A large share of fans asked for the release of the Snyder Cut of Justice League, and they eventually got it. But the Justice League Snyder Cut victory started a great debate about meeting the demands of noisy fandoms, especially when there is a blurred line between legitimate claims and absurd requests. In a recent interview with The Verge, HBO Max head Tony Goncalves took on the subject of passionate fandoms like the one of Justice League Snyder Cut.
“I think the consumer wins at the end of the day, and I think we’ve put together a product offering that has multiple Snyder cuts,” he said.
He then explained that his “multiple Snyder cuts” expression refers to the fact that they are trying to meet the taste of as many fandoms as possible, like those of Friends, Harry Potter, and Studio Ghibli, just to name a few.
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Goncalves went on to add that at the end of the day, what a thriving entertainment industry does is meeting the fans’ taste since they are the ones always to have the last word.
“My reference to the fandoms is the fact that we’re in a space where consumers are loud,” he added. “Consumers guide, and we absolutely have to listen as industry. I had a boss that once said, “‘Industry and consumers aren’t always aligned, but consumers do tend to win.’ It’s a fine balance. And I think when it comes to video, when it comes to entertainment, when it comes to content, consumers have never had more choice, and they’ve never had more of a voice. But that doesn’t mean that we will go and invest our dollars in every single fandom that exists. But I think the reference to the Snyder Cut and the Friends fandom is the fact that consumers are speaking, and we have to listen.”
According to Goncalves, the Snyder Cut doesn’t set any particular precedent for director’s cuts. He didn’t say it explicitly, but he kind of implied that there is no plan to release the David Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad because they are not “going to go redo every movie ever made.” At least, for now.
The Justice League Snyder Cut will debut on HBO Max in 2021.
Do you agree with Goncalves’ take on the Snyder Cut? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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