With Zack Snyder’s Justice League drawing nearer with every passing day, some are reflecting on the original 2017 cut of the film that drew waves of negative criticism. One Warner Bros. executive decided to let his thoughts about the film, which was ultimately overseen by director Joss Whedon, loose, saying that everyone at the studio knew how bad Justice League was. 

“When we got to see what Joss actually did, it was stupefying,” said the executive in the article released by Vanity Fair. “Everyone knew it. It was so awkward because nobody wanted to admit what a piece of shit it was.” 

Zack Snyder ultimately stepped away from the film due to a family tragedy, but before that, the director was battling Warner Bros. for creative control on the film. The studio attached DC Entertainment creative chief Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. co-production head John Berg to the film’s production to monitor Snyder’s work and make sure things weren’t becoming “too dark.” They also forced Snyder to make the film no longer than 2 hours. 

“How am I supposed to introduce six characters and an alien with potential for world domination in two hours?” said Snyder. “I mean, I can do it, it can be done. Clearly it was done. But I didn’t see it.” 

Snyder has yet to see the completed version of the original 2017 film. Snyder’s wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder went to watch the film when it released with the Dark Knight trilogy director Christopher Nolan. Afterward, the two talked to Snyder about their experience. 

“They came and they just said, ‘You can never see that movie,’” said Snyder. Warner Bros. is set to release the original director’s definitive four-hour cut of the film to HBO Max March 18.