Summary
When it comes to big-budget Hollywood films, a lot of directors are on-record having cited that it’s hard to properly convey their vision against the studio’s vision, which sometimes leads to a director’s cut. Some of the most notable director’s cuts to be released over the years includeBlade Runner,I Am LegendandWatchmen. But perhaps the most popular director’s cut of recent years is none other thanZack Snyder’sJustice League, the result of apowerful fan campaigndriven by his fans throughout social media.
Zack Snyder, of course, had to exitJustice Leaguebefore it was completed due to a family tragedy, and never got to tell the story as he wanted to tell it. His director’s cut ofJustice Leaguewould go on to be a success, and while the director has moved on from the DC Universe, it doesn’t seem he’s moved on from director’s cuts. In fact, Snyder is already preparing a director’s cut for his latest movie,Rebel Moon, even though he had creative control over the project. Is the director’s obsession with director’s cuts going to get the better of him, or is he simply determined to deliver a director’s cut for each of his films going forward?
Snyder’s Love of Director’s Cuts Started Long Ago
AlthoughJustice League: The Snyder Cutis the most popular of Snyder’s work, the director isn’t a stranger to director’s cuts. In fact, another comic book movie actually earned a director’s cut from the busy director back in 2009. The film wasn’t a huge success, having only earned $185 million at the worldwide box office, but it did go on to become a bit of a fan-favorite over the years. And like withJustice League, Snyder’s director’s cut ofWatchmenended up being the best version of the movie. With around a half-hour of additional footage, which brought the movie to a little over three hours long. It’s actually one of two additional versions of the movie, with Snyder also releasing an Ultimate Cut, which was even longer, thanks to the inclusion of the animatedTales of the Black Freighter.
Watchmen’s director’s cut was understandable. It made the original film better, and added new footage to the film without bogging it down with just under a half-hour added on. Snyder was able to achieve the vision he’d set out to make and successfully gave fans a new cut that worked. Sadly, though, it appears Snyder has lost focus on the reason behind the director cuts. Not every film needs a director’s cut, especially if it’s an original movie that the director has control over, alaRebel Moon. The story being told should be told properly the first time around; there shouldn’t need to be new cuts to tell the story properly after the fact. So, what exactly is Snyder doing with his latest attempts at a director’s cut withRebel MoonandSucker Punch?
While Snyder’sWatchmendirector’s cut isn’t necessary viewing, the director’s cut ofJustice Leagueis an entirely different movie from the theatrical release. This is, of course, an exception because of the circumstances of what occurred during production on the film. Snyder understandably wasn’t thrilled with the final cut and wanted to release the movie he set out to make, and the studio ultimately agreed, allowing him to go back andfilm scenes that hadn’t been filmed prior. It was a brand-new film at the end of the day with new footage, a new villain, and visuals more in line with Snyder’s work. Unfortunately, though, it seems Snyder now appears to believe all of his films need a director’s cut, and it’s a dangerous way of thinking as a filmmaker, especially one that has creative control over his current projects.
When Snyder signed a deal with Netflix to bringhisStar Wars-esqe movie,Rebel Moon, to life, one of the biggest things the director championed was the streamer’s willingness to let him be in control creatively. The first twoRebel Moonmovies have since come and gone, and while they have proven to be a hit for Netflix, the filmsweren’t exactly critical darlings, with critics noting story issues throughout. Still, both films pulled in decent numbers for the streaming service and Snyder seems eager to stay within this world. He most recently teased the possibility of making two to four moreRebel Moonfilms. Yet, while Snyder had creative control on the movies, he’s still releasing director’s cuts ofthe first two filmslater this summer. In fact, the new cuts of the movies are expected to run approximately six hours in total. Per Snyder, both films will be an hour longer than their initial cuts, and they’vebeen cut for an R-rated movierather than the previously released PG-13 cuts. And it doesn’t seem as though Snyder is ready to stop by just reworkingRebel Moon.
Recently, Snyder revealed he would love to revisit one of his older movies,Sucker Punch. Oddly enough, that movie has already received a director’s cut, but Snyder has said that the director’s cutisn’t even the proper cutof the movie. He explained that, if given the chance, he would fix the movie as the footage he needed had already been shot. This begs the question. Does every film require a director’s cut? And is Snyder’s love of director’s cuts more of an ego issue or simply the desire to constantly revise his prior work?Rebel Moonhas been a passion project for Snyder for a very long time. He’s been eager to tell this story,which is his take onStar Wars, and seemed thrilled when he originally partnered with Netflix for the movie. So, why does the movie and its sequel now need to be reworked from PG-13 to R-rated? The bigger question, perhaps, is why is Snyder now considering givingSucker Punchyet another director’s cut when the film has already received one? Does that mean his director’s cuts might not be the final cuts either?
Snyder’s fans are a passionate bunch, and it’s understandable that they’re always looking for more from the director. However, there becomes a point in time when constantly reworking a project after the fact is ultimately dangerous. Especially if the director is constantly releasing new director’s cuts constantly, and then going back and ultimately changing the story on past director’s cuts. There needs to be a sense of confidence in the initial film, letting fans know this is the complete story as meant to be told. Director’s cuts, as fun as they can be, should not be a mandatory addition to each and every movie a director works on. Snyder is a talented director who is more than capable of delivering a quality film -something he’s proven with a film like300. While fans are always going to clamor for more, sometimes, a line simply needs to be drawn. Director’s cuts can’t be the only thing Snyder is known for, so it’s time to focus on moving ahead instead of focusing on what’s already done.
