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Five years after 300 and two years before Man of Steel, director Zack Snyder co-wrote and directed a 2011 dark fantasy adventure film that caused a bit of controversy. Now, Sucker Punch, which Snyder co-wrote with Steve Shibuya, is streaming on Paramount+.

Sucker Punch stars Emily Browning (American Gods) as Babydoll, who accidentally shoots her sister during a struggle with her abusive stepfather - who also murdered Babydoll's mother. When he finds out that the mother left everything to her daughters in her will, he takes Babydoll to a mental hospital where he tries to have her lobotomized. Babydoll retreats into her own fantasy world where, instead of an asylum, she is in a brothel and the other patients are sex slaves.

Babydoll makes friends with four other women, namely, Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung), and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish). Blue (Oscar Isaac), who actually works in the mental institution,...

Zack Snyder is considering re-editing his 2011 film Sucker Punch to create a version he believes is the correct cut. Snyder already has footage to improve the movie but needs permission and resources to make the changes. Despite negative reviews, Snyder sees potential in enhancing the film with unseen footage for a new release.

Zack Snyder is no stranger to having a single version of many of his films, as there have been director's cuts for some of his releases, such as Watchmen, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and his Netflix film Rebel Moon is soon to be added to that list. That's why it should come as no surprise that, if necessary, Snyder has footage already shot that he believes will improve his 2011 fantasy action film Sucker Punch, which was initially released to poor reviews.

During an exclusive chat with Empire, Snyder was asked a wide range...

Fan-favorite filmmaker Zack Snyder recently shared why his 2011 movie Sucker Punch has not yet received a director's cut.

Speaking with Collider at Ccxp, Snyder revealed "the problem" preventing Sucker Punch from receiving "a true director's cut." He explained, "The problem with Sucker Punch is the director’s cut still was just, like, extended scenes. It was more of a deleted scene version than a real, tonally different film. I think with a bunch of the director’s cuts, Batman v Superman, I think, is a really good example of really giving a different feeling as a movie. I think Sucker Punch has never really gotten that treatment. And so, in editorial, when we were cutting the theatrical version of that movie, it’s much different than I had intended with the footage I had and what I thought it was going to be."

Related Zack Snyder Unpacks Disheartening Response to...

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Mentions of sexual abuse and misogyny.

Sucker Punch prioritized style over substance, favoring visuals over a well-written story and character development. The movie's controversial themes, such as violence against women, sexual abuse, and abuse of power, garnered criticism and discouraged people from watching it. Sucker Punch's failure at the box office can be attributed to factors such as competition with family-friendly releases, Zack Snyder's previous box office track record, and a lack of a clear target audience.

Zack Snyder has explored a variety of genres in his movies, and while some have been critical and commercial successes, he also has some disappointing movies in his filmography, such as Sucker Punch – and here’s why it was a box office flop. Back in 2011, Zack Snyder brought Sucker Punch, a psychological action movie written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, being Snyder’s first movie based on an original idea.

Director Zack Snyder reflects on the negative response to Sucker Punch, stating that the main criticism was that it was too exploitative. Snyder defends the film, explaining that the action sequences were always meant to be more lyrical and blissful rather than tense and perilous. Critics claimed that Sucker Punch prioritized style over substance and failed in its portrayal of female characters, and the film ended up being a major financial disappointment.

Sucker Punch director Zack Snyder opens up about the negative reactions to the film, now 12 years after its release. Hitting theaters in 2011, Sucker Punch is Snyder's first film based off an original concept, with the director serving as co-writer alongside Steve Shibuya. The film stars Emily Browning as Babydoll, an institutionalized young woman who retreats to various alternate realities in which she and her companions are powerful fighters.

Now, during a recent interview with Letterboxd all about Snyder's Sucker Punch,...

A Sucker Punch prequel has been suggested by one its stars, Jena Malone, during a reunion of the movie's principal cast. Directed by Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice's Zack Snyder, the psychological-fantasy-action outing has now reached its tenth birthday, with Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung uniting after all these years to celebrate, and no doubt discussing how they can get the Sucker Punch gang back together again.

"Now and then, 12 years later!! A little sucker punch reunion where we were missing our loveliest @carlagugino !!! These ladies will always be my deep ride or dies. Never bonded so intensely with such an inspiring group of women before on set. It's an absolute dream to hold you babes!! @abbiecornish @emilyjanebrowning @jamiejchung @vanessahudgens #suckerpunchforever #letsmakeaprequel We love and miss our @cruelfilms family!"

It's the "#letsmakeaprequel" comment from Jena Malone that is sure to have fans talking,...

Sucker Punch, Zack Snyder’s sexified 2011 action-fantasy mashup, hit shortly after the director had come off his ambitious (although reliably divisive) movie adaptation of Alan Moore’s groundbreaking Watchmen comic title. With the director having notably made waves behind the camera for 2004’s Dawn of the Dead and 2006’s 300, Snyder’s perceived genre gravitas—and imagery of scantily-clad women with swords and guns—was a clear selling point. While the film flopped, a recent reveal has, curiously, ignited fervor for a Sucker Punch Snyder Cut.

Snyder’s attention at the moment clearly centers on the premiere of Netflix film Army of the Dead, which stands as his first all-new feature since 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, not counting his recently released HBO Max redux of 2017’s Justice League, the original of which saw him replaced by Joss Whedon. However, Snyder provided an intriguing update on the now-decade-old dormant...

To the discerning film fan the modern multiplex can be a depressing and woefully uninteresting place to quench one’s thirst for cinematic pleasures. Filled as it so often is with unrelentingly banal and superficial Hollywood spectacles that fail to even be the simplistic fireworks displays that they appear to promise to be.

To find a film that is also actually about something is like trying to find a tiny nugget of gold in an increasingly deep pile of manure. Aiding you in avoiding the bulk of the pile is a kind of consensus opinion that tends to spread quickly regarding those films that simply add to that pile and in particular those that load it on in wheelbarrow fulls. This often doesn’t seem to make a difference to box office receipts though, Transformers 3 being a recent example of this trend, and sometimes this advance word also just gets it plain wrong.

Miguel Gonzalez spoke with Us director Zack Snyder about Sucker Punch, the first film he’s conceived from beginning to end. It’s also another step in his successful relationship with Australia’s Animal Logic.

Sucker Punch is Zack Snyder’s fifth film, but only the first one not to be adapted from existing material. It’s an original script co-written with Steve Shibuya; it tells the story of Baby Doll (Emily Browning), a teenager locked up by her stepfather in a psychiatric hospital. With the help of her inmate friends (including Abbie Cornish) she’ll have to enter and conquer a series of fantasy worlds in order to escape her real life prison before being lobotomised by her captors.

Snyder admits that, being his own script, he felt more pressure working on Sucker Punch, at least in the early stages.

“But once it’s written, the script takes a life of its own,...

Two and a half years ago it could fairly be said as late as daybreak on Christmas morning that Frank Miller was among the best-known comic book artists in the English-speaking world. This was due, in no small part, to a pair of strikingly popular movie adaptations of his work: 2005’s Sin City, which Miller co-directed with Robert Rodriguez, and 2007’s 300, directed by Zack Snyder. Both of these films arrived during a particularly fertile period for “comic book” movies—one arguably not quite yet exhausted—by which I mean relatively orthodox action films plugged into recognizable brands with ready-made potential for lucrative sequel and merchandizing opportunities.

Some might argue that “superhero” movies would be a more accurate term; I’d agree, but it still wouldn’t be quite exact. To my mind, the popularity of these pictures comes less from a heretofore veiled public desire for comic book subgenre particulars...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Sometimes in life you really do have to take the sweet with the sour. Watching Sucker Punch was kind of like that, it was good, it was bad, and it was also big on the ugly.

A firestorm of controversy has erupted since the release of Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch. Objectification, exploitation, spellbinding, revolutionary, these are the words being bandied about and Zack Snyder’s visionary status is under heavy fire and intense scrutiny.

Sucker Punch (2011) - Emily Browning as the diminutive samurai butt kicking Baby Doll.

There has been grumbling about the deceiving marketing of Sucker Punch and packaging the movie as simply a guy’s graphic novel style T & A flick, when in actuality it was really a message movie about Zack Snyder’s idea of female empowerment. Whatever the argument, this is one fantasy...

By Christopher Stipp

The Archives, Right Here

Check out my other column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp

The Phoenix Film Festival Contest

It’s back again for those of us living in the land of cacti and oppressive heat. Time to break out the lanyards and the program guide to find out which upcoming film needs to be seen. One of the benefits of this festival being here in the valley is that unlike Sundance and Tribeca the lines and weather aren’t an impediment to seeing some great films from some great filmmakers.

From big to small, this festival is a nice cheese plate when comparing it to heavyweight entrees like Cannes or Toronto. And if you’re interested in going gratis to see four films at no cost then please e-mail me at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com...

Genre: Action | Fantasy | Thriller

Director: Zack Snyder

Writer: Zack Snyder (screenplay & story), Steve Shibuya (screenplay)

Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material involving sexuality, violence and combat sequences, and for language.

Summary: A young girl is institutionalized by her abusive stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the mental facility.

Run Time: 109 min.

View the Trailer Here

Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch is a gamer boy’s wet dream. From the trailers, you’d think, “What the heck is this film about?” But heck, it really doesn’t matter. Just sit back, relax, and let your eyes indulge in the visual orgy of game-play type action and babes that kick ass.

Sucker Punch is a feast for the eyes with well choreographed fight scenes, video-game inspired special effects and environments,...

Sucker Punch Directed by: Zack Snyder Written by: Zack Snyder & Steve Shibuya Starring: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Jamie Chung, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn, Oscar Isaac If the filmography of Robert Rodriguez were projected onto the wall of Plato's cave, the fever dreams of its sorry inhabitants might come out something like this. Sucker Punch is an asylum for every unoriginal impulse that strikes director Zack Snyder's attention deficient mind. It is an unmitigated disaster of storytelling — thematically diarrheic with visuals to match. This hopeless post-Inception melodrama isn't based on a comic book like either of Snyder's previous efforts, but every genre cliché carries over tenfold. Like a pockmarked teen with an anime fetish, Snyder's convoluted revenge flick plays out with a cast of buxom babes who look as though they might bleed mascara when cut. Stuffed into absurdly tight-fitting outfits, gals with names like Rocket,...

The kiddie movie brought in the bucks. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules premiered in the Number One spot at the box office this weekend with $24.4 Million. Sucker Punch premiered in Second Place with $19 Million. Director Zack Snyder has to be disappointed with that opening. That box office take doesn’t count its international revenue so the film may not bomb. Limitless was Third with $15.2 Million. The Lincoln Lawyer was Fourth with $11 Million. Rango was Fifth with $9.8 Million for $106.3 Million so far. Battle: Los Angeles, Paul, Red Riding Hood, The Adjustment Bureau, and Mars Needs Moms rounded out the top ten respectively.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is a 2011 American comedy film based on the book of the same name. Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Connor Fielding, Owen Fielding, Karan Brar, Laine MacNeil, and Grayson Russell all are reprising their roles from the first film.

Some ambitious visuals aside, the tedious and nonsensical Sucker Punch suggests Watchmen was a rare success for Zack Snyder – and makes you worried about Superman.

A stage curtain drawing back suggests that in sitting down to Sucker Punch, we’re entering a world of theatricality and bending of the rules. Sadly Zack Snyder’s latest effort isn’t nearly comparable with the lush ‘Red Curtain’ fantasies of Baz Lurhmann. Instead, it resides in a bizarre hinterland between Uwe Boll, Paul Verhoeven and Edgar Wright.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World is likely to be a lazy point of comparison for many, with Sucker Punch also framed around a series of set-piece fights. But where Wright’s Canadian geekgasm had heart and wit, Sucker Punch has shoddy CGI, drab colours and characters and a central premise that makes it near impossible to care about its scantily clad cast.

We follow Baby Doll...

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Written by: Zack Snyder, Steve Shibuya

Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn

What a blessed thing it must be to be utterly and completely crazy.

Young early 20-something Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is so blessed; though with a pretty heavy price. Her evil step father is a malicious abusing rapist, and in a fit of defensive rage she grabs a gun to shoot him, misses, and kills her own sister instead.

She's hauled off to the insane asylum in pretty short order. Her step-father - being quite interested in keeping his more sordid abuses private - bribes an orderly to arrange an expedited lobotomy of the girl. Baby Doll seems finished until the whole world snaps and we learn the last 15 minutes have been nothing but a stage play that's taking place in...

Zack Snyder will most likely be in the air over the Atlantic or have just landed in Paris as you read this. The co-writer—with Steve Shibuya—and director of Sucker Punch watched as his new movie opened at #1 on Friday night with a modest $8.5M take and jetted off to Europe to start doing publicity for the movie's international opening. But, enough about Sucker Punch. What most movie fans really want to know is how Snyder plans to resurrect Warner's Superman franchise after the lackluster performance of Bryan Singer's Superman Returns.

In previous interviews, Snyder has revealed that he plans to "fix" the franchise with "realism." In a recent interview with ScreenJunkies, Snyder once again touted realism as the key to bringing Superman back to prominence—the same thing The Man of Steel's producer, Christopher Nolan, did for Warner's flatlined Batman franchise with Batman Begins—talked about his...

Wimpy Kids topple sexy Sucker Punch girls Fox's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules topped Sucker Punch at the box office this weekend, posting an estimated $24.4 million vs. $19 million. Wimpy Kid 2 directed by David Bowers (Astro Boy) averaged $7,704 from 3,167 theatres with a cast including Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris, Zachary Gordon, Peyton List, Devon Bostick, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell. Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs penned the script based on the Jeff Kinney novel. Daily Box Office Breakdown for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules: - Friday: $7.3 million - Saturday: $10.1 million - Sunday $6.9 million Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch debuted in second with $19 million grossed from 3,033 theatres, averaging $6,269 per venue. Fantasy actioner from Warner Bros. Pictures penned by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, performed very well on IMAX, pulling in $4.1 million (21%) of its weekend gross in 229 of the big screen theatres. This marks...

Wimpy Kids topple sexy Sucker Punch girls Fox's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules topped Sucker Punch at the box office this weekend, posting an estimated $24.4 million vs. $19 million. Wimpy Kid 2 directed by David Bowers (Astro Boy) averaged $7,704 from 3,167 theatres with a cast including Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris, Zachary Gordon, Peyton List, Devon Bostick, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell. Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs penned the script based on the Jeff Kinney novel. Daily Box Office Breakdown for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules: - Friday: $7.3 million - Saturday: $10.1 million - Sunday $6.9 million Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch debuted in second with $19 million grossed from 3,033 theatres, averaging $6,269 per venue. Fantasy actioner from Warner Bros. Pictures penned by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, performed very well on IMAX, pulling in $4.1 million (21%) of its weekend gross in 229 of the big screen theatres. This marks...

After spending his career creating film adaptations of other people’s content, Zack Snyder (along with co-writer Steve Shibuya) delves into writing for the first time with Sucker Punch. Snyder’s trademark visuals are on full display, but anyone expecting this movie to be anything more than visual gratification will surely be disappointed. This movie is like a [...]...

Right around ten years ago Zack Snyder had an idea. An idea that would come to take up about thirty seconds of Sucker Punch, but lend to the film its main character, its title, and its sex appeal. That original idea revolved around a girl named Baby Doll who escaped into the recesses of her mind while dancing for some very bad men. He then partnered with his school buddy Steve Shibuya to start working that into a script. Things were probably going pretty okay on that, but they were about to get a lot better when Snyder found himself helming Dawn of the Dead, my personal choice for best zombie movie ever. You heard that right, Romero. Sitting next to Snyder at the press junket, the man did no less than doodle an X-Wing on a pad of paper while talking, as if he needed anything more than Watchmen to solidify his nerd-cred. Before...

With the annual box office at $1.93 billion, down 21% from last year, the film industry is holding out for a hero. Many were looking for succor from this weekend's Sucker Punch, the latest offering by director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), a visually gifted fanboy who knows what guys want. Anthony D'Alessandro examines the film's assets and liabilities and reports on why Hollywood likes to target the fanboy demo, from Wanted to Superman and The Dark Knight Rises. Inspired by Japanese Anime and the adult cartoon Heavy Metal, Sucker Punch, co-written by Snyder and his college buddy Steve Shibuya, follows a band of female mental patients who retreat into their own hyper-violent fantasy world as they plot to break out of a 60s insane asylum. Going into ...

Reviewed by Chris Allsop

(March 2011)

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Written by: Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya

Starring: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn

Two male teenagers sit in a room submerged in marijuana smoke. They are discussing what elements should go into their perfect movie:

“Babes. Fighting babes in knee stockings with machine guns and samurai swords.”

“Yeah. Kick ass, brah.”

“They fight Nazis. And zombies. And terminators. In fact, they fight bionic zombie Nazis. And terminators. In space. In knee stockings.”

“Hell, yes.”

“And there’s awesome music. Loud, awesome music.”

“Turn it up, brah. Turn it right up.”

And lo, “Sucker Punch” was not born (but very well could have been). Zack Snyder’s latest cartoon brought to life falls in line with the dramatic visual aesthetic of his previous films (“Watchmen,” “300”), but this time he’s flying solo,...

Reviewed by Chris Allsop

(March 2011)

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Written by: Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya

Starring: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn

Two male teenagers sit in a room submerged in marijuana smoke. They are discussing what elements should go into their perfect movie:

“Babes. Fighting babes in knee stockings with machine guns and samurai swords.”

“Yeah. Kick ass, brah.”

“They fight Nazis. And zombies. And terminators. In fact, they fight bionic zombie Nazis. And terminators. In space. In knee stockings.”

“Hell, yes.”

“And there’s awesome music. Loud, awesome music.”

“Turn it up, brah. Turn it right up.”

And lo, “Sucker Punch” was not born (but very well could have been). Zack Snyder’s latest cartoon brought to life falls in line with the dramatic visual aesthetic of his previous films (“Watchmen,” “300”), but this time he’s flying solo,...

Before you check out Zack Snyder's action-packed flick, learn how it came to be.

By Kara Warner

Emily Browning in "Sucker Punch"

Photo: Warner Bros./ Legendary Pictures

Way back in October 2008, amid the buzz surrounding Zack Snyder's big-screen adaptation of "Watchmen," news broke about plans for his next project, an original screenplay penned by Snyder and Steve Shibuya called "Sucker Punch," billed simply as "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns." For Snyder's devoted fanbase, that descriptor was enough to set minds speculating and Internets buzzing for well over two years.

Naturally, MTV News has been following the project from conception to opening day Friday (March 25). Here's everything you need to know about "Sucker Punch":

First, in addition to the "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns" tease, the initial logline announced that the plot revolved around "a young girl institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy,...

Before you check out Zack Snyder's action-packed flick, learn how it came to be.

By Kara Warner

Emily Browning in "Sucker Punch"

Photo: Warner Bros./ Legendary Pictures

Way back in October 2008, amid the buzz surrounding Zack Snyder's big-screen adaptation of "Watchmen," news broke about plans for his next project, an original screenplay penned by Snyder and Steve Shibuya called "Sucker Punch," billed simply as "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns." For Snyder's devoted fanbase, that descriptor was enough to set minds speculating and Internets buzzing for well over two years.

Naturally, MTV News has been following the project from conception to opening day Friday (March 25). Here's everything you need to know about "Sucker Punch":

First, in addition to the "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns" tease, the initial logline announced that the plot revolved around "a young girl institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy,...

Chicago – It’s a pleasure to see the comic book film done right, especially with the visionary guidance of director Zach Snyder (”300”). “Sucker Punch” is an amazing treat, a feast of eye candy and incredible adventure.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Working in three parallel planes, Sucker Punch creates a theme of female empowerment as more than a revenge factor, it actually fulfills the promise of both the individual struggle and the super-heroic team. The story also has a richness that is deeper than the usual Zach Snyder fare, surpassing even the darkness of “Watchmen” (2009) in revealing secrets and character energy.

Baby Doll (Emily Browning) is a steely-eyed teenager whose stepfather (Gerald Plunkett) flies into a rage after he finds out he’s been disinherited from her family fortune. After killing her sister during a tussle, he pins the rap on Baby Doll, and commits her to a mental institution. There she meets Dr.

If you're still trying to decide whether to catch Sucker Punch in theaters this weekend, even after our behind-the-scenes clips blowout earlier today, here's another set of clips from the film to whet your appetite.

If you don’t already know by now, Sucker Punch is the creation of filmmaker Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) that features a large cast of named talents such as Emily Browning (The Uninvited), Abbie Cornish (Bright Star), Jena Malone (Into the Wild), Vanessa Hudgens (the High School Musical films), Jamie Chung (Sorority Row), Oscar Isaac (Robin Hood) and Carla Gugino (Watchmen) with Jon Hamm (The Town, TV’s “Mad Men”) and Scott Glenn (The Bourne Ultimatum). Zack Snyder directed Sucker Punch from a screenplay he wrote with Steve Shibuya, based on Snyder’s story.

In this first clip Dr. Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino) is admonishing Baby Doll (Emily Browning) for not trying hard enough when she...

Year: 2011

Director: Zack Snyder

Writers: Zack Snyder, Steve Shibuya

IMDb: link

Trailer: link

Review by: Marina Antunes

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

In theory, Sucker Punch should have worked for me. I love movies that geek out on the visuals and Zack Snyder is a director that never goes cheap when it comes to making things look good (at least not with his last few outings). I’ll even admit to giving him a pass on story because he gets bonus marks for visuals (he gets 5 bonus poins here for a great looking movie) but there aren’t enough bonus points in the universe to forgive all of the failures, of which there are many, in this particular movie.

It doesn’t start off badly. If anything, the opening scene of Sucker Punch is a brilliantly realized short film which is more akin to a music video than anything else. To a soundtrack of “Sweet Dreams,...

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Fishnets, lollipops, orcs, dragons, and steampunk Nazis only scratch the surface – Sucker Punch doesn’t skimp on gals in skimpy outfits dishing out massive firepower in their mind’s eye. But it turns out Zack Snyder has a lot on his mind unlike the “chicks with guns” vibe most of the ads are desperate to intimate. Sucker Punch skews far closer to, say, Pan’s Labyrinth than 300 and represents a genuine departure for Snyder while retaining and expanding certain fetishisms he’s flaunted in previous works.

Make no mistake, this is an overtly personal project and possibly the best film Zack Snyder has made to date – an outstanding pastiche of pop culture footnotes married with a dark and disheartening drama. Working from a script he co-wrote with Steve Shibuya, Snyder envisions Sucker Punch as a sandbox film – overstuffed with minute details and insistence on noting specific objects and expressions in tight,...

As the highly anticipated Sucker Punch busts into movie theaters tomorrow, March 25, we have a treat for you all in the form of several behind-the-scenes clips. When you are done checking them out, sound off in the comments section below!

Born from the creative vision of filmmaker Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300), Sucker Punch features an ensemble cast of young stars, including Emily Browning (The Uninvited), Abbie Cornish (Bright Star), Jena Malone (Into the Wild), Vanessa Hudgens (the High School Musical films), and Jamie Chung (Sorority Row). The film’s main cast also includes Oscar Isaac (Robin Hood) and Carla Gugino (Watchmen) with Jon Hamm (The Town, TV’s “Mad Men”) and Scott Glenn (The Bourne Ultimatum).

Zack Snyder directed Sucker Punch from a screenplay he wrote with Steve Shibuya, based on Snyder’s story. Snyder and Deborah Snyder produced with Thomas Tull, Wesley Coller, Jon Jashni, Chris deFaria, Jim Rowe, and...

Rating: 2.5/5

Writers: Zack Snyder (screenplay and story), Steve Shibuya (screenplay)

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac

Studio: Warner Bros.

The will to be free is inherently an all too human trait; some people will do whatever it takes to gain freedom. Zack Snyder’s latest film, Sucker Punch, explores this exact theme, but does so in the context of video game storytelling, ambitiously high concepts and extremely lush art direction all through the cinematic experience from the director of Watchmen and 300. And, boy, what an experience! Samurais, steam-punk zombie soldiers, and shiny robots, but as visually stunning and arresting as Sucker Punch may be, it’s lacking the narrative cohesiveness to make it an engaging experience.

Read more on Theatrical Review: Sucker Punch…...

Us singer Joe Jonas arrives for world premiere of 'Sucker Punch' in Hollywood, California, USA, 23 March 2011. 'Sucker punch' is an epic action fantasy. Epa/Paul Buck Us director Zach Snyder (R) and wife Deborah (L) arrive for world premiere of 'Sucker Punch' in Hollywood, California, USA 23 March 2011. 'Sucker punch' is an epic action fantasy. Epa/Paul Buck Australian actress and cast member Abbie Cornish arrives for world premiere of 'Sucker Punch' in Hollywood, California, USA, 23 March 2011. 'Sucker punch' is an epic action fantasy. Epa/Paul Buck Us writer/director Steve Shibuya arrives for world premiere of 'Sucker Punch' in Hollywood, California, USA, 23 March 2011. 'Sucker punch' is an epic action fantasy. Epa/Paul Buck...

Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch in a box office battle vs. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules It's action against family in a battle to see who will top the charts this weekend at the box office. Warner Bros. Pictures' Sucker Punch debuts into 3,033 venues under the helm of Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) who writes alongside Steve Shibuya. The cast of the eagerly anticipated film includes Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac and Jon Hamm. Opening into 3,167 theatres, looking to win over families, 20th Century Fox's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is helmed by David Bowers (Astro Boy) from the writing by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, based on the book by Jeff Kinney. Starring in the comedy are Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Peyton List, Steve Zahn, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell.

Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch in a box office battle vs. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules It's action against family in a battle to see who will top the charts this weekend at the box office. Warner Bros. Pictures' Sucker Punch debuts into 3,033 venues under the helm of Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) who writes alongside Steve Shibuya. The cast of the eagerly anticipated film includes Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac and Jon Hamm. Opening into 3,167 theatres, looking to win over families, 20th Century Fox's Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is helmed by David Bowers (Astro Boy) from the writing by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, based on the book by Jeff Kinney. Starring in the comedy are Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Peyton List, Steve Zahn, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell.

Vanessa Hudgens teases MTV News at the film's premiere, 'Sucker punch means you don't know what's coming.'

By Kara Warner

Emily Browning, Jamie Chung and Vanessa Hudgens at the L.A. premiere of "Sucker Punch"

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images

For those who've seen the trailers, TV spots and highly stylized posters, you're likely aware that "Sucker Punch" descends upon theaters on Friday. Zack Snyder's estrogen-fueled flick has been billed as a curious, complex, action-adventure-fantasy, but despite the promotional push, it's safe to say that plenty of people are still scratching their heads, wondering, "What the heck is 'Sucker Punch'?"

MTV News headed out to the film's star-studded, slightly rain-soaked premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday night to find out.

"Sucker punch means you don't know what's coming," Vanessa Hudgens said simply. "It's being knocked out by something unexpected," co-star Jena Malone added.

"Sucker punch...

Vanessa Hudgens teases MTV News at the film's premiere, 'Sucker punch means you don't know what's coming.'

By Kara Warner

Emily Browning, Jamie Chung and Vanessa Hudgens at the L.A. premiere of "Sucker Punch"

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images

For those who've seen the trailers, TV spots and highly stylized posters, you're likely aware that "Sucker Punch" descends upon theaters on Friday. Zack Snyder's estrogen-fueled flick has been billed as a curious, complex, action-adventure-fantasy, but despite the promotional push, it's safe to say that plenty of people are still scratching their heads, wondering, "What the heck is 'Sucker Punch'?"

MTV News headed out to the film's star-studded, slightly rain-soaked premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday night to find out.

"Sucker punch means you don't know what's coming," Vanessa Hudgens said simply. "It's being knocked out by something unexpected," co-star Jena Malone added.

"Sucker punch...

Director Zack Snyder has taken us into his stylized Battle of Thermopylae in the hit .300,. and subverted the notion of superheroes in .Watchmen.. Now, the filmmaker is asking us to open our minds for his epic action opus, .Sucker Punch,. a fantasy-within-a-fantasy film that packs a mean wallop.

The film depends highly on Snyder.s flamboyant visual flair. The one-time music video and commercial director knows how to tell stories through emblazoned images. Indeed, .Sucker Punch. is part music video and part videogame that is one-hundred percent entertaining.

Music plays a major part in the movie. Babydoll.s (Emily Browning) psyche and fantasy are told through songs. The opening montage introducing the character features Browning singing .Sweet Dreams. by the Eurythmics as we see haunting images of Babydoll and her sister and their abusive stepfather (Gerard Plunkett).

The story of Babydoll (Emily Browning) is at the heart of the movie.

Upcoming Movies This Week include Zach Snyder's Sucker Punch and Diary a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules for families. Fantasy action thriller pitted against family safe comedy, with Snyder's film looking to turn in a hefty pocket. Sucker Punch, a dark and all at once colorful fantasy actioner written by Snyder alongside Steve Shibuya, from the story by Snyder, stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jenna Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn,Richard Cetrone and Gerard Plunkett. Warner Bros. Pictures releases Sucker Punch into over 3,000 theatres. Sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules opens in around 3,100 venues, with a cast including Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris, Zachary Gordon, Peyton List, Devon Bostick, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell. David Bowers, known for Flushed Away and Astro Boy, directs from the writing by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, based on the book by Jeff Kinney.

Upcoming Movies This Week include Zach Snyder's Sucker Punch and Diary a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules for families. Fantasy action thriller pitted against family safe comedy, with Snyder's film looking to turn in a hefty pocket. Sucker Punch, a dark and all at once colorful fantasy actioner written by Snyder alongside Steve Shibuya, from the story by Snyder, stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jenna Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn,Richard Cetrone and Gerard Plunkett. Warner Bros. Pictures releases Sucker Punch into over 3,000 theatres. Sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules opens in around 3,100 venues, with a cast including Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris, Zachary Gordon, Peyton List, Devon Bostick, Ben Hollingsworth, Owen Best, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison and Grayson Russell. David Bowers, known for Flushed Away and Astro Boy, directs from the writing by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, based on the book by Jeff Kinney.

IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Zack Snyder's epic action fantasy feature film Sucker Punch will be released in the immersive IMAX format on Friday, March 25th. The film will open on 229 IMAX screens domestically, simultaneous with its North American wide release. The film will also open on at least 78 IMAX screens internationally, with 22 screens releasing day-and-date. Additional international playdates are expected to be confirmed in the coming days.

Sucker Punch has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX Dmr (Digital Re-mastering) technology for presentation in IMAX. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique immersive environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About Sucker Punch:

Close your eyes. Open your mind. You will be unprepared. Sucker Punch takes us...

Chicago – In our latest fantasy/action edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Sucker Punch” from “Watchmen” and “300” director Zack Snyder! The film stars Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish.

“Sucker Punch” also stars Jon Hamm, Jena Malone, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn, Richard Cetrone, Gerard Plunkett, Malcolm Scott, Ron Selmour, Alan C. Peterson and Revard Dufresne from director Zack Snyder and writers Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya. The film opens everywhere on March 25, 2011.

To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Sucker Punch” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 10 p.m. in downtown Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

The movie poster for “Sucker Punch...

Director Zack Snyder has built his career on making faithful, visually-stunning adaptations of popular comic books and novels with such movies as 300, Watchmen and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. He took a slight detour from adaptations with his new movie opening next week, Sucker Punch, which he conceived and co-wrote with Steve Shibuya, but his next movie will be the king of all adaptations. Snyder will tackle the first and greatest superhero of them all, Superman, in the Warner Bros. reboot. Snyder recently took time away from promoting Sucker Punch to discuss Superman: The Man of Steel (working title) with the L.A. Times, offering up his philosophy on how to approach such an iconic character, what it's like to work with producer Christopher Nolan, and when we will see title star Henry Cavill in the cape and tights.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 3/17/2011 by BrentJS

Zack Snyder...

Check out tons of new images from Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch, starring Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac! I am really looking forward to this incredible-looking action fantasy from the helmer of 300 and Watchmen. Zack Snyder directed Sucker Punch from a screenplay he wrote with Steve Shibuya, based on Snyder's story. Zack and Deborah Snyder produced the film which was executive produced by Thomas Tull, Wesley Coller, Jon Jashni, Chris deFaria, Jim Rowe and William Fay. Sucker Punch Synopsis: Close your eyes. Open your mind. You will be unprepared. Sucker Punch is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures...

Check out tons of new images from Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch, starring Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac! I am really looking forward to this incredible-looking action fantasy from the helmer of 300 and Watchmen. Zack Snyder directed Sucker Punch from a screenplay he wrote with Steve Shibuya, based on Snyder's story. Zack and Deborah Snyder produced the film which was executive produced by Thomas Tull, Wesley Coller, Jon Jashni, Chris deFaria, Jim Rowe and William Fay. Sucker Punch Synopsis: Close your eyes. Open your mind. You will be unprepared. Sucker Punch is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures...

Warner Bros. recently updated its Epk (electronic press kit) for director Zack Snyder's (300, Watchmen) new genre-bending movie, Sucker Punch, with more than two dozen new still images from the movie (which can be viewed over at Cbm). Co-written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, Sucker Punch blends the sci-fi, fantasy and action movie genres into one mind-bending movie that's a veritable feast for the eyes. When Babydoll (Emily Browning) is locked away in a sadistic psychiatric hospital that doubles as a brothel, she ventures into a fantasy world of her own creation to try to find the means to escape. Aided by her four friends—Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung) and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish)—Babydoll must battle an army of soldiers, dragons, robots, and even a giant samurai with a machine gun in order to find five objects that hold the key to her salvation.

Sucker Punch is the latest visual masterpiece from director Zack Snyder, and to celebrate this wholly unique fantasy landscape, we're holding an awesome new contest full of Sucker Punch swag that you'll not want to miss! Join Babydoll (Emily Browning), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung), Rocket (Jena Malone), and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) as they traverse the depths of an insane mindscape to battle giant robot samurai and nazis. Then enter our contest, where you could win any number of cool and exciting prizes. Why imagine yourself in a Sucker Punch T-shirt, when, with the quick click of a button, you could be wearing one in this plain of reality? We're also tossing out posters, trucker hats, a canvas bag and leather corset cuffs. Not tough enough for you, babe? Well, how about some gritty temporary tattoos? We've also got a neat dragon lighter for sneaking a smoke, the rocking original soundtrack,...

A new TV spot for director Zack Snyder's (300, Watchmen) upcoming genre-bending action movie, Sucker Punch, recently aired and now can be viewed online. Written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, Sucker Punch stars Emily Browning as Babydoll, a young woman whose virginity is up for sale at the twisted psychiatric hospital where she is being held against her will. Babydoll ventures into a fantasy world of her own creation populated by robots, dragons, samurais, and zombie soldiers in order to find five objects which can help her and her four cohorts — played by Jamie Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone, and Abbie Cornish — escape their real-world predicament. Carla Gugino and Jon Hamm also star.

Next Showing: Sucker Punch opens March 25, 2011

Sucker Punch - Trailer

From Zack Snyder, the director of 300 and Watchmen

Link | Posted 3/4/2011 by BrentJS

Zack Snyder | Sucker Punch...

We know Sucker Punch is on the fringe of horror at best, but it's one of our most anticipated films of the year, and damnit, the marketing campaign is too damn cool to ignore. For instance, check out these five new WWII style retro posters that recently hit the Net.

Russian site Kino Gallery revealed the vintage character posters you'll see below. Look for the film in theatres on March 25, 2011, from Warner Bros. Pictures.

Synopsis:

Close your eyes. Open your mind. You will be unprepared.

Sucker Punch is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what’s real and what is imaginary.

She has been locked away against her will,...