Zack Snyder fought with the studio over original Steppenwolf design

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

We all know the tale by now; following a family tragedy, Zack Snyder stepped away from JUSTICE LEAGUE and Warner Bros. brought Joss Whedon in to rewrite and reshoot portions of the film. The end result certainly didn't please everyone, and fans soon began campaigning for Zack Snyder to bring his original vision of JUSTICE LEAGUE to life, and against all odds, it was announced earlier this year that Zack Snyder's JUSTICE LEAGUE was actually happening.

Zack Snyder's JUSTICE LEAGUE will bring plenty of unseen footage to the table, some newly shot, as well as numerous other changes. One of the more notable changes we're aware of so far is the design of Steppenwolf. While breaking down the recent trailer, Zack Snyder noted that he fought with Warner Bros. over the original design of Steppenwolf.

There were discussions and a lot of back and forth about the new design and the creation of this new design. I think the initial thought was that he was a little too scary and a little too alien and a little too intense. I personally thought he was awesome, and that he represented a real threat, and does represent a real threat to, not just to the Justice League, but to the entire planet.

When comparing the two versions of Steppenwolf, it's easy to see how Warner Bros. softened the original design to something more human, and while Snyder's Steppenwolf is looking somewhat…sharp for my tastes, he definitely looks more alien than he did in the theatrical version. As for Snyder, the director thinks that Steppenwolf's new (original) design "looks amazing and that the team has done a really great job." Zack Snyder's JUSTICE LEAGUE will debut on HBO Max sometime next year.