite the poor performance of Justice League, which was blamed for turning audiences away from the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), the success and positive reception of Wonder Woman and later Aquaman‘s record-breaking earnings suggest that this wasn’t necessarily true. In fact, before Justice League, each DCEU film averaged a solid $776.2 million at the box office, indicating that while the franchise may not have been as critically acclaimed as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it didn’t necessarily require such a drastic overhaul.

The evidence becomes even clearer when examining the box office earnings of the DCEU following its departure from Snyder’s management. While Aquaman was remarkably successful and tied to Snyder’s initial vision, the subsequent DCEU films averaged approximately $372.1 million per movie, ranging from Justice League (2017) to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Granted, there were intricate situations during this period. Wonder Woman 1984 encountered a sparse cinema environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom all faced significant commercial challenges as they were released after the announcement of the DCU’s soft reboot. This reboot may have placed them at a considerable disadvantage in terms of commercial success.

Reflecting on the financial success of Zack Snyder’s DCEU films, particularly given Warner Bros.’ decision to significantly reduce the franchise’s earnings post-“Justice League,” it seems illogical from a business perspective for the studio to abruptly abandon Snyder’s vision. As former WB CEO Greg Silverman noted on Twitter, these movies were indeed profitable for the studio.

The DCEU under Snyder’s leadership appears to have been a highly lucrative shared universe with some divisive yet popular entries. Compared to other franchises like “Transformers” and “Fast & Furious,” which navigated with less reactionary micromanagement, it seems Snyder’s DCEU movies were subjected to more scrutiny.

With films such as “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman” receiving a less divisive and more positive reception following the release of “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” many early detractors have since changed their tune. The initial divisiveness of the DCEU might well have been a temporary hurdle that could have potentially been resolved had Snyder’s version of “Justice League” been released in 2017.

The Circumstances Of Zack Snyder’s DCEU Have Been Too Long-Lasting To Forget

The resilience of the Snyderverse, despite the challenges it’s faced, is notable due to its thorough documentation during its transformation, which could get quite messy off-screen. The Snyder Cut serves as an excellent representation of this durability. For instance, the drastic changes made to Justice League at the last minute following the mixed reception of Batman v Superman, coupled with reports of mistreatment towards cast and crew by the replacement director, Joss Whedon, during reshoots, fueled a campaign for the release of the original version. The success of this campaign transformed Zack Snyder’s Justice League into an iconic representation of “What might have been” in DC’s film history.

Following its debut, the reaction from Warner Bros. has served to further cement the movie’s enduring impact. This encompasses their long-term denial of the film’s existence, subsequent attempts by the studio’s top brass to diminish its release, and their initial disregard for its immense popularity, such as the 1.5 million strong #RestoreTheSnyderVerse movement on March 25th, 2021. Instead of acknowledging this widespread appeal, Warner Bros. opted to maintain ambiguity about any alternative plans, firmly advocating for a Snyder (and Cavill) free DC universe following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but be reminded of the extraordinary journey that led to the creation of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. The arduous anticipation from fans and Warner Bros.’ (WB) seemingly relentless attempts to sideline the film’s existence have etched a deep imprint in my memory.

The misguided attempts by WB to divert the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) away from Snyder’s original vision, which ultimately caused more harm than good, has made fans cling even tighter to the Snyder Cut. The emotional toll of losing what could have been the rest of Snyder’s plan – a tale that would have long since reached its conclusion had WB not acted impulsively and stuck to the original plan – is palpable among fans, leaving many with a profound sense of loss.

Asking fans to move past this experience feels like an unreasonable request, given the transparency surrounding Snyder’s intended narrative conclusion. The story of how the Snyder Cut came to be, and what could have been, is a part of our shared cinematic history that I don’t think any fan will easily forget.

The Rest Of Snyder’s Planned Justice League Story Is Mostly Available

Zack Snyder’s influential narrative scope is expanded upon by the revelation that the blueprint for the rest of his intended storyline has been disclosed publicly. The main storyline was designed to unfold across a five-film series, comprising Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and a trilogy of Justice League films. Other films like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Ben Affleck’s Batman film were meant to be spin-offs, contributing to the broader narrative.

At the debut of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Snyder unveiled his blueprints for Justice League 2 and 3 at an AT&T display (AT&T being Warner Bros.’ former parent company). This collection of whiteboards provided a summary of the plotlines for both sequels. In essence, as the Justice League clashed with individual members of Lex Luthor’s revamped Legion of Doom, Darkseid would make his appearance on Earth in search of the Anti-Life Equation. Once obtained, Darkseid would use it to eliminate Wonder Woman and Aquaman, assassinate Lois Lane within the Batcave, transform the grief-stricken Superman into an ally, and ultimately conquer Earth, setting the stage for the Knightmare future.

In this scenario, Batman utilizes the Cosmic Treadmill to send The Flash back in time to avert Lois’ murder and prevent the emergence of the Knightmare timeline. Under Superman’s guidance, the Justice League mobilizes the human armies to counter Darkseid’s invasion, with Snyder’s whiteboard emphasizing the epic scale of this climax by stating “The entire world unites as the Justice League.” In the end, Batman sacrifices himself to defeat Darkseid, and 20 years later, Lois and Clark’s son, known as Bruce Kent, assumes the role of the new Dark Knight, taking over from Bruce Wayne.

Moreover, although specifics about Affleck’s Batman film might not be as extensive as Snyder’s Justice League follow-ups, there’s still a good deal of information available. The movie is set between the first and second Justice League installments, featuring Batman going up against Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke. Manganiello has compared Affleck’s Batman film to David Fincher’s The Game, suggesting that in this movie, Slade Wilson will systematically destroy Bruce Wayne’s finances and brutally kill those close to him. As the story unfolds, Batgirl enters the fray to assist Batman in his ultimate confrontation with Deathstroke. Intriguingly, Deathstroke is later portrayed as joining Batman’s resistance in the Knightmare future.

According to storyboard artist Jay Oliva, this version of Batman script, as portrayed by Ben Affleck, is exceptional and reminiscent of the James Bond series, as praised by The Batman director Matt Reeves. The details of Affleck’s Batman narrative, along with Snyder’s Justice League sequel outline, have only served to fortify the longevity of the Snyderverse due to their release and circulation in public domain. Given that these developments are directly tied to the reshooting of Justice League, the departures of Affleck and Snyder from the franchise, and a sudden change of direction that was far from subtle, it’s highly unlikely that the ideas for Affleck’s Batman movie and Snyder’s Justice League finale will ever be confined again.

Warner Bros. & DC Themselves Can’t Fully Move Away From the Snyderverse (Despite Many Repeated Attempts)

The reason the Snyderverse persists is because Warner Bros. haven’t fully moved past it yet. Despite departing from Zack Snyder’s original DCEU plan, subsequent movies in the franchise have maintained some connection to it. For instance, they kept Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and referenced the Justice League in Shazam! (even with the headless Superman cameo). After attempting to distance themselves from Snyder’s influence, Warner Bros.’ leadership didn’t fully sever ties. They even incorporated elements of it in shows like Peacemaker season 1, bringing Henry Cavill’s Superman back in Black Adam, and The Flash referencing events exclusive to Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Despite the cancellation of Henry Cavill’s comeback for DC Studios’ future projects, the DC Universe isn’t entirely abandoning its previous franchise. James Gunn, in particular, is carrying over some cast members and referencing events from “The Suicide Squad” in the animated series “Creature Commandos,” which serves as the DCU’s introduction. Moreover, Gunn has hinted that the second season of “Peacemaker” will offer an explanation for the continuity overlap between the DCEU and DCU, including the cameo of the Justice League in “Peacemaker’s” first season being exclusive to that season. To add to this, James Gunn recently shared a friendly photo with Zack Snyder on social media at DC Studios, stirring excitement among fans.

It’s open to interpretation if Gunn and Snyder ever discussed the possibility of Snyder returning to the DC film scene (Gunn has refuted such claims). Regardless, their joint photograph undeniably sparked speculation about a potential Snyder return, given the ongoing interest in this topic. Much like how Warner Bros. hasn’t fully departed from the Snyderverse, their subsequent DC films and shows have subtly hinted at elements of Snyder’s universe, characters, and ideas, much to the excitement of fans longing for a revival. The Gunn-Snyder photo serves as another instance of this trend, while the release of Peacemaker season 2 will offer another such nod when it premieres. In essence, their photograph also suggests that remnants of the Snyderverse’s influence on DC films remain significant.

The Snyderverse can be described as remarkably resilient, surviving various challenges and setbacks. Despite being subject to micro-management, deviated from, seemingly buried, resurrected with the Snyder Cut, and then seemingly cancelled, this universe within DC’s cinematic world remains vibrant and influential. Among movie franchises that studios have abandoned or rebooted during their development, the Snyderverse stands out as a unique and unshakeable superhero saga – one that its studio finds difficult to abandon.

You can watch movies like “Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” online via Max. Additionally, James Gunn’s “Superman” is set to hit theaters on July 11th.

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2025-05-01 22:46