Zack Snyder reveals why that Knightmare scene in Justice League almost didn't happen

Jared Leto in Zack Snyder's Justice League
(Image credit: Warner Bros./HBO Max)

Zack Snyder's Justice League has done a phenomenal job of teasing fans with what could have been if the Synderverse had continued. One scene, in particular, stands out – the extended look at the Knightmare world teased in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The chat between Joker and Batman is one of the most talked-about moments of the movie, and it almost didn’t happen.  

In a new interview with Yahoo! Sports, Snyder revealed some details about the new Knightmare sequence, including some studio pushback on Joker's involvement. Snyder thought it would be rude not to have a scene with Ben Affleck's Batman and Jared Leto's Joker together, but the studio wasn't initially keen on the idea.

"Originally, the studio said, 'Now we don’t want that,' but I was like, 'I’m going to do it anyway.' I was going to put up some green screens and shoot it in my backyard, but we didn’t have to do that in the end," the director said.

Synder also went on to explain how Darkseid’s invasion was all Lex Luthor's fault. "Darkseid would have come to Earth, and Lex would have figured out the Anti-Life Equation and given it to him upon his arrival," Snyder said. "He also gives Darkseid the knowledge that if he kills Lois, Superman will succumb to Anti-Life. The Earth falls, and Flash has to go back in time to stop Lois from being killed. That’s really the linchpin of the whole thing."

It’s only been about a week since the Synder Cut hit HBO Max, and with over four hours of content, there's sure to be more behind-the-scenes information to come. Including why Justice League Snyder Cut almost gave Superman a beard and mullet.

Before you watch Snyder Cut, be sure to catch up on all the DC movies in order – and if you don't have HBO Max yet, check out the best HBO Max prices.

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Stephanie is a comic book historian and pop culture critic for publications including SYFYFANGRRLS, Marvel, The A.V. Club, Nerdist, Den of Geek, and Rotten Tomatoes. Stephanie is also a comic creator with three ongoing webcomics, Parenthood Activate!, But What If Though?, and Living Heroes. She made her Marvel debut with a short story featuring Monica Rambeau in Marvel’s Voices: Legacy. She recently made her DC Comics debut in Wonder Woman Black and Gold #2 and is co-writing the Nubia and the Amazons miniseries.