Here are the new shots in the second Snyder cut trailer for Justice League. Following the critical and commercial failure of 2017’s Justice League movie, a sense of disappointment grew among fans, as the true scale of post-production alterations became clear. Original director, Zack Snyder, took time away from finishing the movie and in his absence, Justice League became a very different film. DC fans campaigned passionately for the so-called “Snyder cut” to be released, and their efforts finally bore fruit in an otherwise-joyless 2020, when Warner Bros. confirmed the four-part Zack Snyder’s Justice League miniseries would stream on HBO Max in 2021.
From the information revealed so far, it’s clear that the alternate version of Justice League isn’t merely a compilation of what Snyder filmed before his departure – it’s a full continuation of the director’s DCEU vision. New footage is being filmed, and unexpected figures such as Jared Leto’s Joker are lined up to appear alongside more predictable additions like Darkseid and Martian Manhunter. A first trailer for the Snyder cut released earlier this year to a rapturous response, and revealed more Knightmare material, the debut of Iris West, and a new villain in Desaad. A second trailer has now dropped and comprises mostly the same footage, albeit with a few new additions.
Strangely, the new Justice League trailer is a black and white affair. This might be a stylistic choice to differentiate from the previous promo, or a nod towards the Snyder cut’s darker tone. According to the director himself, much time was spent editing in black and white, so perhaps this is simply how Snyder views his Justice League vision. The color palette isn’t the only change either – here are the new shots squeezed into Zack Snyder’s latest Justice League trailer.
Superman’s Hologram
The original Snyder cut trailer included a brief moment where Bruce Wayne stares lovingly at a hologram of the deceased Superman, but the new footage offers more context. We see the full profile of the 3-D Superman in his traditional pose (rather than just a corner of fluttering cape) and where Bruce previously looked to be pondering the hologram alone silently, Diana Prince and Arthur Curry are shown gathered around the projection. This scene takes place at Wayne Aerospace (not the Bat cave) and slots in prior to Superman’s resurrection, but the new footage removes the emphasis from Bruce Wayne alone and focuses on the Justice League as a whole. Snyder confirmed previously that Cyborg was generating this image and it’s very likely Flash is present also. The team are discussing the possibility of bringing Superman back to life in this sequence, but the united League suggests Bruce may not be pushing the resurrection idea as vehemently as he did in the theatrical cut.
More importantly, the image of the Justice League examining a projection of Superman continues the Snyder cut’s deeper exploration of Clark’s legacy. Already, new images and footage have revealed a revived Clark perusing his monument and the tributes left behind by adoring fans, and this hologram continues the theme of Superman’s absence. Bruce’s arc in Snyder’s Justice League may be more concerned with honoring the legacy of Superman than using him as a weapon to point at Steppenwolf and let fly.
Cyborg Watches Children Play
Zack Snyder has made no secret that Ray Fisher’s Cyborg will play a far bigger role in the Snyder cut compared to the 2017 Justice League, going so far as to describe the metallic superhero as the “heart” of his movie. The previous Snyder cut trailer already highlighted new Cyborg footage, with the character’s backstory, high school origins, dream-like sequences, and the Doctor Manhattan-esque death of his father. The new Justice League trailer goes further, adding a new scene where Victor Stone solemnly watches children toss a football in the street. Although there are no major plot revelations or DC connections here, the symbolism is clear – Victor misses playing the sport he loves. Covered in a hoodie, this shot comes while Cyborg is still isolating himself from the outside world and coming to terms with his mechanical alterations before meeting the Justice League and discovering a new purpose, promising more development and depth to Victor than the previous Justice League managed.
More Darkseid Action
Darkseid has been the face of the Snyder cut marketing campaign, and the latest trailer offers a tantalizing new shot of the DCEU villain. Snyder’s DCEU appeared to be steadily building toward Darkseid’s arrival on Earth, but the character was only referenced in passing during the 2017 theatrical release. Reinstating the DCEU’s original overarching bad guy is a statement of intent from Snyder, even if Steppenwolf will remain the immediate threat. This shot depicts Darkseid (technically still known as Uxas as this point) surrounded by hooded acolytes gathering energy into the Mother Boxes. The scene is confirmed by Snyder to come during Justice League‘s flashback into ancient history, when Uxas’ first reign of terror on Earth began and he battled the likes of Zeus and Ares.
Fans will recognize this shot from the 2017 Justice League, in which Steppenwolf stood in exactly the same position surrounded by exactly the same goons. Apparently, Whedon replaced Darkseid with Steppenwolf for the theatrical cut, and now Snyder has restored the villain to his rightful place. Some will be disappointed that the shot is recycled, rather than entirely new, but Darkseid’s presence in this scene reveals a bigger role for the Anti-Life Equation, which was only hinted at during Steppenwolf’s invasion sequence. Another new addition is Desaad as one of Mother Box faithful. The motivations and goals are ostensibly the same for both villains, but Darkseid’s comic history and search for the Omega powers give the sequence more significance than with Steppenwolf in his place.
More Batmobile vs. Parademons
In the previous Justice League effort, Bruce rides his Batmobile through a crowd of parademons to allow his allies a shot at stopping the big boss. The smattering of fresh Batmobile images in the new Snyder cut trailer derive from the same third act sequence and follow the same story of Bruce turning himself into a giant distraction for Steppenwolf’s minions. Well, he hasn’t got Robin anymore. There’s nothing new revealed about the Snyder cut’s plot, but the shots are visually impressive nonetheless and reveal an extended, more violent Batmobile chase.
Hippolyta In Battle
Connie Nielsen’s Hippolyta and Robin Wright’s Antiope appeared in the 2017 Justice League alongside their fellow Amazonians, giving Steppenwolf a violent welcome to planet Earth. The original movie saw the ancient warriors clashing against Steppenwolf and his parademon army to protect the mother box. The circumstances appear to be the same in the Snyder cut, but this new shot of Hippolyta promises more focus for the Wonder Woman character. And in a four-hour story, why not give the women of Themyscira more time to show off what they do best. In the new trailer, Hippolyta is cradling the Mother Box, slaying parademons as she goes – a badass moment not seen in the previous trailer. Justice League‘s cinematographer revealed behind-the-scenes images of dropped Amazonian footage in 2019, and their presence in both trailers only underlines their added importance in Snyder’s story.
Flash Saves STAR Scientists
The black and white palette makes deciphering this scene virtually impossible without a helping hand from Zack Snyder himself. According to the director, this shot takes place during the STAR scientists rescue, and shows Flash saving people from falling debris using his super-speed. In the theatrical cut, Steppenwolf’s hunt for the Mother Boxes takes him to STAR Labs, where he kidnaps a group of workers that include Cyborg’s father, Silas Stone. The Justice League storm Steppenwolf’s underground hiding place and Flash’s role is to rescue the civilians, which he does by moving them to safety one at a time. Evidently disagreeing with the science in the 2017 cut, Zack Snyder’s Justice League will see Barry Allen saving the scientists by protecting them from falling rubble. A still image from this scene was unveiled earlier this year, and the new Justice League trailer offers a glimpse at the Flash in motion.
