Are movie fans going too far in pressuring motion picture producers to release deleted cuts of movies?
Now, there is a growing trend where fans and viewers take to social media to demand release of directorial cuts, deleted scenes, or extended versions.
ON March 19, Warner Brothers gave in to the call of thousands of fans asking the studio to “Release the Snyder Cut” referring to the Justice League’s (2017) original 4-hour cut before Warner ordered to trim the movie and before the director, Zack Snyder left the project.
Now, there is a growing trend where fans and viewers take to social media to demand release of directorial cuts, deleted scenes, or extended versions.
The movie industry is familiar with releasing extended versions of a movie often in the form of home video, DVD, Blu-Ray disks. The extended versions often add an extra 10 to 30 minutes of minor scenes to the movie runtime.
Rarely, extended versions give viewers longer monologues, more character development, or even an alternate ending.
Filmmakers over the years have seen their creations snipped, cut, or even rearranged thanks to the studio’s interference. Many fight for their vision but only a few get their way safely.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League was highly sought because of the unique circumstances that surround it: Warner wanted a shorter film, they brought in a new writer-director when the shooting was already 85% finished, and that the creator left the project abruptly for personal reasons.
While we applaud Snyder for finally getting his original creative content to the public, his story changed the industry. For better or worse, we have yet to find out.
Before #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, director’s cuts were fun additions often only sought by diehard fans looking for more content.
Now, fans feel like they can coerce studios to release just about anything. Even directors are getting in the trend and publicly supporting fans demanding studios to release extended editions.
Warner Brothers this past week has been flooded with demands such as #RestoreTheSnyderverse, pertaining to the DC Extended Universe set up by Snyder but was trashed by the studio, and #ReleaseTheAyerCut, regarding the film Suicide Squad (2016).
Even Marvel is starting to get requests like #ReleaseTheZemoCut after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode where the character, Zemo, is dancing.
The actor, Daniel Brühl, admitted in an interview that it was unscripted and that the dance was longer.
Fans only kill the fun that comes when the studio eventually releases deleted scenes, bloopers, behind-the-scenes, director’s cuts, and extended versions because, in the end, it’s the studio’s choice when and if they’ll release. (HD)
Tags: #cinema, #ReleaseTheCut