‘Justice League’ Opening Credits Song Was Selected By Joss Whedon
Everyone’s favorite game coming out ofJustice Leaguehas been the increasingly fruitless question of “who gets credit for my favorite scene:Joss WhedonorZack Snyder?”
Joss Whedon took over the reshoots forJustice Leagueafter director Zack Snyder had to leave the DC Extended Universe superhero ensemble due to a family tragedy. But the hoopla surrounding the reshoots, which reportedlydrastically changed the filmat the behest of Warner Bros., sent fans into a tizzy, with many embarking on a treasure hunt for scenes that hinted at Snyder’s “original vision.” (They couldn’t find it, and instead petitioned for a non-existent “director’s cut.") But in the weeks sinceJustice League’s release, we have learned a little more of who shot what — and the newest revelation is a little surprising.
The opening credits ofJustice Leagueunfolded to a bleak montage of the fallout of Superman’s death after the events ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, set to the mournful cover ofLeonard Cohen’s “Everybody Knows.”
“Everybody knows the war is over /Everybody knows the good guys lost /Everybody knows the fight was fixed / The poor stay poor, the rich get rich,” Norwegian pop starSigridcroons over grim scenes of brutal criminals and their hopeless victims.
The scene matches the dark tone that Snyder established for the DCEU inMan of SteelandBatman v Superman, and seems to have remained untouched by Whedon and Warner Bros.' new mission statement to inject fun into the DC universe after the success of the optimisticWonder Woman. But that’s actually not the case. In a Twitter exchange with The New Yorker’s Emily Nussbaum, Whedon revealed that he “stuck” the song into theJustice Leagueopening credits.
(I stuck it in JL too)
— Joss Whedon (@joss)August 21, 2025
It’s an unexpected revelation, since Whedon is commonly associated with the carefree tone and snarky dialogue present in films likeThe Avengersor shows likeBuffy the Vampire Slayer. While Whedon hasn’t been one to shun moments of emotional distress, it’s still somewhat of a surprise considering the director was ostensibly brought on to bring a lighter tone toJustice League. Plus, Snyder is well known for his evocative opening credits sequencesandhis use of Leonard Cohen songs.
There’s no question that Whedon helped torehaul the filmwhen he joined the project, which landed him the co-screenwriter credit with Chris Terrio, but perhaps this is a lesson for us: don’t assume that the scenes shot by Whedon and Snyder are clearly delineated. And maybe stop asking for the Snyder Cut ofJustice League.
