Zack Snyder’s Justice Leaguechanged much about theDC Extended Universemovie, but even the more poorly-received 2017 iteration omitted Snyder’s most controversial idea. Zack Snyder was one of the central creative voices inthe DCEU timeline, directing pivotal movies likeMan of SteelandBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, though many of his ideas for the characters often proved divisive. Snyder had a specific vision for DC’s iconic characters and storylines in his adaptations, making choices that frequently caused controversy, despite his loyal following among many viewers.
It was this popularity – as well as the lackluster reception of 2017’sJustice League– that led to a lobbying movement to release a director’s cut ofJustice League. In 2021, the long-awaited director’s cut was released, with other DCEU properties like 2023’sThe Flashreferencing an event fromSnyder’s Justice Leaguethat did not occur in the theatrical version. Fascinatingly, there are technicallyfour iterations of theJustice Leaguemovie, with the initial iteration possibly featuring one element that would have been too controversial for even Zack Snyder.
Every Character’s Appearance Change From Justice League To The Snyder Cut
Zack Snyder’s Justice League makes sweeping changes to the designs of various characters. Here are all of the makeovers in the Snyder Cut.
The Original Script For The DCEU’s Justice League Cut A Batman & Lois Lane Romance
The first version ofJustice Leaguewas written by Zack Snyder and Chris Terrio sometime prior to the release ofDawn of Justice. This initial version, which Snyder himself referred to as “really scary,”centered on the “Knightmare” future glimpsed by Batman inDawn of Justice. The film would have seen the beleaguered heroes attempting to survive Darkseid’s conquest of Earth – aided by a mind-controlled Superman – and travel through time to prevent this apocalyptic future from coming to pass.Snyder’s plans for the Knightmare futurewould, ultimately, be repurposed for the planned sequels toSnyder’s Justice League.
The original script forJustice Leaguewould have also included a romance between Lois Lane and Bruce Wayne. While Superman was always intended to return from the dead following his fatal battle with Doomsday inDawn of Justice,Snyder had initially planned for Lois and Bruce to fall in love, with neither suspecting that Superman would be resurrected. Ultimately, this idea, like many others in the first version ofJustice League, would be scrapped in favor of a more hopeful story about the formation of the iconic superhero team, though there would still be glimpses at the Knightmare future.
What Zack Snyder Said About Justice League’s Cut Batman & Lois Lane Love Story
Zack Snyder has discussed his planned romance for Batman and Lois Lane, noting thatLois Lane would reveal that she is still in love with Superman after his resurrection. By this point, however, Bruce Wayne would be in love with her, creating a new conflict between the three. Snyder also revealed that the idea was not received well, and he removed it fromJustice League’srewritten script – which would serve as the basis for both the theatrical cut and the eventual director’s cut ofJustice League. Snyder’s proposed romance would have easily been one of his most divisive choices.
Zack Snyder’s DCEU films each had controversial moments, withMan of Steelhaving Superman kill General Zod out of desperation andDawn of Justicegiving Batman a character arc that saw him repeatedly break his no-kill rule– though later DCEU properties would establish that he later resumed following the rule. Snyder also intended for Batman to have only two Robin sidekicks – with the deceased Robin referenced inDawn of Justicebeing Dick Grayson and a future DCEU film introducing Carrie Kelley as his successor.None of these choices would have divided viewers quite like the abandonedJustice Leagueromance, however.
Zack Snyder also planned to have Wonder Woman fight in the Crimean War instead of World War I and have many love interests, but these plans were replaced by the events of Patty Jenkins’s 2017Wonder Womanfilm.
Why The Justice League Didn’t Need A Batman & Lois Lane Romance
A case can be made for defending many of Zack Snyder’s more controversial DCEU moments, but the Lois Lane and Batman romance – like Snyder’s scrapped Wonder Woman plans – would have been a bridge too far. Such a controversial development would need to be handled extremely carefully, robbing the film of time perhaps better spent on building the titular superhero team.Zack Snyder’s Justice Leagueremains the best version of the film, but it was for the best that no version ofJustice Leaguekept Lois Lane and Batman’s romance.
