Ridley Scott stands out compared to others. He is one of the most talented filmmakers in recent times, having a unique style and feeling in his movies that makes them so captivating for audiences. He has been a part of a number of extremely notable projects, with the perfect examples being Prometheus, The Blade Runner films, The Martian, and most recently, Napoleon, all of which are widely adored and critically acclaimed. Among his most adored projects is the 2005 film, Kingdom of Heaven.
This features not only a unique and interesting plot, but also an impeccable cast of actors, with Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Edward Norton, and Jeremy Irons having beautiful performances in this movie. With this, it is interesting to find out that the director is not very happy with the version of the film that came out, similar to that of Zack Snyder, who felt the same way about his 2017 film, Justice League.
Ridley Scott’s Version of Kingdom of Heaven Was Much Longer
Ridley Scott’s film, Kingdom of Heaven, is a beautiful political drama that showcases themes of adventure and faith, which is among many of the reasons why this is an extremely beloved film. The story behind its success is quite unique, considering the original film was 194 minutes long. The one that was released was just shy of two and a half hours, which on paper does not seem that much as cuts happen on the project and scenes and plot lines are left behind, however, the filmmaker disagreed.
This resulted in a director‘s cut being released for this movie, which was very different from the original version that showcased the perfect story and told it at the right pace in the right manner. Interestingly enough, viewers have embraced this version of the film, as its original, many think it to be much better than its first release. But this wasn’t the last time something like this has happened, as many DC fans know.
Zack Snyder Had A Similar Experience
Fans of the DC Extended Universe are well aware of the story of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, with it being a perfect example of how the theatrical cuts aren’t always the best. The 2017 film, Justice League was extremely criticized by fans for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons why they believed that this film did not meet their expectations was because of the fact that the director of the movie had stepped down in the middle of its production.
Joss Whedon, best known for The Avengers, took over and completed the film as an uncredited co-director. There were quite a lot of changes made to Snyder’s initial script and vision for the film, and this clash of ideas and visions showcased semi final product.
After the news that there was a Director’s Cut that had not been released, fans desperately wanted to see it. After years of persistence from both fans and the director himself, DC released this version in 2021, which was titled Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Immediately upon viewing, fans deemed this film as the superior cut. Despite this, however, he was unable to save his version for the franchise, the Snyderverse.
