From 2013 to 2023, director Zack Snyder dictated the tone and look of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe. At the beginning of a decade-long mishmash, Snyder revived the Superman story with Man of Steel, a loud, somber and faux-poetic noise-fest that sharply divided audiences. Some felt that Snyder's operatic visuals and over-the-top storytelling habits were a good way for Superman to “grow up”, while many others felt that Snyder's film was more style than substance. Snyder's split continued the creation of a wildly inconsistent, interconnected superhero universe that included some of the best superhero movies ever made (“Shazam!”) and some of the biggest flops of all time (“The Flash”).
One of the more controversial sequels was Snyder's own 2016 film “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” In this film, the newly introduced Batman (Ben Affleck) was already suspicious of the newly arrived Superman (Henry Cavill), considering Superman had ravaged Metropolis at the end of Man of Steel. Young Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) also hated Superman and manipulated Batman – in a very, very roundabout way – into physically fighting the man in blue. The climax of the film was a fierce fight between the title characters, which resulted in at least one of them having his head impaled on the bathroom sink. Batman came prepared with a Kryptonite weapon, so at least he had a chance.
Like most superhero films, “Dawn of Justice” is rated PG-13 for its cartoon violence (people die, but not bloodily) and grim thematic elements. However, it appears that the film almost received an R rating from the MPA (then known as the MPAA) for a rather absurd reason. During an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Snyder said the MPA judging panel was uncomfortable with Superman fighting Batman.
The MPA was uncomfortable with Superman fighting Batman
After all, Superman is usually portrayed as an aspirational character. He can usually defeat his enemies without much effort. You could say that Superman doesn't so much defeat his opponents as humiliate them, showing them that their twisted plans cannot come true and that giving up their villainy may be a better path forward. Meanwhile, Batman is a symbol of fear, scaring criminals with his scary bat suit and technologically advanced investigative gadgets. The two characters may have very different approaches to policing when dealing with the criminal underworld, but ultimately they are both heroes.
It seems the MPA didn't like the idea of these two superheroes finding a reason to fight. The sight of both noble figures turned into furious fighting machines. Snyder became frustrated when his film was repeatedly submitted to the MPA for a rating and still received an R rating. For international readers, the R rating requires anyone under the age of 17 to attend the film with an adult guardian. Snyder didn't like it, saying:
“I remember the ratings board said, 'We just don't like the idea of Batman fighting Superman.' (…) I replied: 'It has nothing to do with grades.' They kept giving it an R rating. They kept coming back with an R rating and saying, what should we cut? And they said, “Well, we just don't like the idea of Batman fighting Superman.” 'I can't get it out! This is the movie.”
It brings to mind the scene from “Ed Wood” in which the titular filmmaker had to change the title of his film “Grave Robbers from Outer Space” because ultra-Christian financiers found the idea of grave robbing distasteful. Wood noted that that was the premise of the movie, for God's sake.
Snyder cut
The last cinematic version of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” lasted as much as 152 minutes, but this happened after Snyder was forced to shorten the titular fight by a few seconds. There are a few punch-to-jaw moments, and they don't last that long.
However, Snyder has now become famous for releasing multiple versions of his films. Needless to say, the chaotic production of his film Justice League, which he had to stop due to a personal tragedy. Joss Whedon was hired to rewrite and reshoot many scenes instead of Snyder. Although “Justice League” was not the hit the studio expected, a small portion of Snyder's fans said it was because Snyder was unable to complete the film he expected. Years and $70 million later, Zack Snyder's four-hour cut of Zack Snyder's Justice League has become available for streaming. This film meant that Snyder fans liked having two versions to compare.
Indeed, many Snyder fans were already declaring their “two versions” philosophy when Snyder released the 183-minute version of “Batman v Superman” to home media. Snyder obviously thought the three-hour version was better, simply saying:
“So it was crazy. So we really had to trim it. I mean, if you see the director's cut of Batman v Superman, it's much better. In my opinion, it's a much better movie.”
Which version of which Snyder film do you prefer? As of this writing, there are two separate versions of both films of Snyder's Rebel Moon epic.. Depending on which one, it will be either 256 or 377 minutes long.
