Despite being a figurative Frankenstein of a movie, 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a hit with fans of the writer/director’s version of the DC cinematic universe. Although a long-awaited sequel is now more possible than ever, sometimes it’s best just to let the past be the past. Snyder was originally intended to be the sole director of the 2017 Justice League movie, but he stepped back after a devastating family tragedy, and Joss Whedon took over to finish the project. Snyder eventually returned to complete his version of the movie, with extensive reshoots increasing the movie’s runtime to just over four hours.
Referred to collectively by fans as the Snyderverse, the movies that shared continuity with Justice League were gradually greenlit, and that particular era of DC history is now over. Still, some fans strongly believe the Snyderverse should be revived, including producing a sequel to Snyder’s 2021 film and possibly other installments within the dormant timeline. However, Warner Bros.’ decision to reboot the DCU with James Gunn at the top of the hierarchy meant the Snyderverse had no real future. That said, with Warner Bros. on the brink of being acquired by Netflix, the door is back open for Henry Cavill’s Superman and his Justice League allies.
Netflix’s Acquisition of Warner Bros. Would Make a ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Sequel More Likely Than Ever
In a deal worth an eye-watering $82.7 billion, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Netflix is on the verge of acquiring Warner Bros. Should a merger become official, which looks likely, the streaming giants would be able to add everything in the Warner Bros. library to their worldwide platform. Not only that, but Netflix could technically revisit the decision to end the Snyderverse, a move made years ago when Warner Bros. had the final say on the matter. With renewed interest in Snyder’s DC franchise, which could easily happen given similar scenarios in which Netflix has acquired a property, the demand for more Snyderverse content could surge.
Snyder’s version of Justice League is generally seen as the definitive edit of the movie. However, deciding whether the original or the 2021 iteration is part of the Snyderverse canon is an ongoing debate among fans. Therefore, even if Netflix does revive the franchise, one version of events would need to be canonized over the other, as they each have significant differences when compared. Regardless, not only would it be messy to bring the Snyderverse out of dormancy, but it would also be incredibly confusing for casual fans. A follow-up to Zack Snyder‘s Justice League was an interesting prospect at one point, but Netflix will hopefully see sense and leave well enough alone if the Warner Bros. deal is made official.
Netflix Is Set To Become a Haven for Zack Snyder Fans
If it’s assumed that the content on HBO Max, which is currently Warner Bros’ streaming service, would move over to Netflix following the deal being finalized, then a Netflix subscription would become even more appealing for those who have followed Snyder’s career. Even putting the Snyderverse movies to one side for a second, the writer/director also made 2006’s 300 with Warner Bros., as well as projects like 2009’s Watchmen and the 2011 cult classic, Sucker Punch.
On Netflix already, Snyder fans can stream the two Army-verse movies, as well as both Rebel Moon movies and their R-rated director’s cuts, which also have longer runtimes. All of these were made in partnership with Netflix. Going forward, it’s also not unreasonable to assume that Snyder’s professional history with both Warner Bros. and Netflix would increase the odds of another collaboration, which would ultimately also land on HBO Max, Netflix, or both. That said, while the content on offer might be appealing to followers of Snyder’s filmmaking career, the possibility of another Netflix price increase certainly looms on the horizon as a result of the Warner Bros. deal.
The Netflix/Warner Bros. Deal Could Also Impact Zack Snyder’s DC Successors
Creature Commandos Season 1 officially started a new timeline called the DCU, with James Gunn and Peter Safran being installed as co-CEOs of DC Studios. Just as Netflix could soon own the Snyderverse, so might the DCU, with both iterations of the comic book universe falling under Warner Bros.’ jurisdiction. There’s been no real word yet on what kind of restructuring might happen if and when Netflix takes over, but the possibility remains that Gunn and Safran could have at least some of their control over the DCU rescinded. With the success of Peacemaker Season 2 and 2025’s Superman, it would probably be a bit premature for Netflix to intervene, but it’s not impossible either.
Regardless, imminent DCU projects coming up in 2026, like Lanterns and Supergirl, are expected to go ahead as planned. If the takeover happens, Netflix will closely monitor the DCU’s box office success and make decisions from there. Given how reactive Netflix has been in the past when projects haven’t reached specific expectations, it wouldn’t be surprising if Gunn and Safran were more than a little worried about their potential new bosses. Either way, while upcoming DCU projects are a guarantee at this point, Zack Snyder’s Justice League getting a sequel is still just outside speculation.
- Release Date
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March 18, 2021
- Runtime
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242 minutes
- Director
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Zack Synder
- Producers
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Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder
- Franchise(s)
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DC Extended Universe