As much as it blows a hole in the notion that the fans are entirely responsible for its existence, most people can agree that Zack Snyder’s Justice League is only happening to drive up subscriber numbers for HBO Max. $70 million might sound like a lot of money for a new version of a movie that already flopped, but Netflix and Disney Plus have regularly splurged much more on exclusive streaming content.
Indeed, if Warner Bros. were sold on the filmmaker’s original vision, then they wouldn’t have had Joss Whedon reshoot 75% of it once Snyder originally departed the project. Not only that, but the director has since admitted that he never really saw eye to eye with the studio about the tone or direction of Justice League, and faced pressure to add more comedic and light-hearted moments.
WB have no intention of making a direct sequel, and by all accounts Snyder’s involvement in the DCEU ends when Justice League premieres on March 18th. In fact, from the sound of things, the top brass are keen to wash their hands of him as soon as possible. However, insider Daniel Richtman claims that Snyder told Warner Bros. to keep Amber Heard on board for Aquaman 2, after he enjoyed working with her so much on the JL reshoots.
We know that the two got on great and Heard has also been effusive in her praise for Snyder, but unfortunately, he’s got no real say in the direction of the franchise anymore, and hasn’t for a long time. Sure, he’s been credited as a producer on every DCEU installment, but that’s more of a ceremonial title, along the lines of how Jon Favreau was listed as an executive producer on all four Avengers movies. He might be keen to see Heard stay on as Aquaman 2‘s Mera, but the decision rests with either the Warner Bros. boardroom or the judge in her next legal battle, depending on what happens between now and then.
