'Justice League': Check out Jared Leto's freaky Joker in the trailer for Zack Snyder's new HBO Max cut
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Has Zack Snyder finally done justice to the much-maligned âJustice Leagueâ?
The directorâs first full trailer for his four-hour supercut of the DC Comics movie arrived Sunday, revealing a darker, grittier take than the original 2017 film that earned a relatively disappointing $229 million at the domestic box office.
Ben Affleck (as Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman) are all back in the new version, which hits theaters and HBO Max on March 18. But the big draw for superfans is the trailerâs glimpse at Jared Letoâs Joker, who appears in a new dream sequence shot specifically for the expanded movie.
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âWe live in a society where honor is a distant memory,â says Joker, silhouetted against a sun-lit skyline. âIsnât that right, Batman?â
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The Joker turns, revealing a tattoo-free, smudged-makeup look reminiscent of Heath Ledgerâs Oscar-winning take on the role.
The trailer also showcases a big throwdown with the villainous Darkseid (Ray Porter), who is featured prominently in the new version.
When Snyderâs daughter died, he exited âJustice Leagueâ six months before the superhero movieâs release, and âAvengers: Age of Ultronâ director Joss Whedon was brought in to finish the film. Fans campaigned for a Snyder directorâs cut after the movie tanked with critics. (Just 40% of them liked it on review site Rotten Tomatoes.)
Last July, Ray Fisher, who plays Cyborg, tweeted that Whedonâs behavior during reshoots for the film was âgross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable.â
WarnerMedia investigated and indicated remedial actions had been taken but gave no specifics.
What does this mean for theaters? In âseismicâ move, Warner Bros. releasing all 2021 movies on HBO Max