Zack Snyder's Justice League will finally be releasing - but on the streaming service HBO Max, not in theaters. It's been three years since controversial director Zack Snyder left the DCEU after a personal tragedy. Since then, fans have been eagerly petitioning Warner Bros. to release the so-called "Snyder Cut," a version they were convinced was far superior to the Frankenstein's Monster of Justice League that actually came out in theaters.

After three years of campaigning by an increasingly vocal fanbase, the Snyder Cut dream is becoming a reality. Snyder used a recent Vero watch-party of Man of Steel to announce the Snyder Cut is coming to HBO Max next year. As exciting as this news may be, though, it's quite a step down for a film that was originally designed to be shown on a big screen. What's going on?

Related: Everything Available At Launch On HBO Max

AT&T made history when it acquired Time Warner in 2018, and the decision was largely driven by a desire to enter the streaming wars. The entire film industry is going through a period of intense change, with studios increasingly focused on developing their own digital distribution networks to stream content straight into people's homes. Viewers were already showing a preference for streaming, and the coronavirus pandemic seems to have hastened the change in behaviors. The catch, however, is that every streaming service needs a vast library in order to compete; even Disney bought Fox in large part to boost their catalog. What's more, in order to stay competitive, HBO Max also needs a library of fan-pleasing original content. This is where the Justice League Snyder Cut comes in.

Justice League Zack Snyder Cut HBO Max Release

Warner Bros. execs are already burned by the relentless campaign for the Snyder Cut, and - in light of the current pandemic and a likely global recession - they're going to be rather risk-averse right now. In contrast, the executive team at HBO Max will be keen to sign up as much original content as possible, to ensure the streaming service can compete in an already crowded market. They have no personal stakes in the Justice League Snyder Cut; they weren't party to the behind-the-scenes politics that plagued Warner Bros. and caused so many problems for Snyder's DCEU plans. Essentially, for the decision-makers at HBO Max, the Snyder Cut is low-hanging fruit; they get positive coverage just before HBO Max launches, they delight a vocal fanbase, and anyone who's not interested just won't watch it when it comes out. The risk-benefit calculations are completely different.

There's currently intense discussion over what form the Snyder Cut should take. It's possible HBO Max will release it in a single block, as a sort of four-hour 'directors' cut.' Alternatively, they could choose to split Justice League into multiple "chapters" and perhaps release one every week. The latter approach is actually more valuable in business terms, because it drives repeat engagement; a viewer has to subscribe and then keep coming back in order to watch the next episode, whereas they only need to log in once in order to watch a movie. It's so easy to forget the creative industry of film-making is also a business, and in this case the Snyder Cut of Justice League is fundamentally about what makes business sense.

More: How To Get HBO Max In Canada

 

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