You already have the movie available on HBO Max Zack Snyder's Justice League, the long-awaited version of the director who created his own universe of superheroes. And that is why we are going to tell you which are the tapes of the DC Extended Universe that you must see to be prepared to understand everything that this story tells us. snyder cut far from the vision we enjoy in the cinema thanks to Joss Whedon. You dare?
The DC Cinematic Universe
DC, like Marvel, also has its own cinematic universe. Although it has not been until relatively recently when it has begun to take shape. Because all these years ago each character had their own adventures and they weren't connected to the others. But it is changing.
With the premiere of Man of Steel (Man of steel) in 2013 everything began to resurface and those responsible for carrying out the film adaptations began to see that mixing superheroes and creating a extended universe (or DCEU) as it is also done in the comics would be the same or even more interesting.
So taking advantage of the premiere of the Snyder Cut, Zack Snyder's long-awaited version of this adaptation of The Justice League that you couldn't get to 100% completion the first time, we thought it would be interesting to talk about those movies you shouldn't miss if you want to arrive well prepared and understand what is happening.
Chronological release order of DC movies
If we leave aside the films about DC characters that have been made in an "independent" way of what the DC Universe is, the films that do shape it are the following, and they are sorted by release date:
- Man of Steel (2013)
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Suicide Squad (2016)
- Wonder Woman (2017)
- Justice League (2017)
- Aquaman (2018)
- Shazam! (2019)
- Birds of Prey (2020)
- Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
- The Snyder Cut Justice League (2021)
- The Suicide Squad (2021)
- Peacemaker (HBO Max 2021 series)
Chronological order of viewing until the snyder cut
This is the order as they were released on the big (or small) screen, but as you already know, this does not always follow the logical order of the action and the events that are narrated in each of them. That's why there is another order, the one that fans really consider to be how all movies should be enjoyed to better understand what is happening in every instant. If you are interested, it would be the following:
- Wonder Woman
- The Man of Steel
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- Suicide Squadron
- Birds of prey
- Justice League Snyder Cut
- Aquaman
They are not necessary to understand Zack Snyder's version:
- Wonder Woman 1984
- Shazam!
- The Suicide Squad (by James Gunn)
- Peacemaker
Here you have to make a small parenthesis because if you want to nit-pick you should see Wonderwoman, where there are certain flashbacks that narrate events between 1914 and 1918 and then the story travels to the present day just after Batman v Superman. Yes, it is a bit of a mess, but it would be the most correct thing at all. Although nothing happens if you see it whole.
What movies to watch (or not) before the Snyder Cut
Come on, now that you know all the movies and their order, both chronological and viewing, it is clear which ones you should see before Zack Snyder's Justice League.
Wonder Woman
no doubt it was Warner's first big box office hit thanks to the push of the fans of the factory owned by Warner. The film, directed by Patty Jenkins, who would repeat in her second installment, knew how to combine all the elements well and make Gal Gadot shine like few others in the role of Diana, the Amazon princess.
Wonder Woman 1984
It was difficult for it to be released in 2020 due to the pandemic, but in the end The wait was worth it and again Gal Gadot lived up to it, as did the new characters she introduced like Kristen Wiig in the role of a magnificent Cheetah. Of course, for the purpose of seeing Zack Snyder's Justice League It has practically no relevance, so we only suggest it if you want to continue Wonder Woman's first solo film.
The man of steel
The Man of Steel (Man of Steel) was actually the first movie that started the entire DC Extended Cinematic Universe to which we are now referring, and it was also directed by Zack Snyder, so it has a tight look at what the New York director wanted. It's not the best, but it does help to understand Superman's motivations.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
The confrontation of two heroes, a priori, very unequal that failed to sink positively among the majority of the public. The specialized criticism was not very benevolent with the proposal directed by Zack Snyder, precisely, and even won 4 Razzie Awards (the anti-Oscars of the world of cinema), including worst script and supporting actor (for Jesse Eisenberg). Even so, it is essential to see it (we're sorry) to understand the relationship between the two and situate ourselves properly from home to The Justice League.
Suicide Squadron
Going from villains to "forced heroes" is not that it was a great idea, but that was what he proposed Suicide Squadron. The film did not turn out to be a success and it must be admitted that it promised much more than what it ended up offering. But see Joker, Harley Quinn and the rest of the characters together It's not something we can do every day.
Birds of prey
The Harley Quinn that shows us Birds of prey is much more than the one we could see in Suicide Squadron, and not only because of his emancipation and independence from Joker; also due to the attitude of the character played by Margot Robbie. It's a film that puts the character in his place and gives him the prominence he deserves, and not just a flashy witty sidekick.
The film was received with quite conflicting criticism: many loved how comical and risky the anti-heroine was shown and how things were told in the film, while others cried to heaven for selling a "stale feminism" that little It favored the plot. Of course, for Robbie's work everything was praise.
Justice League (2017)
La "Joss Whedon's version" was in charge of completing everything previously seen in this DCEU, so we recommend you watch it to appreciate the difference in approach compared to Zack Snyder's Justice League. Also, it doesn't last four hours.
This is the first tape released to theaters with the reunited superhero team. The person in charge of taking the baton of this story as director, as you well know, was Zack SnyderHowever, halfway through the project he had to leave due to the sad death of his daughter. Whedon, who by then had been in charge of only the script (along with Chris Terrio), took the controls, although instead of supervising what was left of post-production, he assembled a new film, thus being the origin of the entire campaign that would come after hand of a good part of the fandom to let Snyder make the movie he always wanted.
Aquaman (2018)
Despite developing after The Justice League, this film helps us better understand Arthur Curry, heir to Atlantis, and his underwater world. Besides, at the snyder cut we can explore further to characters like Mera or Vulko, so if we add her here it is because with the new version you will have an irrepressible desire to immerse yourself (pun intended) in Aquaman.
The film is directed by James Wan. This is the first feature film in which the superhero is the protagonist -previously, he had been seen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice y The Justice League of 2017.
What movie to watch after the Snyder Cut
Since it has surely been some time since you saw the first version of The Justice League of 2017, signed together by Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon, we recommend that after taking a look at the snyder cut Don't forget to rewatch the original montage. Especially to know what changes, where and how it affects the story of the DC universe that Warner wants to build. Or at least that's what I wanted until the plans seem to have stopped because we haven't had any relevant premieres from that cinematographic universe for a little while.
Where to see Zack Snyder's Justice League?
As we have already mentioned before, Zack Snyder's Justice League premiered on March 18, 2021 Worldwide. So if you want to take a look at this film, you can. via HBO Max although you can also buy it in digital and physical formats (Blu-ray). And it is that you should know that this version has certain peculiarities that many, at the time, criticized (before the premiere):
- There is a black and white version and another completely in color. There is no other difference between the two.
- The film is screened in aspect ratio 4:3, that is, it will have black side margins as if you saw it on an old tube TV.
- This snyder cut lasts almost 4 hours in front of the two of the original assembly.
Lastly, you may have noticed that other movies like Shazam! version 2021 of The Suicide Squad and the HBO Max series about Peacemaker They are not on the list of those to see before the Snyder Cut. Well, they are not essential, but they can help you learn, at least, a little more about this DC cinematic universe.
View offer on AmazonThe mess of the SnyderVerse
All this that we have told you so far could come to nothing if the merger between Warner (owner of HBO Max) and Discovery goes ahead and with it plans to completely reboot the calendar of movies and characters in the DC cinematic universe that they want to face. For the current managers of the production company, the SnyderVerse is a big problem that is latent in its streaming platform and that could harm those future plans. Because? Well, because there is a fan base that wants to continue seeing new installments oriented around the creations directed, or inspired, by Zack Snyder and they ask that Warner follow that path.
All this comes up from information from the beginning of September 2022, in which the magazine Variety I came to say that according to Warner Bros. Zack Snyder's Justice League it had been a complete mistake, not only because of the chosen format (4:3), black and white or the four hours of duration, but precisely because it served to send the wrong message to the fans that this was going to be the path they wanted to take from the major. So, will the SnyderVerse films be able to coexist in the future on HBO Max with the new ones that follow the approach that is being cooked in the offices of the new company together with Discovery?
At the moment, the release schedule for films such as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom o Flash they have undergone changes (in this last case the scandals of the protagonist bring the production company headlong and threaten to even cancel its premiere) while waiting for what happens with the new cinematographic universe that is (supposedly) in the making. And you, do you want more installments of the SnyderVerse?
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