More light shed on the missteps which led to cobbled together Justice League

Although there were hopes that JUSTICE LEAGUE would continue in the footsteps of WONDER WOMAN, the DC flick proved to be a polarizing presence upon release, with some praising its lighter tone and others taking aim at inconsistencies and lackluster CGI. Clearly, this was not the triumph which Warner Bros. had hoped, but given all the roadblocks the film faced on its path to the big-screen, it's almost remarkable that it was even released on time. Speaking of time, a new report from The Wrap has dived into the many issues which plagued the production of JUSTICE LEAGUE, and, long story short, much of it could have been avoided had they been given enough time to do their jobs properly.

After the disappointment of BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE, an "individual with deep knowledge of Warner Bros." said that studio executives repeatedly suggested to Warner Bros. president Greg Silverman that Zack Snyder be removed from JUSTICE LEAGUE. Although Silverman was apparently "quite harsh on Zack," he didn't fire him as removing a director would be a "sign of serious trouble on a tentpole designed to support a larger universe." There was also the cost factor to consider, as "They were already in deep prep on ‘Justice League’ and it would have cost a fortune. There’s stickiness to a director because there’s so much cost to unstick him. Warners is a studio that almost to a fault always wants to project strength." Silverman would later step down from his post, just months after Warner Bros. announced plans to merge with AT&T. With a massive merger on the line, Warner Bros. knew that delaying JUSTICE LEAGUE would project weakness, and thus the work began to ensure that the film would be a success.

The studio was insistent that JUSTICE LEAGUE have a lighter tone, and to that end, recruited Joss Whedon to "help add some levity and fun to the script." Although Whedon's involvement came with Snyder's blessing, there were still battles with the studio over just how to juggle the right amount of light and darkness. Then, tragically, Zack Snyder's daughter committed suicide, and although the director had intended to deal with his grief by burying himself in his work, he later stepped away to focus on his family, leaving the costly reshoots in the hands of Joss Whedon.

It was at this time when the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE really should have been pushed back, especially as Warner Bros. already had a DC hit on their hands with WONDER WOMAN, but production moved forward. It's here that The Wrap drops a very revealing tidbit. Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Toby Emmerich, who replaced Greg Silverman, reportedly "wanted to preserve their bonuses they would be paid before the [AT&T] merger," and were worried that "if they pushed the movie, then their bonuses would have been pushed to the following year and they might not still be at the studio." There it is. A lack of time, conflicting visions, and a surplus of greed.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is now playing in theaters.