4 Years Later, Warner Bros. Scrapping Zack Snyder’s Justice League 2 Is Still the Best Decision the Studio Made

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Had Warner Bros. Discovery’s plans for the DC franchise not change so drastically, Justice League 2 from director Zack Snyder would have hit theaters. The studio and its previous regimes chose not to make Snyder’s sequel to the Justice League movie, and it is perhaps the best decision executives made in a series of terrible ones. The embattled Warner Bros. Discovery continues to face criticism from fans of the DCEU, and the current campaign demands that the studio sell the Snyderverse to Netflix so that the director can complete his vision.

Making the DCEU of old Netflix’s problem would earn them some revenue, but even that is a risky proposition. Like other cult hits, the Snyderverse benefits from being an idea in the minds of fans rather than a complete saga. From the claims of overwrought darkness, cynicism and misunderstanding of the heroes, the Justice League 2 movie might have further cemented those arguments. Had Warner Bros. Discovery gone forward with Snyder’s Justice League sequel, not only would the vision for the movie have doomed it, but it’s just as likely it would have negatively impacted the iconic DC heroes at its center.

How Warner Bros. Abandoned the DCEU Before It Even Started

The Studio Never Believed in the Director’s Vision

While the studio might not admit it, statements from actors reveal the much-maligned Green Lantern film is part of the DCEU. Its failure led to Man of Steel being a more standalone picture, whose success spawned their universe. The impatience of WB executives to chase the success of Marvel Studios forced Zack Snyder and the writers to shift their sequel into a film that ultimately started the downfallof this nascent universe.

The studio meddling began almost immediately. They wanted Batman v Superman to be “funnier,” even though the film was a customary “darker” second act. They then forced massive cuts that made the story almost nonsensical. While the film was a success financially, the critical response and some fan reaction further weakened the studio’s commitment to Zack Snyder’s vision.

After suffering a personal family tragedy with the loss of his daughter, Autumn Snyder, Joss Whedon infamously stepped into rewrite and reshoot Justice League. However, rumors persist that WB fired Zack Snyder before that happened. The director remained committed to the emotionally heavy larger plan for the DCEU despite studio complaints. It was an ambitious vision, but Snyder’s Justice League 2 could have not just further alienated critical fans but even some of the DCEU faithful.

How the Justice League Sequels Would Have Changed the DCEU

It Was an Ambitious and Dark Story, but There Was Going to Be a Happy Ending

Because of the extensive pre-production work Snyder completed, details about Justice League 2 have leaked. It’s worth noting that despite this planning, the movie that would have been made could have differed greatly. Filmmaking is a collaborative experience, so Snyder could have adjusted his plans. Still, if the sequels were finished as originally envisioned, it would have cemented the DCEU as a dark, nearly hopeless saga where the Justice League fails in every possible way.

Lois Lane would have given birth to Bruce Wayne’s child before being killed by Darkseid.

Superman would have broken bad and fought the Justice League.

The Flash would have reset the timeline, causing Batman’s death and leading to world peace.

The worst mistake in Justice League 2 would have been the death of Lois Lane by Darkseid. Superman would then succumb to the Anti-Life Equation, and he would have become the villainous tyrant from the Knightmare future seen in both successive Snyder films. Superman would have fought his former compatriots, and it’s assured that none would have survived.

This explains a plot hole from Batman v. Superman, specifically when a future version of the Flash appeared to Bruce Wayne. Lois would have also been pregnant, but the child would have been Bruce Wayne’s in a shocking reveal. Apparently, after Superman’s death, Lois and Batman would have turned to each other for comfort. Flash’s time-travel would have undone all of this, costing Batman his life. Wonder Woman would have negotiated world peace, and all would have been right with the world.

Why It’s a Good Thing the Justice League Sequel Wasn’t Made

While the Movies May Have Changed in Production, They Were Too Big a Swing

Whether in animation or on Netflix, Zack Snyder would make his movies if WB or DC Studios were interested. While the ambitions of his first films do them credit, such a dark and tragic future for the heroes would be nearly impossible to pull off. Since they’ve been canceled, Snyder’s fans can imagine their own perfect versions instead of being faced with a reality that might have disappointed them.

“The reality is, as far as I know, there’s no interests and/or appetite to do more of these movies from Warner Bros. with me anyway.” — Zack Snyder in 2021.

The main reason WB’s decision to cancel Justice League 2 is ultimately a good one involves “fridging,” a problematic trope in comics and pop culture. In the director’s cut of Batman v. Superman, Lois Lane is basically the protagonist. For her to die just to advance the emotional journeys of Superman and Batman does her a great disservice. Even with the influence of the Anti-Life Equation, Superman falling into villainy dishonors his love for her. She was his connection to humanity and protecting them is still how Kal-El should honor his greatest love.

The influence of the Anti-Life Equation does soften Superman’s heel-turn. However, despite fans’ enjoyment of the series, the evil Injustice Superman proves this is the most boring and trite take on the Man of Steel. Even if Snyder and company were able to execute his vision perfectly and land the happy ending, it wouldn’t have helped the DCEU’s reputation. Everyone who said it was too dark and misunderstood the hero would have had significantly more ammunition to support their argument. It was also, ultimately, a bad call on Snyder’s part.

The DCEU Legacy Is Made Stronger, Despite the Treatment of Zack Snyder

Warner Bros. Made a Good Call, Even If Completely by Accident

Despite the critique, Zack Snyder nailed Superman’s most important quality, specifically his sense of duty to his adopted home. In Man of Steel, Kal-El chose humanity over the future of Krypton. In Batman v Superman, he kept his distance as people debated whether he should be allowed to help. Even with the loss of Lois, turning him into exactly what critics claimed he always was would have hurt the reputation of Snyder’s films.

As with all bold takes on generational franchises, in the years since, the DCEU has aged well, especially since fans are getting a new, comics-focused DC Universe.If Justice League 2 embraced the darkness and despair critics felt dominated the universe already, only those most fervently fond of Snyder would have remained committed. It could have done lasting damage to these characters and made the studio executives even less likely to see the lasting value of DC Comics’ heroes.

Beyond leaning too far into DCEU tropes, Snyder’s future films would have denied the characters the chance to truly live as their iconic selves. Even with the idyllic ending Flash’s time-travel would have created, it would be mostly conceptual. While Zack Snyder deserves credit for his ambition and willingness to take big swings, Justice League 2 might have brought him too close to the sun and primed for a fatal fall in the eyes of all fans.

The DC Extended Universe of Films are available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, digital and stream on Max.

“}]] The decision by Warner Bros. to cancel Justice League 2 from Zack Snyder is, accidentally, the best decision they made about the DC Universe.  Read More