The theatrical cut of Justice League was very obviously the result of stitching together two entirely different versions of the same movie made by two filmmakers with vastly different styles and sensibilities. Joss Whedon’s signature quip-heavy dialogue was completely at odds with the aesthetic that Zack Snyder had previously established in both Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and as a result, Justice League was marked by some jarring tonal shifts, and this often happened several times in the space of a single scene.
Following the official announcement of the Justice League Snyder Cut, the movie’s original director has estimated that only 25% of the footage he shot actually ended up in the version that was released into theaters, which makes it abundantly clear that the upcoming HBO Max exclusive will be a completely different experience from the one that initially disappointed both fans and critics alike back in 2017.
Of course, not every comic book blockbuster has to mimic the Marvel Cinematic Universe and pepper every single action sequence or confrontation with one-liners and humor, and we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones that told us the Snyder Cut would be heading straight to Warner Bros.’ new streaming service back in November, and that a Green Lantern show is coming to HBO Max – that the reassembled Justice League is reportedly going to be a laugh-free zone.
From what we understand, Zack Snyder is actively seeking to remove all of the jokes and quips from Justice League entirely, presumably in an effort to distance his cut as far away from the maligned edit that was spearheaded by the more light-hearted Joss Whedon. We imagine there might still be a bit of comic relief sprinkled in, but we’re told that all of the jokes and quips that Whedon added in when he took over will be gone.
While the Avengers director’s signatures did indeed feel out of place in the more serious-minded DCEU, getting rid of any sort of levity altogether could end up in a movie that becomes so relentlessly dark, bleak and humorless it ultimately harms the quality of the final product. As such, let’s hope that Snyder is able to find a nice balance with his cut of Justice League and deliver on the impossibly high expectations that the fans have for it.
