Zack Snyder's Justice League

Zack Snyder's Justice League is the 2021 director's cut and the original version of the 2017 American superhero film Justice League, the fifth film set within the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which is based on the team of the same name appearing in DC. It is director Zack Snyder's original vision of the film prior to his departure from the production. The film follows Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the Flash (Ezra Miller), and Superman (Henry Cavill) as they form an alliance to stop the extradimensional New God Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and his army of Parademons from conquering Earth for his overlord, Darkseid (Ray Porter).

The production of the theatrical film was difficult, and the script frequently underwent major changes. In May 2017, Snyder stepped down during production following the death of his daughter, and Joss Whedon was hired to finish the film, completing it as an uncredited additional director. Whedon wrote and directed new sequences and incorporated a brighter, more humorous tone while significantly reducing the runtime in accordance with directives from Warner Bros. Pictures. The theatrical version polarized critics and underperformed at the box office, resulting in Warner Bros. developing future DCEU films around individual characters with less emphasis on a wider shared universe.

Many people expressed interest in Snyder's version of the film, often colloquially referred to as the Snyder Cut. Although most industry insiders reported its release unlikely, Warner Bros. moved ahead with it in February 2020. In May 2020, Snyder announced it would be released as Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max. $70 million was spent to complete the visual effects, score, and editing, with new material being shot in October 2020. The film is dedicated to the memory of Autumn Snyder. Zack Snyder's Justice League was released on HBO Max in the United States on March 18, 2021. It became the fourth-most-streamed film on the platform that year. The film was released to positive reviews from critics, who generally considered it better than the theatrical cut, but criticised the lengthy runtime.

Plot

Thousands of years ago, Apokoliptian warlord Darkseid and his Parademons attempt to invade Earth using the combined energies of three Mother Boxes to form "The Unity", a phenomenon which would instantly devastate Earth and xenoform it into a copy of their homeworld. This would allow Darkseid to harvest the Anti-Life Equation, a secret power capable of controlling all sentient free will in the multiverse, from the planet unchallenged. However, the invasion is foiled by an alliance of the Old Gods, Amazons, Atlanteans, humanity, and extraterrestrial beings. The Mother Boxes are then separated and hidden in different locations.

Millennia later, Superman's death following the battle with Doomsday reactivates the Boxes. This attracts Steppenwolf, Darkseid's disgraced lieutenant who seeks to regain his favor. Steppenwolf reaches Themyscira through a portal and fights to obtain the Amazons' Mother Box. Diana Prince informs Bruce Wayne, as the two seek to form a team of metahumans to protect the planet. After failing to recruit Arthur Curry, Bruce locates Barry Allen, who joins enthusiastically.

Diana locates Victor Stone, who joins after his father, Silas, and other S.T.A.R. Labs employees are kidnapped by Parademons seeking humanity's Mother Box. Steppenwolf kills Atlantean guards and takes their Mother Box, forcing Arthur to join the group. Victor retrieves the last Mother Box, which he had hidden. He reveals his father used it to rebuild his body after a car accident, explaining that the Boxes can rearrange matter. The group realizes they could resurrect Superman using the Box. The team exhumes Clark Kent's body and places it in a Kryptonian ship. They successfully resurrect him, but Clark fails to remember who he is, so attacks the group. Lois Lane arrives and placates him, then they go together to Clark's family home in Smallville, allowing him to regain his memories. Steppenwolf retrieves the last Mother Box, but not before Victor's father sacrifices himself to supercharge it with laser heat, allowing Victor to track it. Without Superman, the five heroes travel to the abandoned Russian city Pozharnov, where Steppenwolf aims to form the Unity.

The team fight their way through the surrounding Parademons, with Superman arriving in time to subdue Steppenwolf. However, Victor fails to prevent the Unity, so Earth begins to be destroyed. To reverse time in order to provide Victor the necessary charge, Barry enters the Speed Force, allowing him and Superman to prevent the Unity. Working together, the team kills Steppenwolf, but Darkseid vows to return to Earth for the Anti-Life Equation. In the aftermath, Bruce and Diana make plans to set up a base of operations for the newly formed alliance at the desolated Wayne Manor. Clark resumes his double life in Metropolis, with Lois implied to be pregnant with his child. Arthur meets with Nuidis Vulko and Mera before going to see his father, and Barry informs his erroneously convicted father in prison that he has acquired a job in Central City's police department. Victor is inspired by a message left by his father to realize his purpose in life.

Later, Lex Luthor, who has escaped from Arkham Asylum, is visited on his yacht by Slade Wilson, to whom he reveals Batman's secret identity. At home, Bruce awakens from an apocalyptic dream of the future, in which he is amongst a resistance troop being hunted by a mind-controlled Superman. He receives a visit from the Martian Manhunter, who promises to help the Justice League prepare for Darkseid's return.