Believe it or not, today - March 18 - marks three years since Zack Snyder's Justice League was released on Max. The #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement paid off, only to lead to a #RestoreTheSnyderVerse follow-up which was ended by the formation of DC Studios and plans to reboot the DCEU as the DCU.
As a result, Zack Snyder's time overseeing these characters has ended; still, say what you will about the filmmaker's vision for the DC Universe, but the man loves his comic books. That's why no matter how his films end up playing out, there are always some killer Easter Eggs which only true fans will get and appreciate.
Needless to say, the Snyder Cut of Justice League was full of them. Today, we're revisiting the most deep-cut Easter Eggs which Snyder included to both tease future stories (which, short of a miracle, will now never happen) and pay homage to the source material.
Love or hate what Snyder brought to the table in the DCEU, it's hard not to appreciate these nods to the comic books and beyond. To check them out, tap the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
10. Flashpoint Tease
When director Rick Famuyiwa was still attached to The Flash, it was widely claimed the film would adapt Flashpoint.
That storyline saw Barry Allen travel through time to stop Reverse-Flash from murdering his mother; little did he know that would create a whole new timeline. In that world, Cyborg was one of the world's greatest superheroes, Thomas Wayne was Batman, and Atlantis waged war with Themyscira.
In the Snyder Cut, we get a hint of that when the heroes are digging up Superman's body.
Wonder Woman talks about the animosity between her and Aquaman's people, and while he seems uninterested in any sort of conflict, this could have quite easily been expanded on in a Flashpoint film (instead we got last year's The Flash movie, a massive let-down of a blockbuster).
9. Dusty
There's a little more Martha Kent in Zack Snyder's Justice League, including a scene with her visiting Clark's grave.
She's joined by the Kent family dog Dusty, and even though the name has admittedly been altered, this must have been a reference to Rusty, young Clark's pet dog from the comics.
In the pages of 1986's The Man of Steel #1 (written and pencilled by John Byrne), it was Rusty who helped the future Superman learn to fly...inadvertently. Snyder is such a huge fan of the character, it's no great surprise he turned to the comics for inspiration for such a small moment.
It's a small Easter Egg, but those are sometimes the best ones.
8. Gard'ner Fox
When the action moves to Central City, we catch up with Barry Allen attempting to get himself a job, and it's then that the Fastest Man Alive locks eyes with Iris West.
Thanks to his incredible speed, Barry saves her from certain death, but a closer look at the truck which nearly kills her features one heck of an Easter Egg. The company is Gard'ner Fox, a pretty clear reference to DC Comics writer Gardner Fox.
He co-created the original Flash, along with characters like Sandman and Hawkman. He was even jointly responsible for the Justice Society and Justice League, and would later introduce the Multiverse in The Flash #123 in 1961.
Without him, the DC Universe simply wouldn't be what it is today.
7. Arkham Asylum
At the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Dark Knight manages to imprison Lex Luthor in Arkham Asylum. It was a great moment and a fitting fate for the villain.
In the Snyder Cut, we get a better look at Arkham and learn that it's now known as the "Arkham Home for the Emotionally Troubled."
This new name for the iconic Gotham City location was first used in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Given Snyder's love of that story, it's no great surprise that the filmmaker took inspiration from it both for the tone of the DCEU and even small creative decisions such as this one.
The plaque also reveals that Arkham was established in 1974, the year it first appeared in the comics (in Batman #258).
6. River Styx
When Cyborg makes contact with the Mother Box and Flash powers himself up to help resurrect Superman, something strange happens.
Victor Stone gets a vision of a dark future, and as well as learning that Aquaman was killed by Darkseid, we witness Wonder Woman's funeral (explaining why neither hero was part of the Knightmare future where Earth has been conquered).
Diana Prince burns on a funeral pyre in front of her mother and the rest of the Amazons. Why does she have coins atop her eyes? Well, Greek mythology can explain.
The dead would have to pay Charon, Hades' ferryman, to be allowed to cross the River Styx into the afterlife. Coins were placed on their eyes, hence why Wonder Woman looks the way she does here. Snyder loves that sort of mythology just as much as comic books, it seems.
5. The AFSP
Bruce Wayne recruiting Barry Allen to the Justice League plays out here similarly to 2017's theatrical cut.
However, as they leave Central City together in the billionaire's car (his superpower is being rich, remember), we see a billboard with a mural for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is a fitting place to include that, especially as Barry is clearly struggling with loneliness when Batman tracks him down.
Snyder's fans have done a lot for the AFSP since the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement launched, helping them raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.
If you need help, or would like to contribute, you can do so by checking out their website.
4. Bat-Tank
A montage at the end of the film teases what's next for each member of the League, with Diana Prince longing for her home on Themyscira, Flash embracing his speed, and Superman returning to Metropolis.
Cyborg, the standout in Zack Snyder's Justice League, also moves past his anger and grief.
However, it's Batman who really grabbed our attention. The Caped Crusader is shown having apprehended a group of crooks in Gotham City, but he's standing atop a massive tank after doing so.
You guessed it: this epic Batmobile was lifted straight from the pages of The Dark Knight Returns. Even if you didn't like this movie, there's no denying what we saw from Batman in The Flash was a massive downgrade...
3. Kilowog
We've mentioned Cyborg's horrifying vision of the DC Universe's future, but there's another big moment we have to talk about.
Superman, now under the control of Darkseid's Anti-Life Equation, has wreaked havoc on the Hall of Justice (built on the remains of Wayne Manor). Shown holding Batman's cowl, it's who's lying at his feet that really jumped out at us.
That Green Lantern is, without a shadow of a doubt, Kilowog.
Perhaps the most iconic non-human Lantern, this is probably the only character Warner Bros. would allow Snyder to use (he'd later go on record to say Warner Bros. wouldn't let him include John Stewart), but it makes for one hell of a visual. Kilowog, who has fought to protect Earth many times, was clearly no match for the Man of Steel.
2. Granny Goodness
When we visit Apokolips, we catch a glimpse of Granny Goodness. One of Darkseid's most loyal followers, she trains his soldiers using a combination of torture, brainwashing, and general cruelty.
She's a bad b*tch, and it seems likely Snyder hoped to further explore her plans at the villain's side in a sequel.
However, this isn't the only reference to Granny Goodness that can be found in the Snyder Cut of Justice League. During the Central City scene with Barry and Iris, the hot dog cart actually has the name "Granny Goodness" on the side. It's a weird Easter Egg to include in a film where she's kinda, sorta introduced.
Chances are Snyder added the physical Granny Goodness during post-production on this cut, likely meaning the hot dog cart was put there when he originally shot the movie.
1. Ryan Choi, Atom
Chinese actor Zheng Kai was completely cut from 2017's Justice League but finds his role as Ryan Choi restored in this version of the film.
He has a recurring presence alongside Dr. Silas Stone, but is more than just a supporting character. In the comics, Choi - who first appeared in DCU: Brave New World #1 in 2006 - became the fourth character to become Atom.
Near the end of the film, Choi becomes S.T.A.R. Labs' Director of Nanotechnology, a strong hint that he was destined to become a superhero in the not-too-distant future.
Perhaps that was the plan for Justice League 2, though Snyder has yet to confirm this. We're also never going to see that movie unless DC Studios decides to enlist the filmmaker for a comic book or animated follow-up...don't bank on it, though!