The 2021 release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League contradicts the DCEU, hinting at what the film franchise would have looked like had the Snyder plan been followed. Following the disappointing 2017 premiere of Justice League, Warner Bros. Pictures moved the DC Extended Universe in a different direction. Rather than moving forward with Justice League sequels, the studio reverted to its original reliance on individual stories with only loose connections between films.
HBO Max releasing the Snyder Cut offers a glimpse at the DCEU that could have been. After Joss Wheddon took over Justice League, major changes were made to the movie's story, length, and tone. It set a new path for the DCEU that was continued with movies like Aquaman, SHAZAM!, and Birds of Prey. Snyder’s version thus reveals a series of contradictions and conflicts in DC’s current cinematic canon caused by the studio’s deviation from his plans.
Some differences in Zack Snyder's Justice League are minor details regarding costume design and world-building; however, some present legitimate differences in characterizations and major events within the DCEU canon. The changes reveal how different Snyder's intentions were from the studio's when originally filming his version of Justice League.
Mera's Parents: Dead Or Alive?
The Snyder Cut contradicts Mera's origin story in Aquaman. Released in 2018, Aquaman was a box office hit. Throughout the film, Mera convinces Arthur Curry to take his rightful place as king of Atlantis. The future Atlantean queen also has a brief role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, in a similar capacity. In the Snyder film, Mera reveals that her mother and father were killed in a past Atlantean conflict — yet, Mera’s father in Aquaman is King Nereus of Xebel, who plays a key role in the underwater solo film. Had Snyder continued as the DCEU’s architect, King Nereus might not have been Mera’s father or been included at all in Aquaman.
Aquaman's Forgotten Atlantean Rebellion
The original story for Arthur’s rise to royalty is not currently known, but other dialogue in Zack Snyder’s Justice League points toward a different conflict than the one used in Aquaman. Mera struggles to find reinforcements for the Mother Box outpost because King Orm has diverted Atlantis’ military to fight a rebellion. Aquaman is supposed to take place almost directly after Zack Snyder’s Justice League in the DCEU timeline [per CinemaBlend], so this presents a forgotten plot point for the solo film. While the conflict could have been drawn to a close during Snyder’s film, the people of Atlantis seem content with Orm’s leadership in Aquaman — and there's no clear "rebellion" that Orm is fighting.
Zack Snyder's Atlantis vs. James Wan's Atlantis
Zack Snyder’s world-building for Atlantis also differentiates from James Wan’s. King Atlan’s trident is more rounded in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and the armor worn by the underwater kingdom’s military is green and features a scale-like design. In Aquaman, soldiers are encapsulated in white suits that are technologically advanced for combat and surviving on land. In addition to the aesthetic differences, there are some ideas in the Snyder Cut that aren't included in the solo movie. For example, air bubbles are used for extensive conversations in Snyder's movie, while dolphin-like clicks were spoken by Atlanteans in the ocean. Both the bubbles and this unique language were absent in Aquaman.
A Tale Of Two Superman Suits
The 2019 movie SHAZAM! carved a new path for the DCEU with a lighter tone to match the character’s comedic existence in the comics. Despite the abundance of humor, director David Sandberg made sure to connect his film to Snyder’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the controversial final scene in SHAZAM! sees Superman making a cameo in his red and blue suit once again. However, this presents a problem for the Snyder Cut: Superman dons a black and silver suit upon his resurrection in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. This symbolizes rebirth and a closer connection to his Kryptonian heritage.
In Zack Snyder’s original five-part story, Superman would not have returned to his traditional colors until the world was plundered by Darkseid. The hero would have succumbed to the anti-life equation following the death of Lois Lane. The blue suit would be feared by the world as Kal-El became the new god’s servant. SHAZAM! takes place after Zack Snyder’s Justice League but before Darkseid’s reign on Earth. Therefore, Superman should not have a blue suit according to Zack Snyder’s canon.
Harley Quinn & Joker: Love Beyond Canon
Birds of Prey arrived in theaters in early 2020 as the third DCEU film to be released since Justice League. It mainly focused on Harley Quinn’s adventures with Huntress, Black Canary, Detective Renee Montoya, and Cassandra Cain. There were few references towards the larger DC universe, but her connection to the Joker is where canon begins to collide with Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Harley’s relationship with Joker, first seen in Suicide Squad, comes to a quick conclusion at the start of Birds of Prey. The villain moved away from her reputation as Mr. J’s partner and towards anti-hero status while trying to save Cassandra Cain. In the Snyder Cut, there was a brief exchange between Batman and Joker in the bleak future where Apokoliptian forces seized Earth. The caped crusader said that in her dying breath, Harley Quinn asked Batman to kill Joker. Instead of moving on from the clown prince of crime, Harley retained a passion for the villain in Snyder’s timeline strong enough to think of him in her final moments.
The structure of DC’s cinematic franchise is not clear. Films such as Joker and The Batman exist within their own universe. However, there are still the leftovers of Snyder’s universe that are colliding with Warner Bros.’ current plans for the characters. Zack Snyder’s Justice League offers insight into how different the franchise could look today had the studio continued with the filmmaker’s decisions regarding characters, tone, and plot points. It also caused points of confusion for general audiences who recognize the DC brand as a singular entity without understanding its separate storytelling branches. Zack Snyder’s Justice League will likely remain in its own universe for now. Even with promises of a sprawling multiverse at 2020’s DC FanDome, the recent move to combine WarnerMedia with Discovery could once again change the course of DC’s future. For now, both Snyder’s fans and general audiences can enjoy their preferred interpretation of DC’s powerful heroes and feared villains.
