WB Reportedly Didn't Want Martian Manhunter In Snyder's Justice League

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Warner Bros. reportedly did not want Martian Manhunter to be included in Zack Snyder's Justice League due to other plans for the character. Once something audiences never thought they would see, Warner Bros. released Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max on March 18, 2021. The film was considered by many a major improvement over the theatrical cut the studio released in 2017, praised for its epic scope and inclusion of DC Easter eggs.

One of the big reveals in Zack Snyder's Justice League was the identity of Martian Manhunter. In the film, the character first appears after having designed himself as Martha Kent to talk with Lois Lane, and transforms into his Martian form before turning into his human alter-ego General Swanwick from Man of Steel and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, played by Harry Lennix. The character then reappears at the end of the film as a hint of what was to come had Snyder's vision for the DCEU continued as planned.

Related: How Zack Snyder's Martian Manhunter Compares To DC Comics

In a report by Rolling Stone regarding the behind-the-scenes conflicts ofZack Snyder's Justice League, one argument arose on the status of Martian Manhunter. Sources say that the character was not in the original script of Zack Snyder's Justice League, and the studio was blindsided by the inclusion. Warner Bros. executive Walter Hamada reportedly requested Martian Manhunter be removed from the film, as they had different plans for the character. Snyder reportedly threatened to delete other footage if he was not allowed to include the character, but the director denies this claim, saying he would not have the ability to do so. Jason Kilar, then CEO of WarnerMedia, ruled in Snyder's favor and allowed Martian Manhunter