Zack Snyder has shared his thoughts on the allegations against Joss Whedon, and the future of the DCEU with the New York Times (limited access for non-subscribers) ahead of the the Thursday release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBOMax. Snyder is in the cultural catbird seat at the moment, as even non comic/movie fans are fascinated by the saga of #SnyderCut. Everyone wants his take on matters and he seems ready and willing to oblige a a curious public.
He who laughs last…
Snyder kept it classy when asked to share his thoughts on Joss Whedon’s behavior during Justice League reshoots, prior to its original release in 2017. He claimed ignorance of his replacement’s allegedly toxic behavior, but expressed sympathy for the cast and crew:
The last thing they wanted to do was call me, complaining about them having a hard time shooting. But in retrospect, do I feel bad that they had to go through that? I do. These guys are my friends, and they’re amazing actors, and they’re strong people. I want them to be taken care of and in a healthy situation. I wasn’t there, so your opinion on it is probably is as good as mine.
Whedon’s star has absolutely crashed and burned, since he helmed the first two Avengers films. Allegations from former Buffy the Vampire Slayer collaborators and even his ex-wife have painted him as an abusive boss, and an unfaithful partner. If the Snyder Cut is a success, it stands to reason that the blame for the original’s failure will retroactively shift to Whedon. This seems to be a narrative that many are prepared to embrace, and it wouldn’t reflect positively on Snyder to kick the other man when he’s down.
Always playing catch-up
Snyder also shared his thoughts on plans for the future of the DCEU, and the lack of a place for his magnum opus in those plans.
They are 100 percent moving away. They consider the theatrical cut of ‘Justice League’ as canon. That’s their decision. I wish them all the best, and I hope the whole thing is a giant blockbuster on top of blockbuster on top of blockbuster. The stars of those movies are my friends, and I want them to be prosperous, and I want people to love it.
Snyder seems to be at peace with the fact that his ultimate vision for the JL will likely never come to pass, as Warner Bros. seem dead set on trying to emulate the success of the light-hearted, intricately connected Marvel cinematic universe, that Whedon helped build. Zack Snyder has never been one to set aside his artistic vision in pursuit of dollar signs, and it speaks to his maturity and experience that he can accept the truth and move on. The very fact that the world will see his his Justice League is all the validation he needs.
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