Zack Snyder on hopes for Sucker Punch Director’s Cut

Zack Snyder has been discussing the ending that was axed from his 2011 movie Sucker Punch, and reveals that he hopes to one day release a Director’s Cut.

Sucker Punch was a critical and commercial failure when it hit screens. Directed and co-written by Zack Snyder, the film starred Emily Browning, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Abbie Cornish, Oscar Isaac, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, and Scott Glenn.

But in spite of that star power, the tale of a teenage girl who escapes from her grim reality by entering a twisted dream world was poorly received, scoring a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 22%, and grossing just a shade more than its purported $82 million budget. Which is a disaster when marketing and advertising are factored in.

But Snyder believes the axed ending contributed to Sucker Punch’s problems, and hopes to reinstate that sequence in a future Director’s Cut.

Zack Snyder on hopes for Sucker Punch Director’s Cut

In a Sucker Punch-specific interview with Letterboxed, Snyder reveals that three films influenced his movie – Frances, All That Jazz, and Brazil. He also says of those negative reviews: “The main criticism of the film was that it was too exploitative. People took the movie as if the girls fighting and all that stuff was the movie. I found that slightly disheartening.”

But Snyder acknowledges that the Theatrical Cut wasn’t his desired version of the movie. “I’ve never gotten around to doing the Director’s Cut, I still plan to at some point,” Snyder reveals. “But in the original ending when Babydoll is in the chair in the basement with Blue – she’s already been lobotomized – when the cop shines the light on her, the set breaks apart and she stands up and she sings a song on stage.

“She sings, ‘Ooh, Child, things are gonna get easier.’ Blondie, and all the people that have been killed, join in and it’s the idea that in a weird way, even though she’s lobotomized, she’s kind of stuck in this infinite loop of euphoric victory. It’s weirdly not optimistic and optimistic at the same time. That’s kind of what the tone was at the end. We tested it and the studio thought it was too weird, so we changed it.”

What is Sucker Punch about?

Here’s the official synopsis for Zack Snyder’s much-maligned film: “Sucker Punch is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality.

“Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what’s real and what is imaginary. She has been locked away against her will, but Babydoll has not lost her will to survive.

“Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four other young girls – the outspoken Rocket, the street-smart Blondie, the fiercely loyal Amber, and the reluctant Sweet Pea – to band together and try to escape their terrible fate at the hands of their captors, Blue, Madam Gorski, and the High Roller.

“Led by Babydoll, the girls engage in fantastical warfare against everything from samurais to serpents, with a virtual arsenal at their disposal. Together, they must decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to stay alive. But with the help of a Wise Man, their unbelievable journey – if they succeed – will set them free.”

Zack Snyder’s next movie is the Netflix sci-fi epic Rebel Moon, which you can read more about here.