by Ben Miller
Many outlets are reporting the news that director Zack Snyder is stepping down from directing the upcoming Justice League in order to be with his family following the suicide of his daughter, Autumn, in March. This news has unfortunately prompted some insensitive reactions online. This brings to light an interesting separation between the artist and the art they create.
Snyder has his fair amount of detractors. I was impressed by his debut with Dawn of the Dead and got caught up in the zeitgeist that was 300. But, I have been less than thrilled with his contributions to the superhero genre in Watchmen, Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
This has birthed a persona of the man – Zack Snyder, director. His personal life and character has been shielded by a believed persona of what we feel this man is like, just because of the films he makes. We assume that the CGI heavy and slow-motion leaning visual style says more about the man than anything else...
I am reminded of a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon sketch from 2014. Baseball player Robinson Cano had just signed with the Seattle Mariners after a number of successful seasons with the New York Yankees. Producing a cardboard cutout of Cano on the street, numerous Yankee fans were encouraged to yell at Cano’s cutout, hoping for some catharsis. Cano was hiding behind the cutout and would surprise the fans who have just been booing him. The reactions of these fans are not ones of embarrassment or shame… they are beaming and grateful to meet the superstar.
The fans weren’t booing Cano-the-man; they were booing Cano-the-player. Once that barrier between the two was broken down, they were thrilled to see the man.
This is where we are with Snyder. You don’t have to enjoy his films to feel his sorrow. You don’t have to take a different stance on Watchmen. He has been experiencing, for the better part of two months, an incomprehensible tragedy.
This is the perfect time to realize that your favorite actors, directors, writers and Hollywood movers-and-shakers are also people. We send the deepest condolences to Snyder and his wife, Justice League producer Deborah Snyder, as well as the entire Snyder family.
As for Justice League, Buffy creator/Avengers director Joss Whedon is stepping in to complete post production in Snyder’s stead. The film is set for release on November 17th.