Batman v Superman Was Hated By Warner Bros Says Zack Snyder
When making Justice League, Zack Snyder says WB pressured him to separate it from Batman v Superman, a movie the studio had a "hatred" for.
Zack Snyder describes Warner Bros.' "hatred" for his second DCEU film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. When Snyder helped form the DC Extended Universe for Warner Bros., he envisioned a 5-movie arc. Each installment was supposed to build up to the next, starting with 2013's Man of Steel. Batman v Superman arrived three years later, and it was clear the movie had ambitious goals. Not only did it feature the titular brawl between Superman (Henry Cavill) and Batman (Ben Affleck), it set up the additional members of the Justice League and hinted at the bigger story that was to come in future films.
Though it is seen in a slightly better light these days, Batman v Superman proved to be incredibly polarizing when it was first released. With a worldwide box office total of $873 million, it was a box office success, but struggled to win over critics and audiences. Batman v Superman was dinged for its gritty narrative and overcomplicated plot; it's been said that the response to this movie led Warner Bros. to implement reshoots for David Ayer's similarly dark Suicide Squad.
Snyder reflected on Warner Bros.' feelings toward Batman v Superman while speaking to SFX magazine (via GamesRadar) about his newly-released director's cut of Justice League. During the conversation, Snyder recalled how, in the midst of the initial shoot for Justice League, the studio was keen on him separating the movie from Batman v Superman. That was where their biases against BvS seemingly came out. Snyder explained:
"I feel like the studio had this hatred for Batman v Superman. There was this pressure on me to divorce the movie from Batman v Superman, which I didn’t want to do, and which I didn’t do. Frankly, it’s a trilogy of movies, so it continues the story. The narrative is affected by the things that have gone before it and that way it’s able to realize this world that sets up the Darkseid invasion, for what was planned to be a five-movie arc. It definitely finishes with this version of the film, with our heroes having mended their personal wounds and joined together as a family."
Snyder's fans have stood by Batman v Superman over the years, and many have asserted the Ultimate Edition is far better than the cut seen in theaters. The DCEU flick has its fair share of supporters these days. Nevertheless, it's clear the initial reactions to the movie inflicted enough damage within Warner Bros. The studio didn't get the responses they want, so they wanted Snyder to change his Justice League in a way that would perhaps avoid the divisive reactions Batman v Superman received.
Instead, Snyder stuck to his 5-movie vision, and the Justice League he was making while battling Warner Bros. was finally released just last week. When compared to the theatrical Justice League, the Snyder Cut has received far more positive reviews from fans and critics alike, perhaps proving Snyder was right to trust his original plan. He still has two more movies structured in the arc, but right now, Warner Bros. has no plans to greenlight them. While that is disappointing, it's still a relief that Snyder was able to release his Justice League after all, particularly since Warner Bros. was so strongly opposed to Batman v Superman. In this instance, Snyder's vision prevailed once again.
Source: SFX (via GamesRadar)