James Gunn Says Zack Snyder Offered 'Support' Regarding The New Direction Of The DCU
DC Studios has been the talk of Tinseltown as of late, thanks to the efforts of its leaders, James Gunn and Peter Safran. The duo unveiled their slate for the revamped DC Universe, which will encompass a host of new movies, television shows — live-action and animated — and even video games, with Elseworlds stories in the peripherals. Suffice to say, fan confidence in the future of DC media is higher than it has been in a long time. At the same time, it's important not to put the cart before the horse.
While Gunn and Safran seem to have a good handle on DC's future, it's worth remembering that this isn't the first time Warner Bros. Discovery has tried to pitch their plan for a DC franchise to fans. It was only a few years ago that the ill-fated DC Extended Universe came to be, which went on to feature such titles as "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Justice League," and "Wonder Woman," among others. Some productions were drastically altered, and others were outright canceled ("Cyborg," for example), resulting in a mixed bag of a poorly planned and conceived cinematic universe.
Nevertheless, one of the main architects of the DCEU in its early days, Zack Snyder, remains beloved by DC fans for his contributions. For those curious, Gunn has shared how the former DC creative feels about the new DCU.
Snyder spoke to Gunn directly about the DCU slate
In response to a Twitter post using #SellTheSnyderVerseToNetflix — a fan movement attempting to get streaming giant Netflix to carry on the legacy of Zack Snyder's DC films, such as "Man of Steel" and his version of "Justice League" — James Gunn not only shot down the idea but shared that he has spoken to Snyder directly about the DCU. "He contacted me to express his support about my choices. He's a great guy," Gunn wrote in the second of two tweets, making it clear that there's no animosity between them regarding all that has happened with the DC brand.
Additionally, Gunn points out that Snyder seems quite happy with what he has going on away from the DC world. For those unaware, Snyder has recently begun collaborating with Netflix on a variety of projects. The first, the zombie heist flick "Army of the Dead," was released in 2021 and is due to receive a sequel, "Planet of the Dead," sometime in the future. Snyder is also hard at work on "Rebel Moon": a science fiction epic starring the likes of Sofia Boutella, Ray Fisher, Charlie Hunnam, and more. It is due for a December 2023 premiere.
Zack Snyder's time under the DC banner has indeed come and gone, and while it wasn't perfect, it has found a fanbase all its own. Hopefully, it, too, will join Snyder in supporting James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC efforts as they arrive.