What is your ideal fan cut/edit job of BvS?

[Lightning Rider]

This thread is only for people who think the movie had enough enjoyable, interesting qualities.

The Rules:

-You can manipulate the length, order, content, and basic aesthetics (such as lighting and color) of any scene in the theatrical cut or extended cut (as well as any scenes we know were shot but didn't make it into either cut.)

-You cannot change the dialogue or events transpiring.

-After abiding to the previous rules, there is ONE significant scene change you can re-shoot.

I'll use the following broad categories:

First Act

Diamond Absolutes
The Destruction of Metropolis
African Intervention
Aftermath
Finding Kryptonite
Tub Love
Batman's Introduction
News of Batman's Branding
At the Cave with Alfred
Lex's Introduction

Second Act

"False God"
Lex's Jollyrancher Deal
Bruce in the Fighting Pit
Perry Stifles Clark
Lois and The General
"Granny's Peach Tea" (Lex vs. Senator Finch)
Lois and The General Pt 2
Batman's ManBat Nightmare and Training Scenes
"Empty Wine Cellar:
Lex's Prometheus Speech
Clark Kent vs. Bruce Wayne
Day of the Dead
The Superman Debates
Perry Stifles Clark Again
Batman meets Diana
The Knightmare
"One Percent Chance"
Car Chase & Face Off
Lois and the General Pt 3
Kent Farm at Night
Senate Hearing and Explosion

Third Act

"Superman was never real."
Lex & The Kryptonian Archives
Bruce breaks into Lexcorp & develops Kryptonite
Lex Creates Doomsday
Superman Disappears (News)
Pa Kent Heart to Heart
"They Were Hunters"
Martha and Lois Kidnapped
"Problems Up Here"
"No One Stays Good in This World
Wonder Woman's Metahuman Email
The Big Fight
Martha!
The Warehouse Fight
Doomsday Battle
Superman & Clark's Funeral
Lex in jail


From the Extended Cut:

The Africa Subplot (including Clark's investigation)
Lois discovering Wallace's full fridge & lead wheelchair
The Bat Brand causing murder & Clark's visit to the courthouse
Batman's Arkhamesque abduction of a Lex Guard
Senate Aftermath
"I don't deserve you Alfred"; "No sir, you don't."
"So Falls the House of Wayne
More of Lex's dialogue before "ding ding ding"
"Phone with mom"
Mountain Trip
Longer Memorial Footage
Batfleck's butt in the shower

Let me know if I missed anything. I should have probably used the DVD scene selection but once I started I didn't want to have it go to waste.

Edit away!

[Elmo]

For me it's the Ultimate Cut, with the Knightmare sequence taken out completely. I dig fan edits but that movie to me is flawless; I just think the Knightmare scene while well done and providing a closer look at Bruce's paranoia and distrust of Superman, should not have been in the movie

[batfan08]

I’d have to agree with Elmo in that I’d keep the Extended Cut largely as is. However, once more, the Knightmare scene would fall by the wayside. With all of Luthor’s other pieces in play from the Ultimate Cut, narratively, that visual manifestation of Batman’s worst fears seems redundant and, quite frankly, it’s just too jarring. I understand the concept behind it; Bruce falling asleep at the desk and everything, but it completely stifles the pacing.

Additionally, I would’ve eliminated the Justice League files completely from the actual film. It seemed forced as it is with their “logos”, but, again, narratively, the film grinds to a halt in the service of a glorified commercial. Frankly, I feel that material would’ve been much better suited to a viral tie-in site where we play Wonder Woman’s role in examining the hidden files. It could’ve served as a way to both enrich the film and get people hyped for Justice League without sacrificing quality.

Lastly, I’d have cut Lois’ “burying” of the spear completely. It was a narrative obstacle that served only to create a plot hole (her telepathic knowledge that she needed to retrieve it in the wake of Batman’s totally unrelated call to Alfred), and, yet again, hindered pacing and proved redundant. I get that Lois Lane is the damsel in distress, but having to save her, once more, less than 15 minutes after rescuing her from a death drop from a skyscraper, from drowning, and after having already saved her multiple times throughout the film, seemed excessive.

Outside of that, I’d have probably had Snyder reign in his inner auteur a little bit. Close up slow-mo shots of leaky faucets and falling ammunition might go a ways towards creating atmosphere, but, when your film is already three hours long, I feel like your “dramatic effects” don’t need to be quite so gratuitous. To that effect, I suppose I would also add the second Martha flashback during the actual “Martha” moment. Trust your audience. They heard you the first time, and, in some respects, it cheapens the effect when you dumb it down to such a degree.

I actually feel like part of the problem so many people seem to have with it is that they feel condescended to. That it’s more about the shared name than it is about the forgotten experience, and, in that regard, I guess that’s where I’d introduce my first reshoot. I’d eliminate the second “Martha” flashback completely, but, during the “WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME” portion of the scene, I’d introduce a quick cut to the screaming young Bruce juxtaposed against his broken adult counterpart to drive home that point that this isn’t about a shared name, but about a man who’s lost his way.

Overall, I, too, loved BvS (mainly the Ultimate Cut), but I felt that even that version suffered from pacing issues. Ultimately, my biggest issue with the theatrical cut isn’t that they cut nearly a half hour of material, but that they cut the wrong half hour.

[Lightning Rider]

For me it's the Ultimate Cut, with the Knightmare sequence taken out completely. I dig fan edits but that movie to me is flawless; I just think the Knightmare scene while well done and providing a closer look at Bruce's paranoia and distrust of Superman, should not have been in the movie

This would probably be the biggest edit I make. Are you removing Flash too?

I'd also leave out from the Extended Cut the "he has come here to die" line and perhaps chop up Lex's speech a little bit, omitting the "PARADOXICAL" scream. Maybe. And I could do without some of the Doomsday energy ring explosions.

[Lightning Rider]

I’d have to agree with Elmo in that I’d keep the Extended Cut largely as is. However, once more, the Knightmare scene would fall by the wayside. With all of Luthor’s other pieces in play from the Ultimate Cut, narratively, that visual manifestation of Batman’s worst fears seems redundant and, quite frankly, it’s just too jarring. I understand the concept behind it; Bruce falling asleep at the desk and everything, but it completely stifles the pacing.

Additionally, I would’ve eliminated the Justice League files completely from the actual film. It seemed forced as it is with their “logos”, but, again, narratively, the film grinds to a halt in the service of a glorified commercial. Frankly, I feel that material would’ve been much better suited to a viral tie-in site where we play Wonder Woman’s role in examining the hidden files. It could’ve served as a way to both enrich the film and get people hyped for Justice League without sacrificing quality.

Lastly, I’d have cut Lois’ “burying” of the spear completely. It was a narrative obstacle that served only to create a plot hole (her telepathic knowledge that she needed to retrieve it in the wake of Batman’s totally unrelated call to Alfred), and, yet again, hindered pacing and proved redundant. I get that Lois Lane is the damsel in distress, but having to save her, once more, less than 15 minutes after rescuing her from a death drop from a skyscraper, from drowning, and after having already saved her multiple times throughout the film, seemed excessive.

Outside of that, I’d have probably had Snyder reign in his inner auteur a little bit. Close up slow-mo shots of leaky faucets and falling ammunition might go a ways towards creating atmosphere, but, when your film is already three hours long, I feel like your “dramatic effects” don’t need to be quite so gratuitous. To that effect, I suppose I would also add the second Martha flashback during the actual “Martha” moment. Trust your audience. They heard you the first time, and, in some respects, it cheapens the effect when you dumb it down to such a degree.

I actually feel like part of the problem so many people seem to have with it is that they feel condescended to. That it’s more about the shared name than it is about the forgotten experience, and, in that regard, I guess that’s where I’d introduce my first reshoot. I’d eliminate the second “Martha” flashback completely, but, during the “WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME” portion of the scene, I’d introduce a quick cut to the screaming young Bruce juxtaposed against his broken adult counterpart to drive home that point that this isn’t about a shared name, but about a man who’s lost his way.

Overall, I, too, loved BvS (mainly the Ultimate Cut), but I felt that even that version suffered from pacing issues. Ultimately, my biggest issue with the theatrical cut isn’t that they cut nearly a half hour of material, but that they cut the wrong half hour.

It's funny you mention that, because I don't know if most audiences feel condescended to since a lot of them don't actually get the Martha scene and fail to infer a lot of (to me) obvious thematic symbolism in the film.

[Denirac]

Honestly I'd simply remove all the Doomsday/Death of Superman stuff. I love the character and the story, but its just that I felt it was too early in the game for Superman to die. I'd want all the Superheroes of the DCU at his funeral like in the Comic and now I can't get that. Death of Superman should have been in a Superman Sequel (Probably the 3rd of a Trilogy, with his return in a JL movie dealing with the aftermath (Coast City and Mongul). And Perhaps a Reign of the Supermen film in between the two.

They should have had:
Man of Steel
Batman vs Superman (I think without Death of Superman the Ultimate Cut was brilliant.)
JL (with Brainiac- This could have worked more than Steppenwolf if Clark was alive)
Man of Tomorrow
JL2(Darkseid)
Last Son of Krypton (Death of Superman)
Reign of the Supermen
JL3(Mongul, Cyborg Superman and Destruction of Coast City with the Return of Superman.)


But still aside from that I'd keep Dawn of Justice as it was in the Ultimate Cut which I really liked

[Jekyll]

Honestly I'd simply remove all the Doomsday/Death of Superman stuff. I love the character and the story, but its just that I felt it was too early in the game for Superman to die. I'd want all the Superheroes of the DCU at his funeral like in the Comic and now I can't get that. Death of Superman should have been in a Superman Sequel (Probably the 3rd of a Trilogy, with his return in a JL movie dealing with the aftermath (Coast City and Mongul). And Perhaps a Reign of the Supermen film in between the two.

They should have had:
Man of Steel
Batman vs Superman (I think without Death of Superman the Ultimate Cut was brilliant.)
JL (with Brainiac- This could have worked more than Steppenwolf if Clark was alive)
Man of Tomorrow
JL2(Darkseid)
Last Son of Krypton (Death of Superman)
Reign of the Supermen
JL3(Mongul, Cyborg Superman and Destruction of Coast City with the Return of Superman.)


But still aside from that I'd keep Dawn of Justice as it was in the Ultimate Cut which I really liked

That’s a pretty good idea! Instead of doomsday, perhaps the trinity could have fought something that lex captured from Apocalypse? It would have been a better set up to JL since that’s what they were building to anyways.

[SmokeMonster]

The voiceover in the opening scene is removed and the footage of young Bruce is intercut with footage of Clark's life (Clark playing in the yard, hiding in the school closet, Clark and Jon in the barn, Pa Kent raising his hand and Clark's yell as he's swept away, and Clark walking into the cavern with the ship).

(This is to contrast the two characters, one who was defined by a life of hard choices regarding his incredible power, and another that was defined by a moment of loss and a feeling of powerlessness. I also just prefer the first Batman/Superman movie to feel more like a Batman/Superman movie).

When Bruce floats up and the music almost reaches that point where it's just the vocals, we cut to the coke bottle opening up, and we're in present day.

All the bullet stuff throughout the movie is removed, including the scenes of Lois and Swanwick, Jenna Malone's character, Lois in Wallace's apartment, etc.

The shot of Clark tackling the dude through the wall is not shown, only heard, and we cut to the short scene of Perry at the planet yelling Clark's name, asking where he goes all the time. A "Metropolis" title appears on screen.

Next scene is the cops watching football, and when they show up at the house and the bats fly out of the chimney we see a "Gotham" title.

(I arranged the opening this way to deemphasize the negativity on Supes at the start, as I prefer to focus more on the contrast between the two characters. I start to reintroduce the Supes’ backlash pretty soon, but I feel establishing the contrast between the characters at the start is important.)

The branding shot is followed by Bruce in the cave staring at the suit, having his broody shower, and then driving past the dilapidated mansion.

Next scene is the prisoner being transferred (all the other scenes with this guy from the UC are removed) and Clark reading news about it at his desk and then talking to Perry about it in the meeting. When Lois shows up, her only line is asking about a flight. Next, when Clark asks Lois, "why didn't you tell me. It's kinda dangerous," it could be implied that they're talking about Lois going to Africa before.

Next scene is Bruce in the cave. "Turns good men cruel" transitions into the Africa aftermath.

In the scene where Bruce visits his parents' grave, at the point when the faint sound of the world engine can be heard, the track of the drum march and the sound of a helicopter fades in and we cut to Bruce's Metropolis flashback. Some of the driving is cut. When Bruce runs into the smoke and the music crescendos, we cut to Bruce waking up.

"You know what does? A fist" transitions into the docks scene. A lot of the batmobile chase is cut.

When Bruce is decrypting the drive, and staring at the screen, the beeps of the loading bar transition into the sound of high pitched ringing and we cut to white, where we continue with Bruce's Metropolis flashback with Bruce walking in the smoke.

When Bruce is hugging the little girl, the final drum hit cuts to Bruce waking up and Flash reaching out. "You have to find us" transitions to black, followed by the blast door opening. The Knightmare is truncated down to Bruce seeing the sign, hopping into the truck and getting ambushed, followed by a hectically cut action scene that only lasts 5 seconds before Bruce is knocked out. Down in the bunker, Supes' lines are cut. Supes striking Bruce wakes him up for good.

Wallace's lines to the Senator are cut. Him turning around in her office is enough.

When Bruce is viewing the footage of Diana, he also views the footage of the other metas, truncated down, and the music crescendos and cuts to the shot of him wacking the tire with the hammer. (All scenes of Diana in her apartment are cut).

Pa Kent's storytime is removed. Instead we get a flashback to "you just have to decide what kind of man you want to be. Whoever...".

Martha Wayne being captured is cut.

"So falls the house of Wayne" cuts to thunder and armored Bats planting the spear.

Supes putting his hands on Bruce to push him quickly cuts to the shot of Supes flying Bats into a building, and then a shot of Bruce smashing into the signal. The shot showing how high up Supes takes him is cut.

In the shot of Bruce throwing the spear, when the spear is about to hit the ground, before we see the ground, insert the underwater shot of the spear being dropped in water. Remove all the other shots of Lois picking up the spear and throwing it in the water.

After Doomsday releases energy for the first time, the next shot of Doomsday is the one where his bones are growing (aka cut the part of Supes tackling Doomsday into space, the nuke, the recharging, all of it).

The shot of Diana smiling in battle is cut.

The shots of Lois running around and submerged are truncated.

Remove the Bats/Lexus interrogation from the post-Supes death sequence, which I find interrupts the mood.

For the credits music, the piano theme that was playing in the final scene transitions into the version of the piano theme accompanied by soft drums, taken from Zimmer's original sketch for the MOS soundtrack.

After two rounds of the theme plays, we get a mid credits scene of Lex in prison.

“ding ding ding” is overlayed with footage of the soldiers descending into the ship and making their way towards Lex, as well as the CSIs in front of the painting, right before our shot of Steppenwolf. The echo of Steppenwolf disintegrating transitions into the MOS space theme (the original BvS credits track).

[Krypto's Fleas]

The version of the film that doesn't treat Superman like shit and have the bad guy nearly kill him.

[Denirac]

That’s a pretty good idea! Instead of doomsday, perhaps the trinity could have fought something that lex captured from Apocalypse? It would have been a better set up to JL since that’s what they were building to anyways.

Thanks. I just felt that Death of Superman was rushed, so that would have been my preferred buildup to that moment in Clark's life. Obviously we'd have other movies between those ones. E.g. The Batman, Shazam and Flashpoint but I felt that if DC had gone that route Clark's death would have been more effective. I also toyed with the notion that Batman could die in JL 2 Ala Final Crisis and Return in a Return of Bruce Wayne film where Dick Grayson has assumed the mantle

[Zero Hunter]

The one way where they remove Jesse Eisenberg completely.

[Lightning Rider]

The version of the film that doesn't treat Superman like shit and have the bad guy nearly kill him.

There are two versions of the film that already paint him as the hero of the whole movie and memorialize his sacrifice, you should check them out.

The one way where they remove Jesse Eisenberg completely.

Good luck with that.

[Lightning Rider]

The voiceover in the opening scene is removed and the footage of young Bruce is intercut with footage of Clark's life (Clark playing in the yard, hiding in the school closet, Clark and Jon in the barn, Pa Kent raising his hand and Clark's yell as he's swept away, and Clark walking into the cavern with the ship).

(This is to contrast the two characters, one who was defined by a life of hard choices regarding his incredible power, and another that was defined by a moment of loss and a feeling of powerlessness. I also just prefer the first Batman/Superman movie to feel more like a Batman/Superman movie).

When Bruce floats up and the music almost reaches that point where it's just the vocals, we cut to the coke bottle opening up, and we're in present day.

All the bullet stuff throughout the movie is removed, including the scenes of Lois and Swanwick, Jenna Malone's character, Lois in Wallace's apartment, etc.

The shot of Clark tackling the dude through the wall is not shown, only heard, and we cut to the short scene of Perry at the planet yelling Clark's name, asking where he goes all the time. A "Metropolis" title appears on screen.

Next scene is the cops watching football, and when they show up at the house and the bats fly out of the chimney we see a "Gotham" title.

(I arranged the opening this way to deemphasize the negativity on Supes at the start, as I prefer to focus more on the contrast between the two characters. I start to reintroduce the Supes’ backlash pretty soon, but I feel establishing the contrast between the characters at the start is important.)

The branding shot is followed by Bruce in the cave staring at the suit, having his broody shower, and then driving past the dilapidated mansion.

Next scene is the prisoner being transferred (all the other scenes with this guy from the UC are removed) and Clark reading news about it at his desk and then talking to Perry about it in the meeting. When Lois shows up, her only line is asking about a flight. Next, when Clark asks Lois, "why didn't you tell me. It's kinda dangerous," it could be implied that they're talking about Lois going to Africa before.

Next scene is Bruce in the cave. "Turns good men cruel" transitions into the Africa aftermath.

In the scene where Bruce visits his parents' grave, at the point when the faint sound of the world engine can be heard, the track of the drum march and the sound of a helicopter fades in and we cut to Bruce's Metropolis flashback. Some of the driving is cut. When Bruce runs into the smoke and the music crescendos, we cut to Bruce waking up.

"You know what does? A fist" transitions into the docks scene. A lot of the batmobile chase is cut.

When Bruce is decrypting the drive, and staring at the screen, the beeps of the loading bar transition into the sound of high pitched ringing and we cut to white, where we continue with Bruce's Metropolis flashback with Bruce walking in the smoke.

When Bruce is hugging the little girl, the final drum hit cuts to Bruce waking up and Flash reaching out. "You have to find us" transitions to black, followed by the blast door opening. The Knightmare is truncated down to Bruce seeing the sign, hopping into the truck and getting ambushed, followed by a hectically cut action scene that only lasts 5 seconds before Bruce is knocked out. Down in the bunker, Supes' lines are cut. Supes striking Bruce wakes him up for good.

Wallace's lines to the Senator are cut. Him turning around in her office is enough.

When Bruce is viewing the footage of Diana, he also views the footage of the other metas, truncated down, and the music crescendos and cuts to the shot of him wacking the tire with the hammer. (All scenes of Diana in her apartment are cut).

Pa Kent's storytime is removed. Instead we get a flashback to "you just have to decide what kind of man you want to be. Whoever...".

Martha Wayne being captured is cut.

"So falls the house of Wayne" cuts to thunder and armored Bats planting the spear.

Supes putting his hands on Bruce to push him quickly cuts to the shot of Supes flying Bats into a building, and then a shot of Bruce smashing into the signal. The shot showing how high up Supes takes him is cut.

In the shot of Bruce throwing the spear, when the spear is about to hit the ground, before we see the ground, insert the underwater shot of the spear being dropped in water. Remove all the other shots of Lois picking up the spear and throwing it in the water.

After Doomsday releases energy for the first time, the next shot of Doomsday is the one where his bones are growing (aka cut the part of Supes tackling Doomsday into space, the nuke, the recharging, all of it).

The shot of Diana smiling in battle is cut.

The shots of Lois running around and submerged are truncated.

Remove the Bats/Lexus interrogation from the post-Supes death sequence, which I find interrupts the mood.

For the credits music, the piano theme that was playing in the final scene transitions into the version of the piano theme accompanied by soft drums, taken from Zimmer's original sketch for the MOS soundtrack.

After two rounds of the theme plays, we get a mid credits scene of Lex in prison.

“ding ding ding” is overlayed with footage of the soldiers descending into the ship and making their way towards Lex, as well as the CSIs in front of the painting, right before our shot of Steppenwolf. The echo of Steppenwolf disintegrating transitions into the MOS space theme (the original BvS credits track).

I like how much attention to detail you gave here, I would be very very interesting in seeing this cut. Especially the way you add the childhood scenes and are more selective about when other flashbacks happen and what triggers them. Changing the order of the Africa intervention is also interesting. I'm not sure I'd ever have the time but if you don't, someone should try and make this happen!

[Clark_Kent]

Call me a fanboy if you wish, but I actually don’t think the Ultimate Cut needs to be edited differently, or for scenes to be dropped. However, I would like to see 2 scenes added:

1. We saw stills of Superman in front of microphones at the Capitol, presumably before walking into the room with Finch. Re-insert this scene, show us what he had to say.

2. Before the UC came out, Snyder spoke of a scene that was cut from the theatrical for being too dark. It happened right after Lex gives him an hour to find his Mom. Superman goes to the sky & tries to listen for her, but gets overwhelmed with ALL the people in the city. I’d love to see this re-inserted, followed by the visit with Lois on the street.

[Lightning Rider]

Call me a fanboy if you wish, but I actually don’t think the Ultimate Cut needs to be edited differently, or for scenes to be dropped. However, I would like to see 2 scenes added:

1. We saw stills of Superman in front of microphones at the Capitol, presumably before walking into the room with Finch. Re-insert this scene, show us what he had to say.

2. Before the UC came out, Snyder spoke of a scene that was cut from the theatrical for being too dark. It happened right after Lex gives him an hour to find his Mom. Superman goes to the sky & tries to listen for her, but gets overwhelmed with ALL the people in the city. I’d love to see this re-inserted, followed by the visit with Lois on the street.

I would love to see your first addition but not the 2nd. It's too dark. It's him apparently not saving everyone to go save Lois. It's too much. He has to save all those people if he can hear them.