History Creator / ZackSnyder

Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966 in Green Bay, UsefulNotes/Wisconsin) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.

* DoingItForTheArt: A big believer in this.

Snyder has since struck big deals to provide content for Creator/{{Netflix}}, including ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' (his second non-adaptation, which also marked his return to the {{zombie|Stories}} genre and spawned a franchise), a Myth/NorseMythology-[=inspired=] animated series titled ''Twilight of the Gods'' (to be directed by Jay Oliva), and ''Rebel Moon'' (a SpaceOpera film). He is also interested in adaptating the Creator/AynRand novel ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' and the Myth/ArthurianLegend.

[[folder:Films he directed:]]

* ''Rebel Moon'' (TBA)

Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.

** He had full artistic freedom on virtually every film he made from ''300'' to ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'', minus some [[ReCut truncated]] theatrical versions here and there. Then the extremely polarizing reception to ''Batman v Superman'' prompted some Warner Bros. execs to [[ExecutiveMeddling enforce changes]] on the original script of ''Justice League''. Then they demanded reshoots, and he stepped down before these happened. Thus the film was dramatically altered without his input.

** Creator/{{Netflix}} meanwhile gave him free reins in the making of ''Army of the Dead'' and for every subsequent project he has in store for them.

* CreatorBreakdown: After his daughter tragically committed suicide during post production of ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'', he decided to step away from the project before reshoots stemming from ExecutiveMeddling were scheduled in UK, wanting to spend more time with his family.

He is well known for his stylized action movies in which he displays his love for details, crisp cinematography, [[{{Overcrank}} slow motion sequences]] and [[ColorWash dark and gloomy color filters]], and for creating almost shot-for-shot adaptations of comic books such as ''Film/ThreeHundred'' and ''Film/{{Watchmen}}''.

His biggest directorial challenge to date undoubtedly has been to kick-start the Creator/WarnerBros[=/=]Creator/DCComics [[SharedUniverse shared movie universe]] commonly referred to as Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse (DCEU), starting with the Franchise/{{Superman}} [[ContinuityReboot reboot]] ''Film/ManOfSteel'' in 2013 then ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' in 2016. He then exited ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' in the middle of the post-production work in May 2017 after the death of his daughter Autumn in March of that year. After almost three years of speculation and [[SendingStuffToSaveTheShow fan campaigns]], [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague his version of the film]] was eventually released on Creator/HBOMax in 2021. His direct collaboration with Creator/WarnerBros has ended although and his wife Deborah are still co-producing films in the DCEU setting via their company, Creator/TheStoneQuarry (formerly Cruel and Unusual Films, renamed in 2019).

He has since struck big deals to provide content for Creator/{{Netflix}}, including ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' (his second non-adaptation, which also marked his return to the {{Zombie|Stories}} genre and spawned a franchise), a Myth/NorseMythology-[=inspired=] animated series titled ''Twilight of the Gods'' (to be directed by Jay Oliva), and ''Rebel Moon'' (a SpaceOpera film). He is also interested in adaptating the Creator/AynRand novel ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' and the Myth/ArthurianLegend.

He has since struck big deals to provide content for Creator/{{Netflix}}, including ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' (his second non-adaptation, which also marked his return to the {{Zombie|Stories}} genre and spawned a franchise), a Myth/NorseMythology-[=inspired=] animated series titled ''Twilight of the Gods'' (to be directed by Jay Oliva), a film titled ''Horse Latitudes'' (about a veteran war photographer who teams up with a soldier to find the murderer of a diplomat and his family) and ''Rebel Moon'' (a SpaceOpera). He is also interested in adaptating the Creator/AynRand novel ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' and the Myth/ArthurianLegend.

* ''Horse Latitudes'' (TBA)

** ''Film/ArmyOfThieves'' (2021, co-produced, co-wrote the story) [[note]]Footage and unused takes from ''Army of the Dead'' were used at the end also.[[/note]]

!!Tropes common in Zack Snyder's films:

* AdamWesting: He appeared in the 365th episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', voicing a cartoon version of himself who lifts weights and projects the eponymous Teen Titans into the ancient times battle of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' against Darkseid in his serious and dramatic style (there's an [[ArtShift animation shift]] at this moment, from the cartoonish ''Teen Titans Go!'' style to the more serious style seen aplenty in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies).

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' (2022, 365th episode), [[AsHimself voiced himself]]

* AdamWesting: He appeared in the 365th episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', voicing a cartoon version of himself who projects the eponymous Teen Titans into the ancient times battle of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' against Darkseid in his serious and dramatic style (there's an [[ArtShift animation shift]] at this moment, from the cartoonish ''Teen Titans Go!'' style to the more serious style seen aplenty in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies).

* AdamWesting: He appeared in the 365th episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', voicing a cartoon version of himself who projects the eponymous Teen Titans into the ancient times battle of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' against Darkseid in his serious and dramatic style (there's an [[ArtShift animation shift]] at this moment, from the cartoonish ''Teen Titans Go!'' style to the style of the average WesternAnimation/{{DC Universe Animated Original Movie|s}}s).

* SpecialGuest: He appears in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' to air in Fall 2022, [[AsHimself voicing a cartoon version of himself]].

** The man himself has a reputation for being one of the nicest directors to work with in Hollywood, with common stories relating to how he will go out of his way to make sure his extras have water and then personally delivering it to them, a job normally reserved for interns. Not to mention, as mentioned above in AuteurLicense, he gave fellow DCEU filmmakers Creator/PattyJenkins and Creator/JamesWan free reign in their respective interpretations of the Amazons and Atlanteans, even when they [[ContinuitySnarl contradicted his own vision]] for them. He's also extremely popular among actors (with Creator/EmilyBrowning even saying working on ''Film/SuckerPunch'' made her want to continue acting) and among {{visual effects artists}} (for ensuring them better work conditions than is usually the case with big studios such as Creator/MarvelStudios).

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Sexual predators in his films are invariably portrayed as loathsome and pathetic creeps who always get a swift and brutal comeuppance.

** The man himself has a reputation for being one of the nicest directors to work with in Hollywood, with common stories relating to how he will go out of his way to make sure his extras have water and then personally delivering it to them, a job normally reserved for interns. Not to mention, as mentioned above in AuteurLicense, he gave fellow DCEU filmmakers Creator/PattyJenkins and Creator/JamesWan free reign in their respective interpretations of the Amazons and Atlanteans, even when they [[ContinuitySnarl contradicted his own vision]] for them. He's also extremely popular among actors with Creator/EmilyBrowning even saying working on ''Film/SuckerPunch'' made her want to continue acting.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Sexual predators in his films are invariably portrayed as loathsome and pathetic creeps who always get a swift and brutal comeuppance.

* SpecialGuest: He appears in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' to air in Fall 2022, [[AsHimself voicing himself]].

+ ScienceFiction, {{Superhero}}, {{Action|Genre}}, {{Horror}}

** ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004'' has a survivor who is about to be a father. His devotion to his family [[spoiler:drives him insane as he's faced with his wife and his child's zombification]]. There's also another survivor whose daughter was a victim of the ZombieApocalypse.

* SignatureStyle: Lots of slow motion, dark colors, visual references to works of art, focus on parenting and the positive and negative effects parents can have on children well into adulthood, heavy use of non-visual storytelling with crucial story elements often being conveyed without any dialogue, [[NiceGuy likable lead characters]], extensive use of narration, wide shots and comparatively long takes in action sequences, use of religious symbolism, unconventional casting choices and use of lesser known actors in major roles and lots of [[{{Fanservice}} shots of actors' impressive physiques]].

** Similar to [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} it's source material]], ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' is somewhere in the middle, as its various protagonists have differing conclusions to morality.

* TeasingCreator: He is a prominent user of the social media Vero, and he has shared numerous screenshots and behind-the-scenes photos of his version of ''Justice League'' on it for fans during the two years and a half prior to the announcement of its eventual release on Creator/HBOMax. That teasing was aimed at helping to get the film released, and needless to say, it succeeded.

* [[invoked]]CopiouslyCreditedCreator: He produced, wrote, directed, handled the camera work and did the cinematography of ''Army of the Dead''.

+ FilmNoir, Creator/JohnBoorman, Creator/StanleyKubrick, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/FrankMiller, Creator/PeterJackson, Creator/GeorgeARomero, Renaissance and Classical art, Creator/FrankFrazetta, Creator/ScottSnyder, Creator/AlanMoore, UsefulNotes/TheIronAgeOfComicBooks, UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, ''Magazine/HeavyMetal'', {{Anime}}s ]

He is not related to comic book creator Creator/ScottSnyder, but has mentioned him among his inspirations for his DCEU films. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen There were even brief plans for Scott to bring Zack's original vision for the DCEU]] post-''Justice League'' to [[ComicBookAdaptation comic book form]] in compliments to the release of the long-awaited Snyder Cut, but ultimately didn't go through.

+ Creator/JohnBoorman, Creator/StanleyKubrick, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/FrankMiller, Creator/PeterJackson, Creator/GeorgeARomero, Renaissance and Classical art, Creator/FrankFrazetta, Creator/ScottSnyder, Creator/AlanMoore, UsefulNotes/TheIronAgeOfComicBooks, UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, ''Magazine/HeavyMetal'', {{Anime}}s ]

** ''Film/{{The Flash|2022}}'' (2022, executive producer)