You will watch Snyder Cut in a 4: 3 ratio because HBO Max respects cinema

So that no one worries that HBO Max tarnishes the work of Zack Snyder’s author Justice League, for which the company spent $ 70 million on reshoots and new digital effects to meet the director’s requirements and satisfy years of fan demand for a better cut of the widely selected film, the service is prefacing all of the film’s broadcasts with a brief disclosure:

“This film is presented in a 4: 3 format to preserve the integrity of Zack Snyder’s creative vision.”

That’s right. HBO does not artificially crop the image just to satisfy its natural demand for wide-screen viewing. Nor would I tell Snyder that, hey, maybe Justice League it is not First cow and it doesn’t need to be presented in a square format, in which it is not clear whether the entire film was originally intended to be presented. After three years of demands, this is your vision, and no one will touch it.

Now look, I’m not going to make fun of directors by choosing less common proportions (I claim that First cow, a quiet film about a cow, which was also shot in 4: 3, was stolen from his place on the list of nominees for Best Picture). But that means that HBO Max’s highest profile movie – which was announced even before the streaming service was available, is exclusive to the service and aims to attract new subscribers – is presented in the proportion of a ’90s TV Series and leaves about half of the screen empty on most modern devices.

It was known before the film’s premiere this morning that Snyder’s cut would be presented in 4: 3. So it’s just a warning from HBO – probably as a warning to less obsessive fans who may be confused by the culture – which is a surprise on here.

The film was supposedly shot in this boxy format, and if that’s the case, you’re really seeing most on the screen than in the 2017 version (which was released in a more traditional widescreen format … and also two hours less). The intent was for the taller images to be shown on giant IMAX screens, which have an aspect ratio of approximately 4: 3, although normally only parts of a film are presented in the larger format. For now, your best bet when watching the movie on a device designed for this screen size is to choose something a little smaller: