Zack Snyder’s Justice League will finally return viewers to the director’s DC superhero world, but that world has changed a lot since its beginning in Man of Steel, according to Deborah Snyder. Though the DCEU has embraced a less centralized model in the wake of Justice League’s lackluster theatrical release, fans will finally get a chance to return to the original world of the franchise when the Snyder Cut releases on March 18.

Through Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder built a world that was, at best, cautious of superheroes. The entire conflict of the latter film was built around Bruce Wayne’s distrust of Superman and other people like him, and the public largely shared that distrust. It was a stark contrast to the MCU’s celebrity hero culture, and it set the tone for a grimmer story than the ones Marvel had told. Though that tone has been divisive, it at least set the DCEU apart from the rest of the competition.

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In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, however, the world’s view on superheroes has changed, according to producer Deborah Snyder. Given the new apocalyptic threats facing humanity in the form of Darkseid and his army, Earth is more ready to embrace heroes like Superman as their champions. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Snyder discussed that shift in the franchise’s universe, and how it reflects the real world today. Read her full quote below.

EXCLUSIVE: “I think the world is in a much darker place. I think what's great about the film is you do have these villains that are, like, the future of the world is at stake like it never has been before. Yes, we had Zod, but I think this feels like we've upped the ante on things. I also think, to me, it's about community. Which is interesting, because the way the film's getting made is because of a community that rallied for it. But I think a lot of these characters were loners, and for them to come together and work together for the first time, I think that resonates so much with me, and I hope it will with the audiences. Especially now in a time where I think we all do need to come together. I mean, it's been such a tough year, on so many levels, that I think it's the right time for this film, as much as it is the right time for Superman, if that makes sense.”

The whole Justice League in the poster from the movie

With more screen time being dedicated to each hero’s personal arc in the Snyder Cut, their collective rise will hopefully be more impactful than in the film’s original release. The Justice League theatrical cut was heavily criticized for introducing too many new characters without sufficient background development, leading to a climax that lacked much emotional weight. Early reviews have praised the Snyder Cut for delivering more compelling stories for the heroes – especially Cyborg – though the overall reception has been mixed so far.

In many ways, the current DCEU has reverted back to the “loner” hero structure. With future Justice League films scrapped, the franchise is now banking on the individual appeal of heroes like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and a multiverse model that’s allowed for new entries like Shazam! and Joker. The call for heroes within the world of the Snyder Cut has been mirrored by many in the real world, as the film’s positive early reviews have renewed calls for a proper sequel. For now, however, the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League looks to be the end of the line for the beleaguered film, and that alone is a heroic feat in itself.

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