Zack Snyder has released yet another image from his unreleased version of Justice League, teasing once again what would have been an emotional storyline for the character of Cyborg. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, Cyborg (a.k.a Victor Stone) made his comic book debut in 1980. Although the character made numerous appearances on the small screen, in both animation and Smallville, he didn't appear on the big screen until his cameo in 2016's Batman v Superman and more prominent presence in the 2017 team-up movie. The character has since returned to the small screen, via the DC Universe series, Doom Patrol. Some, however, still lament what could have been and hope to see Cyborg once again within the DCEU - including actor Ray Fisher himself.
According to Snyder, Justice League would have been another step in a five-movie DCEU plan. One that would have positioned Cyborg as the heart of the movie. Unfortunately, the director had to step away due to tragic circumstances. Directorial duties then passed to Joss Whedon (The Avengers), who helmed extensive reshoots and made numerous changes to the plot. The most substantial changes came at the expense of Fisher's role in the film, ultimately changing Cyborg's arc dramatically.
Posting on his Vero account, Snyder once again gave fans a glimpse as what they could have received with his film. The director released the image of Cyborg "at the family plot". Seen on his hands and knees, the character can be seen visibly pounding at the ground. Though many believe this to be the grave of his mother, Elinore Stone, Snyder confirmed that the grave actually belongs to Victor himself, though located alongside those of his family. Check out the image below:
Fabian Wagner, who served as the director of photography on the film - as well as on some pivotal Game of Thrones episodes - replied to post. "This was a great scene to shoot," he said. "So nice to see this picture. Would have loved to have seen the final cut of it." Fans around the world will no doubt share Wagner's sentiment, with a vocal faction calling for the release of the 'Snyder Cut' since the film's theatrical release. The collective recently even set up a crowdfunding campaign for their upcoming Comic-Con efforts and to raise money for suicide prevention charities. They aren't alone, however. Fisher himself has urged that Snyder's original vision be released. The same can also be said for Ray Porter - who was originally set to voice Darkseid - and the 'Death of Superman' co-writer.
This isn't the first image released by Snyder following his departure from the DCEU. In May, he shared an image of Cyborg in STAR Labs. Later in the month, the director also offered fans a glimpse as what would have been Silas Stone's emotionally impactful death. Away from the tragedy of the Stone family, Snyder also teased an appearance of Uxas - the being that would one day grow to become the intergalactic tyrant known as Darkseid. This new image, however, is sure to add fuel to the fire regarding the 'Snyder Cut' campaign.
It's easy to see why. For all the criticisms levied as Snyder as a director, he is often able to capture some truly beautiful imagery. Though the scene shown in the image probably isn't finished completely on a VFX level, there is no doubt visual poetry to it. Hauntingly evoking the likes of Frankenstein, these deleted scenes would have no doubt added to Justice League and given the Cyborg character the kind of emotionally resonant spotlight his fans believe he deserved.
Source: Zack Snyder/Vero
