On Sunday, the service released the latest trailer for “Snyder Cut” – an extended version of the 2017 superhero movie “Justice League” by director Zack Snyder. The film, due to hit HBO Max on March 18, comes with significant hype and high expectations.
But why would WarnerMedia, which is also CNN’s parent company, take the trouble to relaunch a 2017 movie? And not only cut the film, but also add new scenes to create a big budget four-hour version?
Well, it serves two purposes: pleasing fans and increasing the HBO Max subscriber base.
Fans have been clamoring for the updated film – which features DC Batman superheroes, Wonder Woman and Superman coming together – since the original hit in theaters four years ago.
Snyder, who directed other films in the DC Entertainment catalog, including “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, stepped down as director of “Justice League” after a family tragedy. Joss Whedon, director of Marvel’s “The Avengers”, was hired to finish the film.
Since then, DC fans have practically begged Warner Bros. to launch Snyder’s version by posting the hashtag #ReleasetheSnyderCut on social media. Eventually, they fulfilled their wish, with the studio announcing last May that it would release Snyder’s version on HBO Max.
Launching a movie starring Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman on their new streaming service may seem like a hit to WarnerMedia. However, there is some risk to see that The 2017 “Justice League” was a disappointment.
The fans didn’t like the movie – as you probably guessed, considering they’re asking for a new version – and critics criticized it. The box office total was also low for a superhero movie, despite having raised about $ 660 million worldwide.
But box office numbers are not a concern when it comes to streaming.
For WarnerMedia, the decision to debut “Snyder Cut” on HBO Max makes sense. Streaming is now the top priority for Hollywood media companies, and to compete with companies like Netflix, the new services need as many subscribers as they can get, as well as the exclusive content to get them.
Although HBO Max’s 17.2 million activations are solid, they pale in comparison to Netflix (NFLX) and the number of Disney + subscribers, so the service needs to work hard to reach it.
It also helps to explain why WarnerMedia announced in December that all Warner Bros. films. would be released for streaming and in theaters on the same day this year. That choice, which will bring possible blockbuster hits like “Dune”, “The Suicide Squad” and “The Matrix 4” to viewers’ living rooms, caused a huge stir in Hollywood. However, in a streaming market where content is king, WarnerMedia is not holding back.
So bringing together DC’s most popular heroes into a movie that fans can only find on HBO Max is a no-brainer for WarnerMedia, which tries to create its own heroism in the streaming world.
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