From its announcement, it was assumed that Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of Justice League would only be exclusive on HBO Max.
But in a new interview, the director revealed the existence of an intermission could pave the way for this version to be released in theaters.
A long wait
The journey to the Snyder Cut has been a long one for fans.
As most know, Snyder was forced to bow out of the finishing of 2017’s Justice League after his daughter’s death. Joss Whedon took over with multiple reshoots and rewrites.
This resulted in a disappointing film with a buzz on how Snyder’s vision was much better. The push by fans convinced HBO to allow Snyder to put together his cut.
At one point rumored to be over six hours, the final Snyder Cut will have a nearly four-hour run time. This seems to make it perfect for HBO Max, where viewers can pause at will.
But talking to the I Minutemen podcast, Snyder revealed the movie would have a 10-minute intermission.
“If ever the movie’s able to be viewed in the cinema, we have a 10-minute intermission which is built into the movie. Which has a beautiful suite of music. So that adds an extra 10 minutes to the movie as well.”
A theatrical run?
Snyder’s words paint an intriguing idea if the movie can in fact reach theaters. Warner Bros is currently committed to releasing its entire 2021 movie slate on HBO Max on the same day as theaters (as already done with Wonder Woman 1984).
Releasing a film intended for HBO Max in theaters seems difficult, especially one so long.
The need for an intermission is obvious given that the film’s four-hour length would be far too daunting for many moviegoers to handle.
While several lengthy films have become box office hits (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), studios and theater owners generally prefer much shorter running times.
It may seem unlikely Warner Bros releases the Snyder Cut in theaters. However, the studio may decide that this film would be an “event” picture to try out and offset the cost of the reshoots (which reportedly ran almost $70 million).
A new Justice
The Snyder Cut is becoming notable for expanding on the original cut to almost creating a different movie. The new trailer showcases iconic DC villain Darkseid and Superman in a black costume.
Snyder also managed to work in a cameo from Jared Leto as the Joker and the promise of more surprising turns such as the arrival of the Martian Manhunter.
If the movie ends up doing much better than expected on HBO Max, the possibility of a theatrical release may be considered. It would be oddly fitting if Snyder’s Justice League vision ends up playing on the big screen after all.
Justice League the Snyder Cut debuts on HBO Max on March 19.