More than a year after the much-hyped “Snyder Cut” of Justice League premiered on HBO Max, a new report has shed more light on the online campaign that fueled its release.
Rolling Stone reports the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut social media campaign was partially fueled by bots and fake accounts. An investigation by WarnerMedia found that “at least 13 percent of the accounts that took part in the conversation about the Snyder Cut were deemed fake, well above the three to five percent that cyber experts say they typically see on any trending topic.”
Justice League director Zack Snyder had to step away from the film due to a family tragedy. It was subsequently completed by Avengers director Joss Whedon, and hit theaters in 2017. Shortly after its release, an online campaign lobbied for Snyder’s original vision, aka the “Snyder Cut,” to see the light of day.
Nearly four years later, HBO Max delivered, when the streamer released the infamous version of the 2017 film in March 2021.
“One identified community was made up of real and fake authors that spread negative content about WarnerMedia for not restoring the ‘SnyderVerse,’” the Rolling Stone report found. “Additionally, three main leaders were identified within the authors scanned on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram — one leader on each platform. These leaders received the highest amount of engagement and have many followers, which gives them the ability to influence public opinion.”
Despite the overwhelming evidence supporting the report, Snyder has denied having any connection with the infamous social media movement.
“As an artist, it was fulfilling to be able to finally see my vision realized after such a difficult time in my life and for it to be so well received,” he told the outlet. “I am grateful to both the fan community and Warner Bros. for allowing this to happen. To dwell on negativity and rumors serves no one.”
