HBO Max will release the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League in 2021, fulfilling fans’ dreams

A previously unreleased version of 2017 superhero movie Justice League by director Zack Snyder will debut on the HBO Max streaming service in 2021, executives said on Wednesday, in response to a years-long campaign by fans.

Snyder oversaw filming of Justice League, which brought together DC Comics heroes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and others. The director had put together a cut of the movie before he stepped aside to deal with a family tragedy.

Avengers director Joss Whedon took over in post-production to oversee reshoots and complete editing. The final product drew lackluster reviews. Just 40% of reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website gave Justice League a positive rating.

Fans have speculated that they would like Snyder's version better. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut became a trending hashtag starting in 2017 and remained popular worldwide. Supporters even bought a billboard in New York's Times Square in October 2019 to promote their cause.

Also read: Huma Qureshi gushes about working with Zack Snyder: ‘How many people would get an opportunity like that?’

"The fans have asked, and we are thrilled to finally deliver," said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of AT&T Inc's Warner Media Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer division, which will launch HBO Max on May 27. HBO Max will compete with Netflix Inc, Walt Disney Co's Disney+ and other subscription video services vying for online audiences.

Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

Follow @htshowbiz for more