Geeked Week 2023, Netflix’s week-long virtual event highlighting the biggest, best, and most anticipated genre titles across movies, series, and games, concluded on Sunday
It also marked the debut of the official trailer for Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child From Fire from writer-director Zack Snyder. When a peaceful settlement on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, a mysterious stranger named Kora becomes their best hope for survival.
Check out the full official trailer for the film, premiering December 22nd.
Go inside the making of the film as Snyder takes you on a deep dive of how he built this original universe, the lore, and its characters. He also answers a few burning questions from his biggest fans.
After crash landing on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a stranger with a mysterious past, begins a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. But she soon becomes their only hope for survival when the tyrannical Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee) and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), discover the farmers have unwittingly sold their crops to the Bloodaxes (Cleopatra Coleman and Ray Fisher) — leaders of a fierce group of insurgents hunted by the Motherworld. Tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a legendary commander; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a master swordswoman; Tarak (Staz Nair), a captive with a regal past; and Milius (E. Duffy), a resistance fighter. Back on Veldt, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), an ancient mechanized protector hiding in the wings, awakens with a new purpose. But the newly formed revolutionaries must learn to trust each other and fight as one before the armies of the Motherworld come to destroy them all.
Here’s your first look at the brand new trailer for REBEL MOON.
Part One: A Child of Fire debuts on December 22, 2023 and Part Two: The Scargiver airs April 19, 2024.
From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.
The film will eventually have a director’s cut. What can fans be excited to see?
The director’s cut is close to an hour of extra content, so I think it’s a legitimate extended universe version. You really get to see a lot. It’s just more painted-in all the way. The director’s [cut] is a settle-in deep dive, which I have notoriously done throughout my career. I don’t know how I got into this director’s cut thing, but what I will say about it is that, for me, the director’s cuts have always been something I had to fight for in the past and nobody wanted it. It was this bastard child that I was always trying to put together because they felt like there was a deeper version. And with Netflix, we shot scenes just for the director’s cut. So in that way, it’s really a revelation because it gives that second kick at the can for big fans, like a real discovery that they would not [otherwise] get. I’m really excited about it!
On Saturday at Netflix’s Tudum: A Global Fan in São Paulo, Brazil, a brand new video for the highly anticipated REBEL MOON was unveiled. Front and center in the new featurette are star Sofia Boutella and director Snyder himself, who says that he has been dreaming up the Rebel Moon universe for more than two decades.
When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.
Rebel Moon hits Netflix on Dec. 22 — and Part Two will follow soon after.
With Memorial Day weekend looming, what better time to kick back and enjoy and a noisy action blockbuster. That’s the way movie fans marked the beginning of the Summer season, well, in those before times. Sure this week’s new blockbuster began running on several screens last weekend, but the main focus of its marketing right now is about its “dropping” on a major streaming service (several would say “the streaming service”). It, however, “changes up” the usual formula for thrillers, aside from its distribution, since it’s another “high-concept hybrid”. You see this is a modern-day action heist flick, complete with the all “big plan’ and assembling the team. Y’know like the main variations, reboots, and sequels to OCEAN’S ELEVEN. So what’s the twist? Well, the big “window of opportunity” for the “grab” is opened due to a big disaster, though not a natural one like the big storm in 1008’s HARD RAIN. Nope, this is another one of those pesky zombie outbreaks. Yes, it’s extra tough to make that “big score” when you’ve got to contend with an ARMY OF THE DEAD.
The story does begin with the start of said “outbreak” when two newlyweds begin their honeymoon on the road to Vegas. The very distracted driver collides with a heavily armored military transport, dislodging its deadly cargo” a ravenous cannibalistic super-powered murder machine. Naturally his bite turns the surviving escort soldiers into killers who are quickly drawn to that “bright-light city”. Via an opening title montage, we see the town become overrun by the undead mobs, which also overwhelm the military. It’s soon determined that “Lost Wages” is a loss that needs to be isolated by a containment fence-like wall made of boxcars dropped by helicopters. A tent city is also set up outside the city by the World Health Organization to quarantine and monitor the evacuating citizens. As the TV news reports of plans to obliterate the infected city with a tactical nuclear strike (on July 4th, natch’), the grill man at a dusty diner, Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) is stunned to get a visit from casino kingpin Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada). His insurance has already re-reimbursed him for the 200 million stuck in the big vault beneath his showcase hotel/spa, but he now wants a team to secretly sneak into the city and grab the vault’s contents prior to it getting “nuked”. Since Scott’s a decorated vet and former Vegas resident, he’s offered 50 million to assemble a team (and split that dough any way he wants). He reluctantly agrees and puts together his crew of old cohorts. First is super-mechanic Maria (Ana de la Reguera), “muscle” Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), and ace chopper pilot Peters (Tig Notaro). Then some “newbies’ are recruited: safecracker ‘savant” Dieter (Matthias Schweighofer) and social media zombie-killing star “Guz” (Raul Castillo) and his “right-hand” Chambers (Samantha Win). Everyone is startled when they’re joined at the last minute by Tanaka’s security chief Marin (Garret Dillahunt). Is he there to keep them on track, or does he have his own agenda? Scott decides the best way to enter Vegas is through the detention camp which entails an uneasy reunion with estranged daughter and WHO worker Kate (Ella Purnell). She enlists a “Coyote”, who has been sneaking folks into town, Lilly (Nora Arnezeder), who also brings in an abusive military guard Burt (Theo Rossi). Oh, and much to Scott’s ire, Kate insists on coming so she can keep an eye out for a mother who made the trek recently. As the clock ticks down to the nuclear blast, can this motley crew make the grab and fly out, while avoiding a horde of rampaging hungry hordes? If they stick to the plan, everything will work out, right?
In his best post-Drax leading role, Bautista proves to be a compelling screen presence casting a commanding silhouette, but still showing a bit more of his human side. Scott is able to shake off the “biters’ as though they were ragdolls, but he can’t shake off the guilt of his failure during the attack on his family. His MCU role may present more of his wry comic timing, but we’re getting a bit more of his heartfelt dramatic side, especially as he finally opens up to his daughter close to the big finale. Purnell, as that sibling kate, is a strong sparring partner for him, never backing down, though the role often seems abrasive and headstrong. Scott’s other partner, perhaps his BFF, is the warm, but no-nonsense de la Reguera who can now add action lead to her growing resume. Hardwick also is an impressive physical presence but is best as a big brother/straight-man to the tightly-wound, eccentric Schweighofer as the endearing, often dense Dieter. Notaro projects just the right amount of “fly-boy swagger” as the sweetly sarcastic Parker. And Rossi, Amezeder, and Dillahunt add an air of mystery as characters who may be a great back-up, though often have secretive motivations.
After a seventeen-year hiatus, in which he became the controversial guiding force in the Warner/DC franchises (“wrecking ball” springs to mind, IMO), Zack Snyder returns to the land of the “non-living” with this epic tale (clocking in at nearly 150 minutes (brevity alludes him). And as in DAWN, these ghouls are almost Olympic sprinters (a trait George Romero chided in his LAND OF THE DEAD), while several new twists are added (they all tend to get into Spider-Man-style poses since I’m guessing that most are played by “Cirque du Soleil” vets). An almost-social hierarchy (maybe a class system) is established. “Alphas”, those bitten by “Zombie Zero” AKA “Zeus”, seem a bit smarter and lord over the majority known as “shamblers”. And there’s a huge development that I won’t spoil, but I’m guessing it will figure into the sequel (or prequel). Still, for all the “rules” set up, Snyder gleefully bends them so that the monsters can slowly advance the plot. And it is a slow build-up into the mayhem that finally begins (we learn that the dead “hibernate”). Snyder, who co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten and Joby Harold, does get the sun-drenched Hell vibe of Vegas correct (as does the current HBOMax series “Hacks”), but certain “out-of-nowhere character confessions are poorly planned. Much of the big action set-pieces quickly devolve into “first-person shooter’ video game homages, slowed down to a crawl (Z love his ultra “slo-mo”) and backed up by campy choices of pop tunes and Vegas standards. And after, what is it, 30 seasons of TV’s “The Walking Dead” (which has two spin-offs now), many of the creeping around/zombie ambushes feel awfully familiar. And I think I mentioned the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Even a bit of Snyder’s superhero flicks, Zuess sports a cape and a bullet-proof cowl, creeps in, but he doesn’t add enough to now trite Canibal creep tropes. Action and gore fans will get their fill, but for many ARMY OF THE DEAD is a ponderous platoon march through “glitter gulch”. Cash me out.
2 Out of 4
ARMY OF THE DEAD is now playing in select theatres and begins streaming exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, May 21, 2021.
In Select Theaters May and on Netflix May 21 is the latest zombie movie ARMY OF THE DEAD.
From filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Zack Snyder’s Justice League), ARMY OF THE DEAD takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world.
When Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a former zombie war hero who’s now flipping burgers on the outskirts of the town he now calls home, is approached by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), it’s with the ultimate proposition: break into the zombie-infested quarantine zone to retrieve $200 million sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked by the government in 32 hours. With little left to lose, Ward takes on the challenge, assembling a ragtag team of experts for the heist. With a ticking clock, a notoriously impenetrable vault, and a smarter, faster horde of Alpha zombies closing in, only one thing’s for certain in the greatest heist ever attempted: survivors take all.
Starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, Samantha Win, Michael Cassidy, Richard Cetrone, and Garret Dillahunt.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League Photograph by Clay Enos/HBO Max
An unprecedented time. An unprecedented opportunity. An army of persuasive fans.
And one very colorful, newly-shot scene.
After four years, director Zack Snyder returns to the DCEU to complete his vision.
It’s a new era. Superman (Henry Cavill) is dead and a new villain channeling a very old evil has arrived. Honoring Superman’s sacrifice, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) must not only work together, but also unite an unlikely group of heroes – Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) — to fight Steppenwolf, an eight-foot-tall warrior from the nightmare world of Apokolips who wants to conquer not only the Earth’s population but the planet’s entire existence.
In his 4-hour epic, Snyder not only assembles our heroes, but he and writer Chris Terrio explore the breadth of their backstories, diving into the complexities of their lives — introducing us to Victor Stone’s mother Elinore and Iris West, Barry Allen’s potential love interest. Lois Lane (Amy Adams) gets an emotional story arc, deepening her connection to Superman and his eventual resurrection. Vulko (Willem Dafoe) gives us context for Aquaman’s story. Alongside Cyborg, we experience the full range of Silas Stone’s love for his son.
An extended Justice League allows for extended world building. Never before seen, existing-footage scenes with Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello), Calvin Swanwick/Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix), and Ryan Choi (Zheng Kai) round out the mythology. We get the opportunity to watch our heroes join forces to eliminate Steppenwolf, much to the chagrin of New God Darkseid, making his first appearance.
And at the end of it all, a chilling, freshly-shot finale with some of our heroes – and one smiling villain.
Even before the 2017 version of the movie was released, there were rumblings from the fans. First it was quiet. Give us the Snyder Cut. After the movie hit theaters in November 2017, it only got louder. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, people demanded, circulating petitions and pleading with the studio. Once fans learned an actual Snyder Cut existed, they were overjoyed and doubled down on their efforts.
It worked.
Around the time of Comic-con 2019 and 2nd anniversary of Justice League that November, fans began to bombard Warner Bros. with grand gestures – billboards, social media campaigns, even sending airplanes to fly over the studio. Stars Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot publicized their endorsements with #ReleaseTheSnyderCut tweets.
Just like the alternate universes that comic fans are keenly familiar with, this iteration of creating the Snyderverse was an amalgamation of the past and the present. They would use all existing footage from Snyder’s initial shoot, except for one after credits scene that had lived in Snyder’s mind for years. Junkie XL aka Tom Holkenborg, Snyder’s original Justice League composer, came back on to write an entirely new, 4-hour-long score. VFX teams got to work on thousands of shots that had to be done or redone.
Prior to the film’s phenomenal release on HBO MAX (March 18, 2021) as a four-hour plus director’s cut, I spoke with producer Deborah Snyder. (review)
Snyder develops and produces films that are renowned for their striking visuals and thought-provoking storylines, creating an exciting and unique brand of cinematic entertainment. With over a decade of producing top-tier advertising and creating award-winning television commercials before transitioning to feature films, Snyder brings that marketing experience and vision to each project she takes on, building captivating and remarkable marketing campaigns. As Co-Founder of The Stone Quarry, formed with her producing partner Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder has established herself as a producer of note in the entertainment industry.
Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Snyder is currently developing a wide range of projects under the Stone Quarry banner, including the epic zombie action heist film ARMY OF THE DEAD, which Zack Snyder directed and co-wrote with Shay Hatten for Netflix. The film is set to be released on May 21, 2021. Snyder is currently producing an international ARMY OF THE DEAD prequel feature film directed by and starring Matthias Schweighöfer and will follow his “Ludwig Dieter” character. Through their newly launched animation arm, Stone Quarry Animation, Snyder will executive produce a new original anime series Zack Snyder and Jay Oliva are developing for Netflix, ARMY OF THE DEAD: LOST VEGAS, starring Joe Manganiello, Christian Slater, Harry Lennix, Ross Butler, Anya Chalotra, Vanessa Hudgens, Yetide Badaki, Christina Wren, Monica Barbaro, Jena Malone and Nolan North, as well as an animated series set in the world of Norse mythology also for Netflix. Upcoming, Snyder will produce THE HORSE LATITUDES, also directed by Zack Snyder, in which a photograph becomes the catalyst for a journey two men undertake into the rugged wilderness of South America.
Snyder most recently produced WONDER WOMAN 1984 which was released worldwide on December 25, 2020. The critically acclaimed WONDER WOMAN, broke multiple box-office records and made over $800 million worldwide. She was nominated for a Producers Guild Award and the film was named one of the top 10 of the year by the American Film Institute. Snyder is also executive producing an equally highly anticipated DCEU title THE SUICIDE SQUAD, which will be written by James Gunn and released by Warner Bros. on August 6, 2021. Snyder served as executive producer on David Ayer’s, starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman and Margot Robbie. The film broke the record for biggest August opening weekend, bringing in $133 million and eventually grossed over $740 million worldwide.
Snyder also produced JUSTICE LEAGUE, which brought together DC’s greatest superheroes – Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash and Ray Fisher as Cyborg.
She also produced BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, which grossed over $800 million at the worldwide box office. Additionally, Snyder produced MAN OF STEEL, alongside Zack Snyder, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, which earned over $650 million worldwide. In addition, Snyder served as an executive producer on AQUAMAN, which grossed over $1.1 billion dollars worldwide. Snyder’s current combined box office contributions so far to the DCEU totaling more than 4.9 billion dollars over the past five years.
Snyder produced 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE directed by Noam Murro from a script co-written by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad. The film, which was released by Warner Bros. in March of 2014, is the sequel the 2007 blockbuster 300, which marked her producing debut. 300 took in more than $70 million at the box office in its opening weekend and went on to gross over $450 million worldwide. Together, 300 and 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE grossed nearly $800 million worldwide.
Snyder previously produced SUCKER PUNCH, an action fantasy that follows a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality, written and directed by Zack Snyder; Zack Snyder’s critically acclaimed WATCHMEN; and executive produced the animated adventure LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE.
WAMG: Thank you for talking about the film with us.
Deborah Snyder: I am so happy to be here to talk about the film.
WAMG: The film is amazing and it is the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie we’ve all been waiting for.
DS: Never in our wildest imaginations did we think we would finish it. We just had this version for ourselves. None of this would have been possible if it hadn’t been for the fans.
WAMG: From the #releasethesnyder cut movement on social media after fans found out and you make your presentation to HBO Max… and then COVID hits. How do you keep it a secret?
DS: The hardest part was figuring out the plan without it leaking. We didn’t want it to get out there before there was an agreement or before we could make our own announcement. A few weeks after the two year anniversary of the theatrical release, the fans were like at a 20 with excitement. Their social media activations got bigger and bigger. One evening we got a call from our agent at 6:30pm at night and he said, “are you sitting down, because Warner Media wants to know if you want to release your cut on HBO Max. They don’t really have any money, but you can release the rough cut.” We thought the movie is in disarray, the music is partially finished. It’s not done. There are visual effects to finish, partial storyboards. It wasn’t really viewable for an audience. They came back with, so what would it take?
They really went out to make sure the movie could be put back online. But we needed to get the visual effects artists back, and they’d have to come at night and go through all of it, and the composer had some of the original music so we had to figure out what music had to be done and how to pull all of it together. And it was all done on the down-low because we didn’t want to get hopes up.
So, we put together a big presentation: who’s the fan base, what numbers are we looking at, what are numbers in comparison to other hit films for streamers. We felt like if we could make the case that these numbers would translate into subscribers, it would make sense to do it.
Zack said he wanted to do something for the fans so he and Henry (Cavill) decided to have this watch party and they surprised everyone at the end with the announcement. We hoped it wouldn’t leak beforehand and there was so much excitement.
WAMG: And you both decided to move forward.
DS: I said, now is the time to do this. Because lot of movies are shutting down. A lot of companies had capacity now, companies that maybe wouldn’t have been able to keep their doors open. It was great to be able to support vendors that we and Warner Bros. had worked with for a long time. We had to do everything remotely because of COVID… we couldn’t even be in the same room with our editor.
A lot of the vendors went out of their way to make this happen, because for them also it was completing a journey. Their work got reimagined and so to be able to put it back to what we originally planned… it was as fulfilling for them as it was for us. The whole process really pushed the boundaries and it will change the future of our whole industry.
WAMG: The movie is four hours… What additional scenes did you shoot and how did Tom Holkenborg compose a new score?
DS: The only new scene is the Batman/Joker scene. The rest of it was the original movie. When we took the costumes out the latex started falling apart as it had been so many years in-between. By the last take, we had the cowl taped to the back of Ben’s head so there were many challenges.
The score from Tom was mostly all new and recording the orchestra was all done separately. We would watch them via a video stream while the pieces were coming together.
WAMG:Is this finally the story you set out to tell?
DS: Justice League is a story of a group of misfits. They’re superheroes but they’re all kind of wayward, and each of them has a certain skill sets needed to save the world. It’s the story of the coming together of those lost souls into a family. They form a relationship and become partners so that they can do good, save the world, what have you. But in it, they’re able to go through a catharsis with themselves and their own demons — and of be better in the end.
WAMG: Was there a plan for two more films?
DS: We were planning a 2nd and 3rd Justice League movie where we would be also able to complete the arcs we had fully fleshed out. The idea was to meet Cyborg, who was set to be the heart of this movie. At the time we hadn’t come up with a Cyborg standalone, but that was our plan. So, we did the deepest dive of the movie into Cyborg’s backstory and what makes him tick.
WAMG: The Joker/Batman scene must have required a lot of work, especially trying to pull it off during a pandemic. Was this a completely new idea?
DS: When Zack realized there would be no more Zack Snyder DC movies, his biggest regret was that there was no Batman/Joker confrontation scene. It’s the key relationship for both of them. They both went through a series of films and never ran into each other. It didn’t make sense to him and Zack wanted to fix that. The idea was that we would do it without telling anybody. He talked to Jared and said we’d get him and Ben and shoot it in our backyard…just sneak it into the movie. Then he just wrote the scene and it turned out we could shoot it.
WAMG: How did you get Ezra Miller in it?
DS: He was shooting Fantastic Beasts in the UK and couldn’t make it back, but we were determined to make it work. We wanted one brand new thing. All of this was very complicated, but we figured it out. Graciously Ezra’s film crew agreed to shoot it, and Zack directed on Zoom. The unions and studios did a great job of coming up with parameters of how to shoot during COVID. We really had a guidebook – we followed them which kept everyone safe.
When they reference Robin and Harley Quinn… how did you both picture this scene?
DS: The main notion is that Joker killed Robin. The revelation of the scene is that Harley is dead, and Batman was there in that moment. As well as that somehow Joker has to help Batman fix the world. Which is all part of this post-apocalyptic nightmare reality we were gunning toward in the second and third movies.
WAMG: Martian Manhunter also has a pivotal scene with Batman and anchors an enhanced Lois Lane storyline. How did you both decide to bring him into the film?
DS: Traditionally, in genre, the coda takes you to the next film or into the next universe. Also, it just ties up what’s happened in the movie in a way. Zack’s always been a fan of Martian Manhunter.
I don’t know what his reluctance to engage in humanity is about, but he has all these incredible powers. For years, Zack had been thinking about having Swanwick’s alter ego be Martian Manhunter.
So, we thought: Let’s have Martian Manhunter take on the shape of Martha Kent to get Lois to reengage with the world. And at the end, we’ll bring him back to launch a dark side war. It’s a way to talk about what Bruce Wayne’s role really was. Also, if the Darkseid comes, you’re going to need all hands on deck to face that.
WAMG: Has your vision changed at all between when you were going to make it and when you were finally able to?
DS: I think it’s very close. I’m sure there have been some emotional shifts that have gone on that have put a different prism for the light to shine through. It’s the same story, but there’s more water under the bridge. Working with HBO Max was the best possible situation, because we really took a deep dive into the characters in a way you couldn’t do in a theatrical version of it. There are hard core fans that are going to sit through the movie and people who will sit through a little at a time. It was important to us to make sure that people have options in how they want to view it, especially the Grey Version.
WAMG: There are some elements that you’re glad you got to put into this cut? The battle scenes are epic.
We expanded on the battle scenes because it gives the audience an understanding of the motherboxes and you see that at one time all these forces (The gods, the Atlanteans, the Amazonians) came together but later they became enemies and stopped talking to each other so it’s our story of how these superheroes came together to fight a common enemy. The threat from Darkseid is a credible threat.
I also loved seeing a little bit of a day in the life of Barry Allen. I love the sequence where Flash runs time back, it’s super psychedelic. I think the movie is pretty psychedelic overall. Even just all the stuff with Cyborg inside his mindscape.
I like seeing Bruce starting to turn toward a less dark, calculated character, one that’s inspired by faith that the world will turn correctly as opposed to a character who believes the world will always turn toward the dark. That’s a big move for Bruce in the movie.
WAMG: In this film, in this universe, which character do you identify with most?
DS: It would have to be Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot embodies all the characteristics and amazing qualities. I wasn’t big into comics, but to bring her to the screen and be a producer on WONDER WOMAN was so exciting for me. She is such an amazing character to look up to and in this movie her character has so many different dimensions. When we see women in comic book movies, or action movies, they’re very one-dimensional and in our version she is super strong, has a feminist origin, while being a warrior who is also kind and vulnerable and a women we can be all those things.
When we put her In BATMAN VS SUPERMAN, the accomplishment of being the first filmmakers to bring her to the screen is something I am immensely proud of and my daughter and my son will never know that there isn’t this strong woman out there because she is in their world. There will never be a time in movies where there isn’t a female superhero. Whether it’s DC or Marvel, it’s part of our culture now.
WAMG:What’s the most fun moment you remember having on set?
DS: I had my kids on set one day and they didn’t know the actors, but they knew I was working with Flash and Wonder Woman and Batman, and it’s important because we need heroes today that we look up to. They’re more relatable as they go on this journey and their struggles as they find their place in the world. And we had someone bring their little girl on set and she wanted to see Wonder Woman and she had a note for her, so these moments I remember most and the impact they have on people’s lives.
We ended the interview, the last of the day, with a round of the Top Fun Things About Deborah Snyder
WAMG: What superhero would you dress up as for Halloween?
DS: Princess Leia as we are big STAR WARS fans.
WAMG: What movie would you have wanted to be a producer on?
DS: THE ENGLISH PATIENT. These epic movies aren’t being made anymore.
WAMG: What’s your Favorite Movie Junk Food?
DS: Swedish Fish. I love Swedish Fish!! My kids are always after me to share (laughs)
WAMG: and this one is an either or… sweet or salty?
DS: Salty
WAMG: Dogsor cats?
DS: Dogs, definitely
WAMG: Stronger superhero or smarter superhero?
DS: hmmm, both but probably smarter.
WAMG: Can fans hope for a sequel?
DS: (pauses and inhales) I don’t think so. I think for us being here, it’s been an amazing journey.
Without the fans and their big push, we wouldn’t be here and we put a lot of love and care into the film. I keep pinching myself, it doesn’t feel real. I think when the world sees it, it will finally feel real. We have been working on it in isolation for so long, and it’s been this incredible journey. To be able to finally bring Zack’s vision to the world is just amazing.
The ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE screenplay is by Chris Terrio, story by Chris Terrio & Zack Snyder and Will Beall, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
The film’s producers are Deborah Snyder, p.g.a., Charles Roven, p.g.a., with executive producers Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Wesley Coller, Jim Rowe, Curtis Kanemoto, Chris Terrio and Ben Affleck.
The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Fabian Wagner (“Game of Thrones”); production designer Patrick Tatopoulos (“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”); editor David Brenner (“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”); Oscar®-nominated editor Richard Pearson (“Kong: Skull Island,” “United 93”); Oscar®-winning editor Martin Walsh (“Wonder Woman,” “Chicago”); Oscar®-nominated costume designer Michael Wilkinson (“American Hustle”); and visual effects supervisor John “DJ” DesJardin (“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”). The music is by Tom Holkenborg.
ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE has been rated R for violence and some language.
ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE is finally being released and is one of the rare projects that can be said to live up to the hype. This is more than just a “few added scenes.” With a run time of just over four hours, it presents the most complete saga than could have been done in a 2 hour theatrical release, and it is the true vision of Zack Snyder’s, not the watered-down joke fest that we were fed after the Snyders left the project. To be perfectly clear, Joss Whedon’s version of the JUSTICE LEAGUE was not terrible, but it was very obvious that the original movie release was tonally bipolar, at times light hearted, at times darker and far more serious. Thanks to the fans (nay, MEGA fans) that put in the time, promotion, and had the tenacity to keep pushing for Snyder’s version, we got a more refined, purer film, tonally consistent, with questions answered, and no silly asides.
Told in six parts, with an extended epilogue, the movie is just, well…great. Darkseid is the big bad in this movie, and Steppenwolf is shown to be more of a simpering neophyte than a star faring conqueror, and it is explained why there was never another return after that humiliating defeat that was suffered in the original assault on Earth.
Bruce Wayne/Batman (played by Ben Affleck, bringing every bit of his talent to this version, making you really believe he would spend all of his time and no small amount of his resources to put this team together) questing to find others that have abilities is still the quest in the film, but in each character we get a lot more backstory. We get their lives showcased, and their motivations explained, making their reasons for resisting this effort more clear, and their reasons for joining more logical. Jeremy Irons as Alfred has about the same amount of screen time, but he seems even more like an advisor and partner than he did previously. We see Cyborg as not just some angry, brooding robot-man who didn’t seem to bring anything else to the team originally, but as the key to stopping Steppenwolf from opening the door for an alien invasion that would have been unstoppable, even by the League. Flash can be seen more as a man who does what needs to be done, not as a cowardly lion. His abilities are shown as being more than just a “guy who runs fast”. Much, much more. Wonder Woman’s opening and introduction in this movie also makes more sense, giving context to the event, and showing that she has at least one ability that had not previously been seen.
We get a host of other characters that will feed fans hunger for more, but also leave you wishing that this movie wasn’t a one and done, but just the beginning that it was originally planned to be. The Martian Manhunter, who by now everyone who has had an even passing interest in the film has known about, is truly the Manhunter any fanboy/fangirl would have wanted… there just wasn’t enough of him, and you understand why in the end.
The epilogue is not your standard post-credits teaser, since you know that there will be no further offering in this world. Deathstroke’s original appearance has more mileage, and Jared Leto’s Joker is more Jokery than before. You get the feeling that whatever reason Batman has for including him, it must be pretty important, because just watching this, you find yourself wondering why nobody has killed him yet, while wishing you could get a Deathstroke movie. Some of the points shown in the dream/nightmare sequence raise questions, but you’re left with the feeling that this was the point; Not just to feed your hunger, but to tease your appetite.
The time taken to flesh each of these characters out is well spent, and the side characters are seen as what they truly are, which is the motivation and saving grace of some otherwise truly broken or incomplete individuals. Except Superman, of course, because he has a completely different set of issues to deal with, not the least of which is shaking off his resurrection.
All of this is done with respect to the original material. Darkseid is the original dark god, with no purer motivations than complete domination of the multiverse, breaking the free will of all living things so that their only need in existence is to serve him and live and die at his whim. No redeeming qualities at all, and an army built larger with each of his previous conquests in to possibly billions of Parademons, and his lieutenants (DeSaad, Granny Goodness, and the aforementioned Steppenwolf) who live only to serve and put Darkseid’s plans into motion.
Snyder gives us the film we always wanted from him in the DCEU. This is said out of respect, not as a fan. There are to be no follow up, no sequels, so what you get here is all that you’re going to get. Even Snyder has said that this is it.
Aquaman will get another film, as will the Flash, but there will be no more of Cavill’s Superman, or Affleck’s Batman, Gadot may or may not get a third movie after the poor offering of WONDER WOMAN 1984, and Fisher’s Cyborg solo movie was cancelled a while back, which is a shame, since he took a character that should have remained in a supporting role, and made it in to one that you really wind up caring about, and who delivers despite the tragedy that he faced in the film. DC/Warner Brothers should probably reconsider, but probably won’t.
The film is long, but never feels long. After two viewings already, it still feels like more could be enjoyed by possibly a third or fourth watch. Yes, it’s that good.
The score from Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, brings the film and earth’s defenders to new heights and the cues are soaring.
Get your popcorn, soda, and comfy chair, and if you love DC Superheroes and the Justice League, ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE is your film.
4 out of 4 Stars
The feature film debuts this Thursday, March 18 on HBO Max.
On March 18 the long-awaited Zack Snyder’s Justice League premieres on HBO Max. On Saturday IGN interviewed the director about the upcoming release and debuted a new trailer.
In ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE, determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf, DeSaad and Darkseid and their dreadful intentions.
Below is the video where IGN sat down with Zack Snyder to discuss the four hour movie, Martian Manhunter, Joker, Darkseid and Deathstroke.
00:00 – Intro 01:00 – What’s the latest on the Snyder Cut? 05:30 – Shift from four-part release to single film 07:20 – Locked Zack Snyder’s Justice League running time 08:45 – Exclusive clip reveal 14:30 – What’s up with the Justice League? 22:15 – Justice League surprise “fan” cameo question 24:00 – Cyborg’s storyline in the Snyder Cut 25:45 – Joker’s addition to Zack Snyder’s Justice League 28:20 – Plans for future Justice League films 30:30 – What to expect from Darkseid and Steppenwolf 33:45 – Who is in Man of Steel’s empty pod? 35:00 – How much Knightmare will we see? 36:20 – Justice League: Justice Is Grey release plans 38:30 – Releasing the movie in 1.43 aspect ratio
The big takeaways from the terrific interview:
Three ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE versions –
Justice Is Gray Edition of JUSTICE LEAGUE
Zack Snyder Justice League Great Edition is the black and white IMAX version and Snyder’s favorite version.
Color version
Intermission – Snyder said “it will include a “beautiful intermission, Junkie XL intermission” between the four chapters when shown in theaters
The film was shot in IMAX format aspect ratio for the big 1.43 theaters so it will be shown in March in the 1.3:3 aspect. The film is completed and will run hours. (4 hours and 2 mins to be exact.)
Snyder doesn’t know if and or when there will be a blu-ray release.
Harry Lennix “Calvin Swanwick” Martian Manhunter appeared. Snyder explained “it’s his alter-ego and he wants humanity to do it themselves, he’s manipulated Lois and Clark to do their best, to be the best they can be.”
Additional photography…cast members came back and include Batman in cowl and Superman in the black suit and how he put him in the suit and turned it from color to black and silver. We saw a version in it in the Zod sequence in Man of Steel.
“Our Bruce had a higher moral or stronger moral compass when he first started crime-fighting in Gotham 20 years ago, but he’s seen a lot of rough stuff happen over the years and I think that he’s a bit jaded now, obviously. The death of Robin and others, I think that he now has found himself in a dark place but, yes, the whole point was that the death of Superman really shakes him out of that and puts him on this really cathartic path to form the Justice League and do his part.”
JUSTICE LEAGUE shot with a planned part 2 and will end on “a massive cliffhanger.” No plans as of now for JUSTICE LEAGUE 2. Snyder says, “Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) and Batman have struck a deal and are working together instead of mortal enemies to defeat Darkseid. Joker is in this cut to fulfill the promise of having Joker in this universe and not having them come together and also there was a question I had you’d always wanted him to be in the nightmare reality so it was a great opportunity and when I talked to Jared Leto and he was interested in doing it.”
ARMY OF THE DEAD film says Snyder is basically a “heist movie” – a love letter to his favorite films like ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, ALIENS and zombie films. It’s not in the universe as DAWN OF THE DEAD and its own movie. He also just shot a prequel in Europe.
Snyder did express his grateful support from the fans and for his charity.
Check out the brand new teaser for ARMY OF THE DEAD. The film hits Netflix on May 21.
Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. The film marks Snyder’s return to the zombie genre, previously making his directorial debut with Dawn of the Dead for Universal Pictures.
Snyder’s ARMY OF THE DEAD features an all-star international cast including Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana De La Reguera, Theo Rossi, Huma Qureshi, Omari Hardwick, Tig Notaro, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Matthias Schweighöfer, Raúl Castillo, Nora Arnezeder, Samantha Win and is produced by The Stone Quarry’s Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Wesley Coller.
Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. The film marks Snyder’s return to the zombie genre, previously making his directorial debut with Dawn of the Dead for Universal Pictures.
Snyder’s ARMY OF THE DEAD features an all-star international cast including Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana De La Reguera, Theo Rossi, Huma Qureshi, Omari Hardwick, Tig Notaro, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Matthias Schweighöfer, Raúl Castillo, Nora Arnezeder, Samantha Win and is produced by The Stone Quarry’s Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Wesley Coller.
In October 2020 Netflix announced a new cast of the upcoming anime series, Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, a spinoff series that serves as a prequel to Zack Snyder’s upcoming 2021 zombie action heist film ARMY OF THE DEAD. Snyder will direct two episodes. The anime series chronicles the origin story of Scott (Dave Bautista) and his rescue crew during the initial fall of Vegas as they confront the mysterious source of the zombie outbreak. Bautista, Ana de la Reguera, Tig Notaro, Omari Hardwick and Ella Purnell will reprise their roles in the anime series.
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