After losing his daughter to suicide in March of this year, DC director Zack Snyder has decided to step away from directing the upcoming Justice League film in order to devote more time to his family. Snyder’s wife, Deborah Snyder, a producer on the film, will also be taking time off to be with their loved ones. Snyder has chosen to keep the passing of his daughter, Autumn Snyder (20), a private matter up until now — citing the need to take a step back, but to also not let the fans down.
Justice League is currently in post-production; however, Snyder was hoping to fold in a few additional scenes. He has enlisted Avengers and Buffy the Vampire Slayer director Joss Whedon to write and direct them. Snyder and Warner Bros. have assured fans that it will in no way shake up the current film; it will be the same characters — Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) — written into a few extra scenes. Whedon will write them in conjunction with Snyder’s vision and see the film through post-production for its intended release on November 17.
In an emotional interview at the Warner Bros. lot today, Snyder revealed:
In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it. The demands of this job are pretty intense. It is all-consuming. And in the last two months, I’ve come to the realization … I’ve decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me. They are all having a hard time. I’m having a hard time.
Warner Bros. is backing Snyder’s decision one hundred percent and is even extending his first look deal with them so that he can have time to work on personal projects when he returns from his needed break. “What they are going through is unimaginable, and my heart — our hearts — go out to them,” said Warner president Toby Emmerich.
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