Steppenwolf's original design was too scary so it was cut from Justice League. After more than three years since the theatrical cut of the project hit theaters, director Zack Snyder is set to roll out his intended vision for the narrative. That also includes how he visually wanted to tell that story which was also significantly changed when interim helmer Joss Whedon took over the movie.
Aside from the inconsistent narrative details between Snyder's Justice League and what ended up on the big screen in 2017, one of the most obvious indications of the massive changes done to the film was through its aesthetics. Snyder has made a name for himself for visually stunning movies and through the years, he's nailed how he wants his projects to look like. Unfortunately, his designs are very much different from Whedon's approach. Aside from Superman's horrendous upper lip debacle and the orange filter in the final battle, villain Steppenwolf's design was also a favorite point of criticism when it comes to the movie's visuals.
In light of the release of the latest Justice League teaser that debuted a refreshed look for Steppenwolf, Snyder broke down the new clip on Vero's official YouTube channel. The filmmaker opened up about the significantly changed look, which turns out to be his original design for the character. Snyder said that it was changed in the theatrical version because of feedback from Warner Bros. that it was too scary.
“There were discussions and a lot of back and forth about the new design and the creation of this new design. I think the initial thought was that he was a little too scary and a little too alien and a little too intense. I personally thought he was awesome and that he represented a real threat, and does represent a real threat, not just to the Justice League, but to the entire planet. I think he looks amazing and that the team has done a great job.”
While Snyder prefers the new Steppenwolf look, the public is divided on the matter. Immediately after the latest Justice League teaser debuted, fans zeroed in on it, making it the subject of countless jokes and memes. There are some who prefer Whedon's tamer look for the character, despite it initially being compared to a poorly-executed design of a video game player. Others, meanwhile, agree with Snyder, saying that this new refreshed look for Steppenwolf is better not just in terms of the design, but also the execution since it's more detailed. Given this, it's safe to assume that it will continue to be a point of conversation, perhaps even after Snyder's Justice League hits HBO Max.
In any case, it's worth noting that unlike the theatrical cut, Steppenwolf won't be the sole villain of the new Justice League project as it will also introduce Darkseid. It's unclear how much Darkseid will be involved in the narrative considering that in Snyder's original plan, he won't be prominently featured until Part 2 and Part 3 since he's the story's real big bad. With that said, it's safe to assume that Steppenwolf will still be a force throughout the HBO Max four-part mini-series with the occasional appearance from Darkseid.
Source: Vero
