A recent report suggests that director Zack Snyder, who has been building the DECU with Warner Bros., will play a much smaller role in the future films.
On Tuesday, Josh Dickey of Mashable reported that Zack Snyder and his wife, producer Deborah Snyder, whose vision has guided the nascent DCEU but also divided viewers, “will no longer have anything like the level of creative influence that got the franchise to this point,” citing multiple sources.
That influence was behind early DCEU installments Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Both of which Zack and Deborah directed and produced, respectively. Man of Steel, shot in Zack Snyder’s characteristic dark, muted tones, earned mixed reviews, but its follow-up was almost universally panned, with critics bemoaning its bleak, distracted story.
The pair also produced 2017 critical and commercial triumph Wonder Woman, but director Patty Jenkins’ fingerprints are all over that film, whose gorgeous, colorful cinematography gives us warm characters and brilliant visuals.
The Snyders stepped away from Justice League in May following the death of their daughter. And Joss Whedon, one of the architects of the MCU, took over at the helm.
The future of the DCEU
Warner Bros. responded to Mashable’s report with a statement insisting that the Snyders “are actively involved in several upcoming DC pictures” and that the studio is “excited about our partnership and look forward to our continued collaboration.”
However, we all know that creative control on a film spans a wide spectrum. That a producer, even an executive producer, doesn’t wield nearly as much influence as the person holding the directorial reins.
To that end, just look at the most recent trailer for
Justice League.
It was unveiled at the Warner Bros. panel at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend:
Now compare that to the last trailer Warner Bros. released before Snyder vacated the director’s chair:
Traces of Whedon are all over the most recent trailer. In everything from the jokey banter to the notably lighter, brighter tones. In fact, it looks a little bit like a—gasp—Marvel movie.
That’s certainly not what fans of the DCEU are looking for. The MCU has given us some wonderful superhero movies. From 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger to the more recent Spider-Man: Homecoming.
But Marvel Studios has also created some major disappointments; true popcorn flicks that don’t carry any weight or substance. Some that feel like they were produced on an assembly line aimed at one goal: profit.
It’s fair for those who want to see DCEU films faithfully feature Batman’s, Superman’s, and others’ weightier themes to have some hesitations about Whedon’s growing influence. But if the Comic-Con trailer is any indication, he’s making improvements without sacrificing substance.
Snyders’ future?
So, what does all this mean for the Snyders’ future? Though critical reception to their work has been largely negative, there is a DC fanbase that staunchly supports them and their vision.
Does that vision still hold a valuable place at Warner Bros.? Or are the studio’s comments merely lip service as the pair is slowly phased out?
Next: Wonder Woman 2 has a release date and we have to wait a little bit
Justice League may not provide answers to those questions. But we’ll certainly see just how much influence the Snyders will have on upcoming films. Aquaman, Suicide Squad 2, and The Flash: Flashpoint may still have his touch. Zack Snyder is currently slated to produce all of them.