Zack Snyder’s Justice League was originally meant to include Darkseid, actor officially confirms

Justice League Snyder Cut — (Image credit: DC/Warner Bros.)

It’s probably the worst-kept secret in the DCEU – but actor Ray Porter has officially confirmed he was set to play villain Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s Justice League before his role was cut from the theatrical release.

Porter revealed the news on Twitter, adding he’s finally been given permission to let the cat out of the Mother Box. It’s an odd decision given the timing of the Snyder Cut announcement last week. Could something be cooking with the Justified actor appearing in the HBO Max release?

He posted: “Because I’ve been given permission... Hi, I’m Ray. I played Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. There. It’s out now.”

That said, and because I’ve been given permission...Hi, I’m Ray. I played Darkseid in Zack Snyder’s “Justice League”. There. It’s out now.May 22, 2020

As for the character itself, Darkseid – A New God who makes Thanos look pretty playful by comparison – was due to show up towards the end of the Justice League’s fight with Steppenwolf in Snyder’s original vision for the DC team-up, as well as in a brief “History” section at the beginning of the film.

After Snyder stepped down and Joss Whedon was drafted in, plans for that and a Justice League trilogy (one that would’ve seen Darkseid take over Earth) were scuttled. But that might not be the end for the Big Bad of the DC Universe.

As of July 2019, Darkseid is set to appear in Ava DuVernay’s New Gods, though it’s not yet known if Ray Porter will be reprising the role.

Yet, it’s towards 2021’s Snyder Cut where eyes are inevitably drawn. If it is a return to Zack Snyder’s Justice League, deleted scenes and all, then Darkseid has to play a part. Porter suddenly stepping into the spotlight could indicate that we’re potentially getting major story changes as part of the Snyder Cut package.

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I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.