#Zack Snyder’s Justice League Isn’t Official DCEU Canon, and That Frustrates the Director

Even though we are all caught up in the excitement of the upcoming release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, we are forgetting that it already released once. In 2017, Joss Whedon’s heavily edited and majorly dulled version of the film released and performed poorly at the box office. And no matter the major flood of criticisms it triggered, it is still the one that will be considered canon by Warner Bros, not the upcoming version of Justice League, something that Snyder is acutely aware of. 

Though the Snyder Cut of Justice League features characters who still have a future and upcoming films in the DCEU, his film doesn’t really fit into the continuity of the universe as later films have followed after Whedon’s version of the story. In a recent chat with the DC Cinematic podcast, Snyder was questioned how his film is a part of the DC Extended Universe in the presence of 2017’s Justice League to which he confirmed that his version will never be considered “canon.
RELATED: Zack Snyder’s Justice League Is Coming to Blu-Ray This Summer for Those Without HBO Max

“It’s interesting, sort of in the DCEU, or whatever it’s become, that that trilogy (comprised of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Justice League) sort of insulates itself in some ways [and] becomes its own thing now. I famously said, and it’s true, this isn’t controversial, my Justice League is not canon, right? Canon for Warner Bros. is the Joss Whedon version of Justice League.”

“In their mind, that’s canon. And what I’m doing is not. Everything is not. So, it’s just an interesting, that relationship. And I’m fine with it because I feel like the only way that I could have made this film with autonomy was because of that, because of me admitting and agreeing to the fact that it is not canon.”

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Zack Snyder confessed that this partiality frustrates him a little as his vision was supposed to further the DCEU before circumstances put the reins of his film in Joss Whedon’s hands. “The grander, greater concept for the DCEU is on another road. And there’s nothing I can do about that. That is just, it is what it is. It’s not my decision,” he shared. 

Zack Snyder had earlier admitted that Warner Bros has no plans of sticking to its earlier deal with the director- to create five films within the DCEU starting with Man of Steel and ending with a Justice League trilogy. So, even though Snyder is finally getting the chance to present his version of the film, there are no plans for Justice League 2.

“The reality is, as far as I know, there’s no interest and/or appetite to do more of these movies from Warner Bros. With me, anyway. But I didn’t think making this, finishing this film correctly would ever happen. But I did do my best to – as far as the creation of the Justice League, those different personalities being brought together – that idea, that’s what this movie is about… There is a suggestion of course in the film, as there would be within any of these movies, of a larger universe that’s still out there,” he shared. 

“I don’t have any expectation that there would be more movies than this. If that happened, that would be amazing — but that bridge is far away. Frankly I’m cool,” he added.  Zack Snyder’s Justice League will be released on HBO Max this March 18. This news comes to us via DC Cinematic Cast podcast

Topics: Justice League, Snyder Cut, Streaming