Snyder’s Justice League Opts for a Square Image

When a viewer tunes into Justice League: The Snyder Cut on HBO Max they will be immediately presented with this message: “This film is presented in a 4:3 format to preserve the integrity of Zack Snyder’s creative vision.”

Most theatrical movies are shot in a widescreen format and most televisions are widescreen as well. For many decades 4:3 was the norm at home and widescreen in theatres, however, the rise of higher resolution viewing at home changed this and the 1990’s saw viewers become more and more accustom to the wider image, until it eventually took over.

So again, why would Snyder deliver a movie this large, this gigantic in what many consider an antiquated format?

The answer is simple: IMAX.

The screens for IMAX viewing more closely resemble the square of 4:3, therefore, the movie was shot to accommodate the highest theatrical resolution possible – IMAX.

Ultimately, viewers are not losing any image quality, in fact, they are gaining it. By being presented in the square aspect ration, Justice League fans can see the complete image as it was fully intended to be seen.