What Steppenwolf From Zack Snyder's Justice League Looks Like In Real Life

In 2017, "Justice League" was released to mediocre reviews. The theatrical version, helmed by Joss Whedon after Zack Snyder stepped down due to the death of his daughter, failed to resonate with fans and faltered at the box office. However, when "Zack Snyder's Justice League" came out nearly four years later, it was better received by audiences and critics who embraced the director's original vision. 

Snyder's cut of the DCEU film featured significant changes to the plot, adding new characters like Martian Manhunter (Harry Lennix) and offering a more prominent spotlight to heroes and villains whose roles were cut down in Whedon's version, including Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Darkseid (Ray Porter). 

One of the biggest changes came to Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), with Darkseid's servant receiving an all-new look in the 2021 version of the film. The CGI-heavy villain's appearance in the Snyder cut gave him shinier armor, with spikes covering his neck and surrounding his head. His face looked much more alien than his appearance in Whedon's cut — with concept art showing off his unique physiology inside the armor. 

While several actors appearing in both 2017's "Justice League" and 2021's "Zack Snyder's Justice League" were vocal about their experiences on the two projects, Ciarán Hinds made few public remarks regarding the topic. However, after the latter's release, the actor expressed in multiple interviews how happy he was for Snyder finally getting his chance to tell his story.

Hinds, an industry veteran with more than 40 years of acting experience, is unrecognizable as Steppenwolf in both versions of "Justice League." However, viewers may recognize him in several other roles.

The Irish actor is best known for his portrayals as Mance Rayder in "Game of Thrones" and for co-starring in 2021's Academy Award Best Picture nominee, "Belfast." The character actor has appeared in both big and small projects, portraying bioweapons dealer Jonathan Reiss in "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" and Albus Dumbledore's brother Aberforth in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2." Hinds has also co-starred in several Academy Award-nominated films, including Steven Spielberg's "Munich," Tomas Alfredson's "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," and Damien Chazelle's "First Man." 

Interestingly enough, Steppenwolf wasn't the first time Hinds portrayed the villain in a superhero flick. In 2011's "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," the veteran actor played opposite Nicolas Cage as the movie's main antagonist, Mephisto. Ironically, some fans felt Hinds and Mephisto were underutilized, just like Steppenwolf in the theatrical version of "Justice League." Studios should take heed; never rein in Hinds when he plays the bad guy.