Oh, the Snyder Cut. Ever since 2017 and the fateful release of WB’s “Justice League,” legions of Zack Snyder faithful have been begging (or demanding) that the studio release the filmmaker’s “cut” of the film that existed before he left the production and the film was drastically altered by Joss Whedon. For almost two years now, fans have stuck with it, passionately explaining why they deserve to see what the vision of Snyder would have been if he never left the project. Alas, it’s yet to happen. And according to Kevin Smith, while the Snyder Cut exists, it’s likely not in a form that will ever be released.
Speaking to CinemaBlend (via EW), Smith talked a bit about the Zack Snyder cut of “Justice League.” This isn’t the first time that the “Clerks” director has talked about what WB had up its sleeve with Snyder’s DCEU, but this is the first time that he’s plainly explained his thoughts on the filmmaker’s alternate cut of “Justice League.” And honestly, it sounds like he has one of the most clear-headed view of the situation.
“There is a Snyder Cut. For sure. That’s not a mythical beast. It exists,” revealed Smith. “Now, it’s not a finished movie by any stretch of the imagination. ‘The ‘Snyder Cut’ that, again I haven’t seen, but the one I’ve heard everyone speak of was never a finished film. It was a movie that people in production could watch and fill in the blanks. It was certainly not meant for mass consumption.”
He then goes on to elaborate about why he thinks the film will never see the light of day, even though the folks that are dying to see it would likely still be able to follow it, while the rest of the movie-going public would likely be lost.
“No studio has said this to me, but I would assume that they’re like, ‘We can’t show people this. Yes, there is a Snyder Cut, but no audience would be able to look at this and see what the director’s intent was.’ But I think the audience now, particularly the audience that would consume the Snyder Cut and discuss it at great length, can watch a workprint. They can watch a work-in-progress and fill in the blanks in their heads.”
For months, we’ve kept banging the drum about the Snyder Cut being nothing more than an “assembly cut” of the film. And this is basically a confirmation that this is the case. But I think that the Snyder faithful are also aware of this fact and still want to see it.
Based on how these folks analyze every unreleased behind-the-scenes still that Snyder debuts on Vero, it’s clear that there’s an audience for the Snyder Cut, even in its most raw form. However, the truth about the situation is that studios, let along those run by major corporations, are not really in the habit of releasing half-finished work to the general public. So, for all the passion and outcry from this seeming niche audience, Smith apparently believes that nothing is going to come from it.
But obviously, this won’t deter the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut people. Their fight will continue.