Zack Snyder used the additional filming on Zack Snyder's Justice League to re-insert ideas into the movie that Warner Bros. had originally stopped. The Snyder Cut, as it is known in shorthand, was finally released in March 2021 after years of campaigning by fans to see Snyder's original version of Justice League. Upon its release on HBO Max, Zack Snyder's Justice League was widely praised as the superior version of the movie, with even many detractors of Snyder's DCU films being won over.
The Snyder Cut required some post-production and visual effects work to be finalized, including re-inserting the original design for Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds). Additionally, some of the new version's $70 million budget was also allocated to a handful of new scenes Snyder added to the movie. These included plot points and story teases that Warner Bros. had fought with Snyder against, both during the initial Justice League shoot and in the additional photography. They also all tease Snyder's planned story in his intended Justice League sequels. Here are the ideas the director was able to work back into Zack Snyder's Justice League during the movie's additional filming.
Darkseid Killing Lois Lane In The Batcave
One of the most significant ideas Zack Snyder revived in his cut of Justice League was the event that led right into the Knightmare future: Lois Lane (Amy Adams) being murdered by Darkseid (Ray Porter) in the Batcave. In Snyder's plans for the Justice League sequels, after acquiring the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid would kill Lois Lane, who is pregnant with her and Clark Kent's child. Superman (Henry Cavill) would then fall under the control of Darkseid with the Anti-Life Equation, leading to the apocalyptic Knightmare timeline.
The director was able to re-integrate this idea into Zack Snyder's Justice League in a vision Cyborg (Ray Fisher) has of the Knightmare while the League is resurrecting Superman. While not created through reshoots per se, the scene repurposes a shot of Superman from Man of Steel after he breaks the neck of General Zod. This was due to Henry Cavill not being present for the Snyder Cut's additional filming, while Darkseid, the Batcave, and Lois's smoldering skeleton are rendered through CGI.
The Knightmare Epilogue
Zack Snyder's Justice League also includes an epilogue of the Knightmare, conceived by the director after the original shoot. In the Snyder Cut's Knightmare tease, Batman (Ben Affleck) leads The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg alongside Mera (Amber Heard) in a plan to avert the Knightmare timeline. With Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) having both been killed, Batman is also forced to enlist some of his most sworn enemies on the mission, namely Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) and the Joker (Jared Leto). The Joker even strikes a truce with Batman by offering him a joker card.
Snyder commented in stopping Darkseid from decimating the Justice League and overtaking Earth. The Snyder Cut's Knightmare tease ends with Superman, under Darkseid's control, catching up to the League, setting the stage for Snyder's unmade Justice League sequels.
The Martian Manhunter Ending
One of the big twists of Zack Snyder's Justice League was the reveal that General Calvin Swanwick (Harry Lennix) is actually J'onn J'onzz, a.k.a. Martian Manhunter. The reveal takes place right after J'onn J'onzz meets with the still-grieving Lois while disguised as Martha Kent (Diane Lane). Right after the Snyder Cut's final Knightmare tease, J'onn J'onzz returns to meet Bruce Wayne at his lake house, warning him of Darkseid's coming invasion and quest for the Anti-Life Equation. J'onn J'onzz also commends Bruce for his formation of the Justice League, saying "Your mother and father would be proud" and that he'll "be in touch."
Snyder originally planned for John Stewart (Wayne T. Carr) to appear in this scene as Green Lantern and filmed it on his own driveway. Warner Bros. claimed they had their own plans for John Stewart, though they never came to , and also reportedly objected to Martian Manhunter's inclusion. Then-Warner Media CEO Jason Kilar ultimately allowed Snyder to proceed with Martian Manhunter in the scene, with both versions setting up the battle with Darkseid. Meanwhile, Carr would later release an image of himself as Green Lantern from the scene, giving fans a glimpse at the eighth member of Zack Snyder's Justice League.
