Ever since it was revealed thatZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguewas going to be released next year on HBO Max, a debate has been sparked about how this will change fan expectations of the director’s cut of existing movies. During an interview with Sarah Aubrey, HBO Max’s head of original content, she was asked whether other filmmakers will demand similar treatment, and had this to say:
“I don’t worry about it opening up aPandora’s box. It’s not going to be one size fits all. [As for the Snyder cut,] I think it’s already a success given the press we’ve had around it.”
The biggest obstacle to getting theSnyder Cutreleased had always been the huge price tag attached to the venture. Zack Snyder had previously hinted that his version of the movie had only shown up for 10 percent of the total screentime of theJustice Leaguemovie that audiences got to see in theaters back in 2017.
Thus, it was generally understood that remaking the film and it’s two planned sequels according to Snyder’s personal vision would need hundreds of millions of dollars worth of additional investment, which is an outrageous amount for the recut of a movie that audiences did not respond to in the first place.
But the advent ofHBO Max changed the game. Now, it was no longer necessary forZack Snyder’s Justice Leagueto debut in theaters when it could go directly to streaming on HBO Max. Thebudget for the reshoots was lowered to $30-40 million, Snyder’s planned trilogy was pared down to a single movie (for now), and the triumphant resurrection ofZack Snyder’s Justice Leaguewas announced to the world.
Since theannouncement of the Snyder Cutrelease, fans of other movies that famously suffered from studio interference have been campaigning for a director’s cut of those movies, like David Ayer’sSuicide Squad. But Aubrey has made it clear that just because this one exception was made for Zack Snyder does not mean every other filmmaker should expect similar treatment.
Meanwhile, HBO Max is gearing up to take on Netflix for a bite of the digital streaming landscape, armed with all the seasons ofFriends,Zack Snyder’s Justice League, all theHarry Pottermovies, and a number of other exciting original programming and old favorites that promise to provide viewers with a large assortment of choices to while away the hours of lockdown.The Hollywood Reporterhas the full interview with HBO Max head of original content, Sarah Aubrey.
