This month saw some exciting news for fans as the long-rumored Zack Snyder cut of Justice League was announced to be in development and set for a 2021 release on HBO Max! Though Snyder getting a second shot to cut the superhero blockbuster is a rare circumstance in Hollywood, he is certainly not the first filmmaker to have a separate cut of his film that differs drastically from the theatrical release. ComingSoon.net has compiled a list of some of the most iconic and creatively unique director’s cuts in film history and is asking our readers to vote on their favorite in the poll below!
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Films suffering from different cuts between a director and a studio is nothing new, with most re-releases or Blu-ray editions simply featuring an additional handful of jokes or action sequences, but there are a number of times when reshoots and edits cause a film to change drastically and with later cuts receiving warmer responses from critics and audiences alike. Some of the most notable include the director’s cut of 2003’s Daredevil, as well as Ridley Scott’s numerous cuts of Blade Runner, the Assembly Cut of Alien 3 more in line with director David Fincher’s vision, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut and Kingdom of Heaven: Extended Director’s Cut.
Other specially released versions of the film may not necessarily change the story of a film in any major fashion, but add a unique style that feels more befitting of the project its attached to, with two of the most notable including black-and-white versions of Mad Max: Fury Road and Logan, both of which were received positively by viewers and the filmmakers.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League will reportedly cost around $20-30 million in order to properly finish the editing and visual effects of the director’s original vision. The original post-production crew is also expected to return along with the cast members to record additional dialogue for the cut. No new footage will be shot, however.
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Fueled by the hero’s restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Justice League sees Bruce Wayne enlist the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Justice League, which features a screenplay from Chris Terrio from a story by Snyder and Terrio, stars Affleck as Batman, Cavill as Superman, Gadot as Wonder Woman, Momoa as Aquaman, Miller as The Flash, Fisher as Cyborg, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta, with J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.
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Released in November 2017, the film earned mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, praising the action and performances from Gadot and Miller while criticizing every other aspect of the film, namely the inconsistent tone that many fault Joss Whedon (The Avengers) for after taking over directorial duties from Snyder. With a large budget of $300 million and a break-even point of $750 million, the film is considered a box office bomb having grossed only $658 million.
