For fans of the DC Extended Universe, Thursday of last week marked a special occasion. After more than three years of waiting, Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League finally arrived on HBO Max.
“Snyder stepped away before the completion of the original 2017 production for personal reasons, and a lot of people think that’s the reason why the movie turned out, uh, not the best,” Stephen Colbert summarizes, on tonight’s episode of The Late Show. “The affectionately-dubbed Snyder Cut [is] a reimagining of the film which runs a svelte four hours and two minutes—which is perfect for any moviegoer who thought, ‘Yeah, that film sucked. But what if it was twice as long?’”
From Colbert’s perspective, the best part of any superhero movie is its post-credits scene—and in this respect, the original Justice League was no exception. “If you stuck around all the way to the very end, you were treated to a teaser for a potential sequel,” he explained, “where Lex Luthor and a character not in the actual movie, Deathstroke, discuss starting the Legion of Doom.”
While the Late Show host enjoyed the original post-credits scene for the DC blockbuster, he says he didn’t feel that the Snyder Cut expanded on that moment, “in the way a four hour, two minute movie should have.”
“So, I have made my own four hour, three minute cut of Zack’s cut, using only that 30-second scene,” he added, “and tonight, I’m proud to present a sneak peek.”
While Snyder was the original director behind Justice League, he left the project during post-production, following the sudden death of his daughter, Autumn. Taking over the project—which became a box office bomb, upon its November 2017 release—was Avengers scribe Joss Whedon.
For a look at a bald-capped Colbert’s Luthor, in deadpan conversation with Deathstroke—or is it Deadpool?—check out the video below.
If you’ve finished watching the #Snydercut the job is not finished, here’s your chance to watch the #ColbertCut pic.twitter.com/UnjSPjQA3F
— A Late Show (@colbertlateshow) March 23, 2021