Well I’ll be damned. The fans have done it! Three years after the theatrical release of Justice League it has been officially confirmed that the Snyder Cut WILL release on HBOMax in 2021.

Besides the pleasure of getting to see the director’s original vision I’m filled with questions about the future; what does this mean for the DCEU?

1: Is the DCEU revived?: We remember that not too long ago, at San Diego Comic Con, the DCEU was officially replaced by the’ Worlds of DC.’ This was the official ending of the shared universe in order to approach more singular story experiences. Hm. Alright.

This was primarily done because of the perceived failure of Zack Snyder’s creation. The thing is despite the enthusiasm for the Synder Cut over the last few years those mixed feelings still ring true; an overwhelming amount of audience goers didn’t vibe with his vision. Though what has changed over the course of this movement is the rise of streaming services.

The launch of HBOMax and the translation of what is perceived as a success (from theatrical release to streaming release) has changed the playing field of what media can do and could influence the project’s potential.

So, is the DCEU then revived regardless of the independent projects already green lit? The answer is, it depends! Will those audience goers that didn’t vibe with Snyder’s previous works enjoy this new version of JL? If this version creates success for the streaming platform I don’t think it is out of the question for the DCEU to return.

Justice League Part II: The real elephant in the room, before even talking about the connection of the properties, is the fact that Justice League was never meant to be a singular film. It was always meant to be a two-part project. After the release of BvS it was immediately announced that the project would be condensed to a “one and done” because of the film’s performance.

Whether Snyder adjusted his story for this is yet to be determined. However, it is worth considering that should the Snyder Cut prove to be a success for the streaming platform there is no reason to believe that the powers that be WONT give  him the green light to tell the entirety of his story.

Characters That Bind: Should Justice League become a huge success, and the sequel receive confirmation for streaming release, it could influence pieces of neighboring projects. Remember that Ava DuVernay has a New Gods project in the pipeline. Who would get casting rights on Darkseid? Would they keep the original casting (Ray Porter) or would they keep the worlds separate in line with the Worlds of DC vision?

Green Lantern could have a cameo and was certainly slated to appear in part two. With a Green Lantern series headed to HBOMax could this affect casting or open the door for crossover?

I know that the sentiment will likely want to hover on the gratitude that we’re even getting this project at all, but it’s a business! If JL performs then more adjustments to future projects will be made.

Batfleck: I am aware that the role pushed him into a dark place. Or rather, the pressures and “failures” of what came before and what he was dealing with his personal life lead him to bow out. Though sometimes I think the best cure for friction can be victory. If the Snyder Cut succeeds could it be the course correction needed to get Ben Affleck to come back for one more project to conclude Snyder’s vision? Is he too far checked out to come back? Will Warner be alright with two Batman’s? So many questions! I believe this could depend on the success of The Batman in comparison to what Snyder’s project can do on streaming.

The differentiation of the two platforms and formats (miniseries versus theatrical film) could also lead to a Cyborg situation that we already set up for with JL and Doom Patrol.

Format:Speaking of format early reports are stating that the project could be a four hour film or divided into a six-part series (please be the latter). Reformatting how we receive the material could make it more appealing(?).

Regardless of how its presented or how we ultimately feel about the movie after we get to see it, it’s release is already destined to be a big deal for the new streaming service in 2021