Ben Affleck and Jared Leto filmed separately for a massive scene in Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Ben Affleck and Jared Leto filmed separately for a massive scene together in Zack Snyder’s Justice League

  • WARNING: There will be SPOILERS for Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which was released Thursday on HBO Max, so read on at your own risk 

After four years of fans begging for it, Zack Snyder’s four-hour cut of Justice League finally debuted on HBO Max Thursday, with producer Deborah Snyder revealing new details in an interview.

The four-hour mini-series is largely comprised of footage Zack Snyder shot before he left the project, after the suicide of his 20-year-old daughter Autumn, though there new scenes filmed last year.

One of these new scenes involves Ben Affeck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker, along with several other heroes, but Snyder revealed in an interview with Insider that the actors actually filmed their parts separately.

Ben and Jared: One of these new scenes involves Ben Affeck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker, along with several other heroes, but Snyder revealed in an interview with Insider that the actors actually filmed their parts separately

The scene in question happens towards the end of the film, where Batman, Joker, The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Mera (Amber Heard) and Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) are preparing for battle.

While they await the battle, Batman and Joker – formerly bitter enemies – reminisce about those they lost, Batman talking about his sidekick Robin and Joker his former lover Harley Quinn.  

Producer Deborah Snyder (wife of director Zack Snyder) revealed it was always her husband’s dream for these rivals to have a scene together.

Joker:u00A0While they await the battle, Batman and Joker - formerly bitter enemies - reminisce about those they lost, Batman talking about his sidekick Robin and Joker his former lover Harley Quinn

Joker: While they await the battle, Batman and Joker – formerly bitter enemies – reminisce about those they lost, Batman talking about his sidekick Robin and Joker his former lover Harley Quinn

‘Zack always felt the ultimate for him was to see Batman and Joker together in a scene,’ Deborah said.

‘It was something we thought about while working on the movie but couldn’t figure out how it would fit. So when we had this opportunity to do the movie again he said he really wanted to do it,’ she added. 

Filming the scene did not come without obstacles, one of the biggest of which was simply getting Leto to agree to return, which took a few years after 2016’s Suicide Squad.

Batman:u00A0'Zack always felt the ultimate for him was to see Batman and Joker together in a scene,' Deborah said

Batman: ‘Zack always felt the ultimate for him was to see Batman and Joker together in a scene,’ Deborah said

‘Zack had talked to Jared a few times about it since Suicide Squad. He was like “I don’t know,” then it went to “Okay, maybe” and then it was finally, “Okay.”‘

The reshoots took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant Affleck and Leto couldn’t actually be together in the scene.

‘We actually shot Ben separate from Jared. And Ezra was shooting ‘Fantastic Beasts’ so he was in England and Zack had to direct him over Zoom,’ she said.

Squad:u00A0'Zack had talked to Jared a few times about it since Suicide Squad. He was like "I don't know," then it went to "Okay, maybe" and then it was finally, "Okay"'

Squad: ‘Zack had talked to Jared a few times about it since Suicide Squad. He was like “I don’t know,” then it went to “Okay, maybe” and then it was finally, “Okay”‘

Affleck, Fisher, Heard, and Manganiello were the only ones who were actually on set for the shoot, though the result is a seamless scene with every hero involved.

‘It was really fun to be able to do that, to get everyone together to shoot that,’ Snyder said about the pivotal scene.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which is split into four one-hour ‘episodes,’ is currently available on HBO Max. 

Together:u00A0Affleck, Fisher, Heard, and Manganiello were the only ones who were actually on set for the shoot, though the result is a seamless scene with every hero involved

Together: Affleck, Fisher, Heard, and Manganiello were the only ones who were actually on set for the shoot, though the result is a seamless scene with every hero involved