[6][7] The film is directed by Zack Snyder , written by Snyder and Chris Terrio , and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Gal Gadot , Ezra Miller , Jason Momoa , and Ray Fisher as the titular Justice League team, alongside Amy Adams , Jeremy Irons , Diane Lane , Connie Nielsen , and J. K. Simmons.
Joss Whedon, who served as the post-production director of Justice League after Snyder stepped down from directing duties two months after the death of his daughter, received a special screenwriting credit. Snyder received sole director credit. In the film, Batman and
Wonder Woman recruit The Flash , Aquaman , and Cyborg after Superman 's death to save the world from the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf and his army of
Parademons .
The film was announced in October 2014, with Snyder on board to direct and Terrio attached to write the script. Initially titled Justice League Part One , with a second part to follow in 2019, the second film was indefinitely delayed to accommodate a standalone Batman film with Affleck. Principal photography commenced in April 2016 and ended in October 2016. After Snyder stepped down to properly deal with the death of his daughter, Joss Whedon was hired to oversee the remainder of post-production, including directing additional scenes written by himself. Justice League premiered in Beijing on October 26, 2017, and was released in the United States in 2D, 3D , and IMAX on November 17, 2017.
With an estimated production budget of $300 million,
Justice League is one of the most expensive films ever made . The film grossed $657 million worldwide, making it the lowest overall gross of the DCEU. The film received mixed reviews from critics; the action sequences and performances (particularly Gadot and Miller) were praised, while the plot, writing, pacing, villain, and overuse of CGI were criticized. The film's tone was met with a polarized reception, with some appreciating the lighter tone compared to the previous DCEU films, and others finding it inconsistent. [8][9]
Plot
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Thousands of years ago, Steppenwolf and his legions of
Parademons attempt to take over Earth with the combined power of three Mother Boxes . They are foiled by a unified army that includes the Olympian Gods ,
Amazons , Atlanteans , mankind, and the Green Lantern Corps . After repelling Steppenwolf's army, the Mother Boxes are separated and hidden in locations on the planet. In the present, the world is in mourning over the death of Superman , which triggers the Mother Boxes to reactivate and Steppenwolf's return to Earth in an effort to regain favor with his master, Darkseid . Steppenwolf aims to gather the artifacts to form "The Unity", which will destroy Earth's ecology and terraform it in the image of Steppenwolf's homeworld.
Steppenwolf retrieves the Mother Box from Themyscira , prompting Queen Hippoly
