Zack Snyder Speaks About The Recent Tragedy and Stepping Away From 'Justice League'
On the heels of what was a tragic news day, news broke Director Zack Snyder would be stepping away from Justice League production in the wake of his daughter’s death. Snyder’s daughter from his first marriage, Autumn Snyder age 20, died by suicide sometime in March.
Despite keeping Autumn’s death private, Snyder says he was initially eager to get back to work despite halting production for two weeks following Autumn's death. After production resumed, demands of the job coupled with the recent tragedy were reason enough for Snyder and his wife Deborah to step away from Justice League in order to focus on their family.
"Here’s the thing, I never planned to make this public,” he says “I thought it would just be in the family, a private matter, our private sorrow that we would deal with. When it became obvious that I need to take a break, I knew there would be narratives created on the internet. They’ll do what they do. The truth is … I’m past caring about that kind of thing now.” THR
Snyder, played a vital role revitalizing Warner Bros. DC Extended Universe properties first with Man of Steel (2013) and most recently Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Additionally, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and The Flash - Produced by Snyder - are slated for release prior to his next directorial commitment Justice League Sequel planned for 2020.
Stepping in to complete Justice League will be Josh Whedon, the Avengers and creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in order to keep the film on track for its Nov. 17 release date. Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich says the studio is fully behind the move. “What they [Snyders] are going through is unimaginable, and my heart – our hearts – go out to them…The directing is minimal and it has to adhere to the style and tone and the template that Zack set,” says Emmerich. “We’re not introducing any new characters. It’s the same characters in some new scenes. He’s handing the baton to Joss, but the course has really been set by Zack. I still believe that despite this tragedy, we’ll still end up with a great movie.”
After yesterday's announcement, friends, critics, and industry colleagues Tweeted their support for the Snyder's:
On behalf of the entire Cultjer community, our thoughts go out to the Snyder family.
Source: THR
