Director Zack Snyder has not worked on a DCEU film since completing Zack Snyder's Justice League - but will he ever make another DC movie? Speculation has run wild regarding Snyder's DCEU involvement, as his extended Justice League cut seems to have been a major success for the studio. While details are slim, here is everything we know about Zack Snyder's potential future with the DCEU.
Zack Snyder kicked off the Snyderverse with Man of Steel and remained a key director up until his departure from Justice League. Leaving the film before it was finished, Joss Whedon signed on to wrap up the film. However, this original cut was met with critical disapproval, citing the inconsistent tone and clear reshoots. With rumors of Zack Snyder's original vision circulating, the hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut became a social media sensation. After the director's cut was released to critical acclaim, another trend, #RestoreTheSnyderVerse, made the rounds, this time petitioning Warner Bros. to bring Zack Snyder back to the DCEU.
Since the two hashtags began, more and more info has come to light regarding Snyder's original vision for the DCEU. Originally, Zack Snyder envisioned his Justice League as being the first film in a trilogy, with the second and third films never coming to light. While the DCEU has undoubtedly shifted away from its original path, the outcry for a SnyderVerse restoration has made the chances of Zack Snyder making another DC movie entirely possible.
Why Zack Snyder's Justice League 2 & 3 Didn't Happen
As the ending of Zack Snyder's Justice League teases, the original plan for the Justice League sequels would have been pretty grim, following plot threads like the return of Lex Luthor and the Knightmare future. Sadly, though, these plans never saw the light of day. There are a few specific reasons for the sequels' cancellations, all starting with the critical reception of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Although some loved the film, many critics strongly criticized the film for its dour tone and directorial style, which have been signatures of Snyder since his beginnings. While Warner Bros. did begin readjusting the tones of some of their later films, the company wanted to stick by Snyder's vision until the release of Justice League. However, that is where things all started going downhill.
During the production of Justice League, the script was changed to address criticisms of the DCEU. While directing the already-changed version of the film, the death of Zack Snyder's daughter caused him to leave the film, with him quickly being replaced by Joss Whedon. Whedon rewrote the script and finished the film, with it losing Snyder's signature style and being subjected to even harsher criticism. The messy production of Justice League and the lackluster reception of the DCEU up until this point made Warner Bros. want a change, and the departure of Zack Snyder and the failure of the film seemed like the perfect opportunity. Because of this, Warner Bros. set the DCEU on a different path, rewriting the franchise's future and officially derailing the SnyderVerse with the cancellation of Snyder's original Justice League 2 and Justice League 3.
What Zack Snyder Has Said About Making Another DC Movie
Even after his departure, Zack Snyder has still shown a desire to be involved with the DCEU, even spearheading #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. Because of this, it is likely that Snyder would return to make another DC movie if given the opportunity. Responding to a question about his potential return in an interview with EW, Snyder said, "Who knows what the future holds?" While this answer is vague, it doesn't rule out his return to the DCEU. Furthermore, Snyder made a Vero post in June of 2022 captioned "My Superman past present and future." Though these statements are vague, they do seem to hint at Snyder's desire to once again helm a DC movie.
Why Zack Snyder Making Another DC Movie Is Unlikely
Although Zack Snyder is clearly interested in making another DC movie, his return is incredibly unlikely. Firstly, the SnyderVerse audience is fairly niche, and restoring it would be too much of a financial risk for Warner Bros. to take. The SnyderVerse was already attempted once, and Warner Bros. doesn't seem to have an incentive to try again. On top of that, Snyder is incredibly busy with his Army of The Dead shared universe. This franchise is set to continue with sequels, spin-off TV shows, and more, all of which Zack Snyder will be heavily involved in. The director has invested so much time into this new universe that it wouldn't make sense for him to abandon it in order to start making DC movies again. While it is unfortunate for some, Snyder's return to the DCEU will probably never happen, no matter how much he wants it to.
What Is Zack Snyder's Next Movie?
While Snyder is busy building up the Army of The Dead universe, he is also working on another huge project: Rebel Moon. Rebel Moon is a highly anticipated epic space opera, containing a massive ensemble cast and a complex original story. Much like Army of The Dead, Rebel Moon is set to be released exclusively on Netflix, continuing Snyder's growing partnership with the company. So, while Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon will continue his pattern of making gigantic epics, he will probably never again direct a DCEU movie.
