Justice Leaguewas once going to set the stage for the future of theDC Extended Universe , but given how unlike theupcoming Snyder Cutis adjust to be from the theatrical version , whichJustice Leaguewill end up being canon in the DCEU ?

After years of fight from dedicated fans , it was announced this week thatoriginal music director Zack Snyderwill be pick together his own cut of 2017’sJustice League , and that the fresh version will release onHBO Maxin 2021 . Snyder left the project after main picture taking was completedue to a personal tragedy , andJustice Leagueunderwent extensive reshoots underThe Avengersdirector Joss Whedon that will it feeling an terrible lot like a DC knock - off ofThe Avengers .

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Whedon shot nearly 80 pages of new script , and accord to Snyder thetheatrical version ofJustice Leagueonly features about a quarter of the footage that he scud during his clock time as film director . That entrust a set on the cutting way flooring for Snyder to work with , along with many story elements that were excised from Whedon ’s version to streamline the plot . Characters like Iris West ( Kiersey Clemons ) , Vulko ( Willem Dafoe ) , Mera ( Amber Heard ) , andMartian Manhunter ( Henry Lennix)were edit entirely , and Superman ’s resurrection and return was also plow differently . We ’ll have to waitress for the release ofZack Snyder ’s Justuce Leaguenext twelvemonth to see just how unlike the two rendering are - but which one will be considered official canon within the DCEU ?

The Case For Justice League 2017 As DCEU Canon

The most obvious case for making Joss Whedon ’s variant ofJustice Leagueofficial DCEU canyon is that it was released theatrically , whereasZack Snyder ’s Justice Leaguewill only be available ona particular streaming political program . This means that the 2017Justice Leaguewill finally have been insure by a hatful more the great unwashed ( despite the lackluster vital and interview response , it did gross $ 657 million worldwide ) , and it ’s not peculiarly fairish to bear casual moviegoer to get a HBO Max subscription just to know what ’s going on in   upcoming DCEU movies . This is especially the case since there are currently no plan to make HBO Max uncommitted outside of North America , and there ’s been no declaration of international release design for theJustice LeagueSnyder Cut , meaning that overseas fans may be leave in the darkness .

A lesser point is thatJustice Leaguehas already technically been considered canyon for three DCEU picture released since : Aquaman , Shazam ! , andBirds of Prey . literal references toJustice Leaguein those film have been specify to a Steppenwolf mention inAquamanand a(headless ) Superman cameo inShazam ! , so short of removing Steppenwolf completely or toss off off Superman again at the end , there ’s not much the Snyder Cut can do to refine those references .

The Case For Zack Snyder’s Justice League As DCEU Canon

There ’s a potent case to be made that , without Zack Snyder , the DCEU as lover make out it would not exist . Snyder was the original architect of the cinematic universe , starting withMan of Steelin 2013 and continuing withBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justicein 2016 , which in turning set up upJustice League . Snyder set the tone for this big - screen version of the DC Comics universe , cast all the members of the Justice League and created the original vision for them , and set the degree for their heroics . Even more light - hearted motion-picture show likeShazam ! , which could n’t be further fromBatman v SupermanorMan of Steelin tone , still exists in a Earth where Snyder ’s version of Batman , Superman and Wonder Woman are celebrities . With all of that in mind , it only seems right that Snyder ’s cut of Justice League should be considered the determinate one .

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The Snyder Cut ofJustice Leaguebecoming DCEU canon also opens up more possibilities thanks to the cellular inclusion of more characters . For example , Kiersey Clemons ' Iris West could return in the upcomingFlashsolo film , and the Snyder Cut   reportedly terminate with a tease of the powerful baddie Darkseid . If the latter becomes canon , it ’s the perfect countersink - up forJustice League 2- should Warner Bros. ever determine to really move forward with it .

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Conclusion: Which Justice League Is Canon?

While there are case to be made for both versions ofJustice Leaguebeing canon , the rather blunt conclusion is that it really does n’t matter - because the DCEU as it survive in 2017 is already dead . Warner Bros. has since move away from its ambitions of ape the Marvel Cinematic Universe and focus more on individual franchise and movies . For example , Todd Phillips’Jokerdoesn’t fit into the DCEU at all ; it features a dissimilar Joker than the one fans see inSuicide Squad , and subsist in a world that does n’t appear to have any superheroes . Despite not having any of the inter - movie connectivity that Warner Bros. believed would be a recipe for success , Joker ’s boxwood office totalswere 2nd only to Aquaman in the current era of DC movies .

The very fact that Zack Snyder’sJustice Leagueis now being put together is a symptom of Warner Bros. permit go of the idea of a concrete DCEU canon , and embracing a looser narration with more possibilities . And base on the success that the DCEU has seen since the low point ofJustice League2017 , allow go of canyon is in all probability a good thing .

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