Joss Whedon Vs. Literally Everyone Else.

What is the state of “Justice League” and the canon of the DC Extended Universe? Well, even "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins recently commented that she and other DCEU directors have pretty much ignored Joss Whedon’s rendition of “Justice League.” That position makes sense, especially considering the entire story of “Wonder Woman 1984” cancels out Bruce Wayne’s efforts to get Diana Prince back into the superhero fold. Bruh, she never left. More than that, it is blatantly obvious that Whedon’s “Justice League” sticks out from the DCEU filmography like a sore thumb - much like Henry Cavill’s CGI lip-job and the underwhelming-ness of Steppenwolf altogether.

Currently, #RestoretheSnyderVerse, an ironic twist on the Marvel character Spider Man and the Spider Verse, is trending on Twitter. The state of the DCEU stems from Snyder being recognized as the top-tier voice on all things DCEU. Perhaps he should have been all along. This is not all bad, as Kevin Fiege is the go-to person on all things Marvel Cinematic Universe. The problem with the DCEU, presently, is that there is no top tier voice. Do you know the name of the top executive in charge of DCEU at Warner Brothers? No? You’re not entirely alone, but we know Fiege. We’d take his word above all. Why can’t Snyder be that voice for the DCEU?

The state of guidance within the DCEU is not the only issue, but it’s certainly a top issue that should be addressed, especially considering the recent investigations into Warner Brothers, Joss Whedon, and the “state of the union” on Whedon’s "Justice League" set. Thanks to Ray Fischer, a.k.a. Cyborg, an inkling of the lack of unity and pervasive strife on Whedon’s set, and perhaps within Warner Brothers, has been at least partially unveiled. Jason Mamoa (Aquaman) immediately and publicly stated his support for Ray Fischer. Later, while promoting “Wonder Woman 1984,” Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) also acknowledged strife on Whedon’s set.

Furthermore, as if any other wrenches could be thrown in, the DCEU is facing more challenges in its retainment of actress Amber Heard, who plays Mera in “Aquaman” and the DCEU, is the ex-wife of Johnny Depp, and is a known abuser. The state of her marriage and Depp’s own abusive behavior aside, Heard verbally acknowledged her abuse, and still Warner Brothers keeps her on. The next “Aquaman” film may very well suffer from her retainment. It is improbable that her potential presence in the Snyder Cut will hinder the turnout and fan response on HBO Max in March. However, the entire scandal and public trials will surely harbor some ill-will towards Warner Brothers, further hurting the success of the DCEU.

In many ways, the DCEU has tried to replace Marvel for years. It does not seem that this competition was the purpose of Snyder reviving the Superman story on the big screen with “Man of Steel.” With that film’s success, Warner Brothers began plotting (pun intended) their own space within the Superhero genre with a multi-film, multi-character, cinematic universe. The “sad” story is that Marvel (a.k.a. Disney, let’s be real), got there first. Plain and simple. Marvel had the backing and traction to gain the foothold in redefining the superhero genre. Snyder tried to do the same starting with "Man of Steel," but went in a different direction which, unfortunately, did not pan out. Warner Brothers will never outpace Marvel, especially now given the demand for the Synder Cut and the ongoing tension with Whedon, both on set and within the fandoms. The entire "Justice League" debacle was a huge screw-up for Warner Brothers, and the blew their attempt at an "Avengers" equivalent. We can only wait in anticipation for the return of Snyder and his canon cut of “Justice League,” providing us with literally hours of entertainment.