The Snyder Cut is officially on its way. Warner Bros. is finally releasing the original director’s cut of Justice League on HBO Max next year, meaning we’ll at last get to see the DC team-up flick as it was intended. Zack Snyder’s promised that his cut will be full of fresh footage and will essentially be a completely different movie. Just a few of the major additions we can expect include black suit Superman, Darkseid himself in the flesh and even a cameo from Martian Manhunter.
DCEU fans had long suspected that Man of Steel‘s General Swanwick, as played by Harry Lennix, was really J’onn J’onzz in disguise, keeping an eye on Kal-El. Last October, Snyder confirmed that this theory was going to come true in JL. With the Snyder Cut on the way, we now know we’re getting Lennix’s Martian in the film.
Tiding us over until then though is this excellent concept art from digital artist Datrinti. Check out the gallery below for two alternate designs of the shapeshifting superhero, which adapt the character’s classic comic book look for the DCEU’s more grounded aesthetic.
Of course, Lennix was among the Justice League stars who marked the announcement of the Snyder Cut on social media, remarking that “things don’t just happen – they happen just” on Twitter, along with a photo of Swanwick. Snyder himself then shared the post on Vero and noted that Lennix was “watching over them.” Both actor and director, then, were seemingly heavily teasing J’onn’s role in the movie.
Snyder, in particular, seems to be confirming that fans were right in thinking the alien was keeping an eye on the heroes from a distance. Perhaps he’ll finally interact with them face-to-face in JL, or else the audience will be made aware of his true nature but the League won’t. It’ll be interesting to see if we get an explanation for why Manhunter isn’t helping the team more directly in their battle with Steppenwolf.
The Justice League Snyder Cut – which is expected to be around 4 hours long – is due to arrive sometime in 2021. HBO Max, meanwhile, officially launched today.
