Earlier this week, DC Comics fans were rocked by the news that director Zack Snyder would be stepping down from the Justice League film to deal with an on-going family tragedy. For those who missed the news, back in March of this year, Zack lost his 20-year-old daughter Autumn to suicide. Snyder and his producer wife Deborah did not make the news public, and Zack tried to throw himself into his work. When it became clear that wasn’t working, the Snyders took stock and decided to focus on family in this time of grief, including their seven remaining children and step-children.
With Snyder stepping down, Warner Bros. tapped Joss Whedon to fill the directorial void on Justice League. With Whedon already on board to direct Batgirl, and his experience directing superhero team-ups, it appeared to be a solid choice. But what fans didn’t know until now was that Whedon was already helping birth Justice League long before it became official.
At the premiere of Wonder Woman, Variety caught up with producer Charles Roven and talk inevitably turned to the future of the DCEU and Whedon taking up the Justice League baton.
“[Joss Whedon] was already working with us on some of the scenes for the additional photography that we’re going to be doing shortly. It was fortunate that Zack [Snyder] convinced him — and he agreed — to step in and finish the movie. To help Zack finish his vision.”
Leaving aside the idea that additional Justice League photography might involve Batgirl, this revelation indicates Snyder knew he needed to delegate his workload. However long it took the director to step down doesn’t mean he wasn’t suffering in the interim. Whedon’s entrance has already upset some fans will always try to delineate a Marvel vs. DC turf war, with Whedon’s move to DC movies signaling a move toward making them more like Marvel. But it’s not really fair to read that into Whedon stepping up to help fellow director through a life-shattering crisis. Empathy has no allegiance to film style.
[Via Geek Tyrant]