A Message to All Snyder Fans

I know I’m not the first person to try something like this. But I can’t get this off my mind and need to take the time to air this out. Because whenever this topic comes up, I just get frustrated - as I’m sure a lot of other people do. Heads up - this will most likely be a LONG post. But my hope is that I get someone, anyone, to listen to reason.

Speaking for myself, I find Zack Snyder one of the most interesting directors right now. I can’t say I like all of his movies. There have been times when I think some of the decisions he’s made were clearly the wrong ones. But he is one of the few directors that isn’t afraid to follow through on his choices and vision. After you watch one of his movies, you will remember it for a while. For better or for worse. I’ll even go so far as to admit that his adaptation of “Watchmen” is one of my favorite superhero movies. It holds a special place with me in regards to my exposure and understanding of the superhero genre, as well as helping develop my love for storytelling in all forms (movies, comics, TV, etc.) Having someone like Snyder try his hand in a superhero franchise probably seemed like an intriguing idea and a natural counterbalance to the tone and style of the then-new MCU. Having said that…Snyder never planned on creating a cinematic universe. Or at least, one that was meant to keep going on and on.

Snyder’s plan had a concrete beginning, middle, and end. A Superman movie, the Batman & Superman crossover, and a three-part Justice League story. We aren’t going to get into all the details of that plan right now. Short version - some ideas I think are really cool and exciting, others I think are wrong and go against the fundamental basics of the characters involved in his vision. But the main thing about his vision that mattered is how it measured up to WB’s expectations. They wanted one more like the MCU, a franchise that would always be pumping out installments. Initially, a compromise would be made. Snyder cuts it down to 4 movies while leaving some room for other movies to be made. This is where other directors could make movies like Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, etc.

While Snyder’s “Man of Steel” got some polarizing reviews, it wasn’t until the release of “Dawn of Justice” that WB decided to make major changes in a hurry. The studio ordered reshoots of “Suicide Squad” to make it lighter because a lot of criticism of BvS was centered on the dark tone. They even threw out the possibility of a second Justice League movie and told Snyder it will be just the one and put a limit on how long it could be. Now…while Snyder was working on “Justice League”, a family tragedy occurred. His initial reaction was to try and keep himself busy. However, he decided it was best to step away when post-production came around. He was NOT fired like what some rumors claimed. Having said that, I bet some studio executives were happy they got the chance to try and make a lighter superhero movie. What they got was a tonally jarring movie that even executives admitted they were unsatisfied with but ended up pushing to release in order to hold onto their bonuses. In the wake of that 2017 movie’s release, the Release the Snyder Cut movie was born. People trying to get WB to bring back Snyder to complete his story.

And THIS is where the actual letter I want to make begins. This fan-driven movement was one that I could actually admire. Snyder was not the first director to get a passion project shelved or have his movie ruined by studio interference. But this was probably the first time it got so much coverage as the struggles between the director and studio unfolded. I’m someone who is always curious to see a director’s intended version of their movie. And I won’t deny that this fan movement did some good, the main example being that they sold t-shirts where the proceeds would go to a suicide prevention program. I ended up buying one of those shirts myself. As I said, while I might not have agreed with a lot of the details of Snyder’s DC vision, I do admire the passion. Which is why I hate that I have to say this…

The fan movement was NOT the deciding factor to release the Snyder Cut. The decision to finish and release it was made due to the pandemic drastically limiting what projects WB could work on and finding ways to get people to subscribe to the newly launched HBO Max streaming service. The studio never intended to go all the way and create more movies with Snyder. While I’m not sure their comments calling it a “creative cul-de-sac” is completely accurate, there is some truth to that. The best-case scenario following the Snyder Cut was we would get one more movie - that’s it! His vision always had a concrete ending.

Finally - yes, finally! - we come to the current state of the Snyder fan base. People are now trying everything they can to get WB to notice their calls to let other companies finish off the “Snyder-verse”. It’s centered around getting WB to let Netflix do the job, but I think they expanded it to a number of different companies. Really any studio to do it on WB’s behalf. This alone is frustrating for a number of reasons. But to do this while always explicitly insulting people who are now finally getting the chance to PROPERLY launch a DC cinematic universe and calling for their termination is ugly.

First of all, there is no legal way this would work. WB is not going to let another company use its IP to make movies. Some people might point out a similar situation was able to happen between Disney and Sony regarding Spider-Man. But I should point out that following “Far From Home”'s release, the deal between the studios almost fell through entirely. There was scrambling to settle on a new deal prior to the release of “No Way Home”. There are a lot of details involving what can and can’t be done regarding the rights of Spider-Man, as well as how much profit each studio would get. This idea of having Netflix or whoever finishes off the Snyder-verse would require renting out basically DC’s entire lore and mythology - or a specific version which would make rights issues even more confusing to sort out.

Putting that aside though, it just doesn’t make any business or practical sense to do it. WB established DC Studios, which is focused on adapting DC characters and lore in all forms - movies, TV, games, etc. The co-chairs of that studio have fleshed out a plan on how they want to do it. To have a competitor have access to a lot of those same characters to have their own separate universe would confuse audiences and ultimately lose viewers for both parties. Not to mention that this kind of plan would be a massive investment for Netflix. This would eclipse the budgets of every other past Netflix original programming in existence. And keep in mind…Netflix originals don’t have a great reputation. Some are genuinely good, even great. But those are getting few and far in between in recent years.

And I can’t believe I have to ask this - but to those who are part of this movement to restore the Snyder-verse…do you even care if Snyder himself WANTS to finish it off? Even before the DCEU, he has a history of fighting WB when it comes to his other projects. Keep in mind that there are 3 different cuts of “Watchmen”. Even when he was allowed to finish the Snyder Cut, there were still a few rules the studio placed on him. Now Snyder is over at Netflix where he is involved with several projects where he virtually has full creative control. He has a new cinematic universe he’s building that began with “Army of the Dead”, he’s involved with an animated show about Norse mythology, and he’s re-purposing his old Star Wars movie pitch and turning it into a two-part movie. Objectively speaking, he has a MUCH better deal with Netflix than he ever had with WB. And let’s consider this…he probably has feelings and moments associated with making Justice League while he was trying to deal with a family tragedy. He probably doesn’t want to go back to that because it would just bring those feelings back up. Even if that’s not the case, he’s already stated that while he isn’t going to say never to the chance of making comic book movies, he has no current interest to go back to those movies. His passion is being channeled into his original ideas.

Look - WB seems to finally have their crap together and is approaching a cinematic universe with an actual plan. Snyder has found a new home to explore a variety of ideas. The people involved have moved on. But there are so many people still angrily demanding to go back to a cinematic universe that technically has already found closure in the Snyder Cut. True, the Snyder Cut includes teases, but the deal was to finish what Snyder intended in one movie, warts and all. Just because there are loose threads doesn’t mean they are obligated to follow through at this point.

Look, I can’t speak to why you guys are so attached to these Snyder movies and why you want more so badly. Maybe you still feel cheated that the studio interfered so much to begin with. Maybe you somehow feel recognized and vindicated that someone like Snyder tried to make your heroes that were larger than life on the page feel that same way on the big screen. That’s a much larger conversation that we can’t squeeze in right now. But you can still appreciate what you did get while finding a way to move on.

It sucks that things between WB and Snyder unfolded as they did. And it sucks that another director’s vision will never be fully realized. But the story of how we got as much as we did is still a far better ending than what most can expect. And the movies that we got inspired other people in their effort to actually create a cinematic universe the right way. They saw what worked and what didn’t and it seems like they are finally taking those lessons and applying them to all the future projects they have lined up. I’m not asking the Snyder fan base to just forget. I’m just asking you to take a step back, take a breath, and look to the future with optimism instead of holding onto the past with resentment. I think that’s a lesson every superhero from DC would want us to listen to.

8 Likes

Is this your belief, or confirmed? If it was said that it was because of the pandemic, it was still also due to the fan pressure.

1 Like

Also, I take issue with the whole idea of the DCEU or the Justice League film being Snyder’s creations. David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio are responsible for all interconnectivity between MoS, BvS:DoJ, and JL, as well as the films themselves, because unless we’re talking about S.H.I.E.L.D., THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS DIRECTORS. This is just demonstrably true from the job titles alone. A WRITER MAKES A MOVIE. A director is just someone rich enough to lounge around and watch the actors do their thing.

1 Like

This is very well written, and I agree with a lot of the arguments you make.

4 Likes

Are you sure BvS was part of his plan?

2 Likes

I definitely blame these two along with the studio for the mess of the Synderverse. See while I like the passion that Synder brought to the DCEU, I also remember that the reason I was annoyed by the direction of the DCEU was because they would bring so much seriousness to a otherwise colorful group of characters. And even when it did go funny or silly. These two writers sense of humor and imagination is so cynical and mean-spirited that it makes their light-hearted moments uncomfortable.

Did they forget that most comic book movies are meant to be watched by young and impressionable people whom first time watching these heroes is in their movies?

The studio deserve all the hate and criticism it received after the failure of the Josh Justice League, but I am glad it happened because when we years later got to see Synder bring his unaltered ideas to the 4 hour justice league. Worts and all.

2 Likes

I wasn’t going to reply to this, because I don’t want to engage in or promote the Snyder debate anymore, but given the effort you put into your post, I feel compelled to bite.

First off I agree with you. I think being so devoted to one artistic vision of something with as rich a history as DC is short sighted at best, and detrimental to the brand, or even the genre at worst. DC has been around for 85 years, and a big part of its strength is the multitude of visions and interpretations of its characters. Zack Snyder isn’t the first to take them on and won’t be the last. To shut one’s mind to that means missing out on so much DC have to offer. To double down on the obsession on every form of social media, online forum, billboard, and airplane ad, doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture of DC or its fandom. It only sends the message that things are screwed up between the company making the movies and their fans.

Second, I love the Snyder movies, and yes I would have liked to see a conclusion with Darkseid and his “armada”. Because I like them, it doesn’t mean I can’t acknowledge their faults. Clark killing so emphatically was a mistake that could have been easily avoided. Clark not smiling, being uncharacteristically quiet, and overly conflicted made him less likable. Bruce and Clark should have spent less time fighting. The Knightmare shtick didn’t have to be introduced so prematurely. I can go on. Why do I like the movies then? I love the action. I like that they pull quite a bit from various comics. I think the casting is excellent. I’m a sucker for Snyder’s visuals and his over-indulgence in slow motion. I love the production values. The musical scores are amazing. I think that despite the flaws, the movies still provide interesting interpretations of the characters, highlighting sides that were not emphasized in previous movies, like how badass Supes can be, or how emotional Bruce can get.

How do I personally reconcile those two points? Well, the movies are there. I can watch them whenever without bothering the whole world about it. I can also watch Superman ‘78, Batman ‘89, Wonder Woman ‘77, Superman & Lois, Doom Patrol, The Sandman, Titans, The Arrowverse, The Nolan movies, and so many countless other live action movies and shows (some of which I like more than others of course). Those previous works feature different, sometimes timeless, takes on DC characters. Why would I limit myself to one man’s vision? Why would I shut my mind to what The Flash could bring, or what James Gunn’s announced projects can do for the DC Universe?

I remember a piece of advice my oldest sister told me when I was a child. I was raving about some toy or show, saying how much I love it. She looked at me with a stern smile and said something along the lines of “Like it. Save the love for those that matter, like your family and friends.” Of course here I am l 30/35 years later spending way too much time at an ungodly hour on a fan forum :joy:. Nonetheless, I feel like some Snyder fans would do well to heed that advice :slightly_smiling_face:.

Apologies for the long post, and hope my ramblings were at least mildly understandable.

4 Likes

Think about it. Why would a major studio like WB, where executives choose to release a movie like the 2017 Justice League over delaying it and trying to reedit it just so they can earn their bonuses, cave into fan pressure? They wouldn’t. But when put into a position where they can’t create new movies from scratch for a while (due to the pandemic and working conditions), it is much safer and more sensible to finish a movie that already has filming done and just needs post production work. Especially when you can use that as exclusive for your new streaming servuce so you can stand out from the dozens of services that already exist.

And keep in mind, just because sites like Twitter give these kind of groups a loud voice, it doesn’t mean they are the majority. Based on some analysis, the “Release the Snyder Cut” doesn’t really make up a huge part of movie going audiences doesn’t being very active Twitter. It’s kind of like how despite “Avatar 2” not being a significantly trending topic on Twitter despite surveys showing that it is one of the most anticipated movies of 2022 for general audiences

1 Like

I think you are vastly undervaluing directors. Yes, writing if very important. But directors are oftentimes very involved eith writing process, sometimes even writing and directing some movies all on their own. And they hold the right to change a script when working on set. Also, if directors really were just people who lounge around and watch actors, then every movie would have performances just like the ones from the Star Wars prequels. Directors are very crucial and often drive for certain projects to be made.

2 Likes

I’m not sure if a BvS had always been a part of his plan. But based on interviews, it was clear Snyder intended on a 5 film story, which for sure included a 3 part JL event

1 Like

You assume a lot about me.

I will place it as a middle of the road superhero film.

You are forgetting The Fox and the Hound.

1 Like

You kind of touch on a much bigger topic. There are certainly stories that deserve a more “grounded” or mature approach. For example, Watchmen got to be as famous as it was because of the more realistic approach. But a major reason these DCEU films failed was because they tried to apply that same approach to character like Superman and Wonder Woman. It seems like there are a few people out there who still like it because of that. But personally, it was the wrong approach for sure

2 Likes

Have you seen how long my post is? Trust me, your fine and thanks for sharing

1 Like

Yes, movies with delayed production like Fix and Hound exist. But that was before we had 24/7 news coverage and social media sites today that try and bring you live coverage as soon as it happened. Not to mention the spread of a lot of rumors and false information. This is still a significantly unique situation

1 Like

Fox and the Hound got hordes of coverage.

2 Likes

Admittedly, I’m not super uo to date on that movie from the 70s. And I’m weirdly impressed you are. But you have to admit the nature and fast paced nature of coverage today makes it even a little bit different

2 Likes
2 Likes

I was not expecting to get schooled on my lack of knowledge of The Fox and The Hound. But here I am

4 Likes

I feel a similar frustration. There is certainly a subset of Snyder fans that won’t accept the Snyder cut as the end. The same subset also appears to engage in a lot of bullying and hatred regarding commentators who are not a fan of Snyder. It paints all Snyder fans as bullies and I hate it.

I LOVE the Snyder films but it’s clear it’s time to let go. I think all involved are frustrated with how things shook out. It took me a minute, but I am ready for a shift to something new. Hopefully they’ll be less drama behind the scenes.

3 Likes

I’d like to throw in my two cents, because I don’t see to hate Zack Snyder the way a lot of people online seem to. I enjoy his movies. Are they perfect? Nah! But I think he gets painted in the same light as someone like Michael Bay does.

It’s annoyed me to no end that anyone who shared a hashtag to release the Snyder Cut was automatically labelled either an online troll or some sort of frat dude-bro. There were a lot of people who wanted to see what the original movie was; the scenes we saw in the trailers and knew they existed. You’d see articles from outlets like CBR that would stoke the flames for clicks. You’d see “Sorry fanboys, the Snydercut does NOT exist”

What also gets on my nerves are the fans who donated money and time to charities and causes close to Snyder’s heart. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose a child. To go through that and having to walk away from a movie must’ve been tough. And yet the vitriol and nonsense that got thrown his way made me shake my head. Again, he’s not perfect, but he’s also a human being who had to deal with a terrible loss.

In the end we finally got to see the movie. I saw it the first day on HBO Max and I got the blu-ray. I enjoyed the hell out of it. I also figured that’d be the last we’d get because even before the Gunn announcement, Warners was looking to move on from what was being set up. I really can’t complain. I got to see it, I got to own a copy on blu-ray. So many people wanted to play Dance Dance revolution on Snyder’s cut and on his grave, but in the end it still got released.

Yea, there’s some insufferable Snyder fans out there–you’ll find them in any fandom–but a good chunk of us are people who just wanted to see a movie, shared a hashtag and put money towards good causes. Sadly the vocal minority are the ones everyone assumes are the majority.

I’m so interested in what Gunn and Safran are going to do with the DCU. I love their choices, but I also love that Elseworlds will exist. Maybe with some time or luck we can go back to this universe. If not, at least the door is always open and considering all the unnecessary and stupid drama that’s been going on since Man of Steel hit theatres ten years ago, that’s a win in my book.

4 Likes