DC
Former Warner Bros. Executive Told Zack Snyder He Was “Right About Everything” With His DC Universe
Zack Snyder has revealed that a former Warner Bros. executive eventually admitted the studio had been wrong to fight the filmmaker over his vision for the DC Universe.
Speaking in a new interview with Variety, Snyder reflected on the turbulent end of his time overseeing Warner Bros.’ interconnected DC films and the extensive changes made to Justice League after his departure.
According to Snyder, he later had a conversation with an unnamed former Warner Bros. executive who offered a surprising admission.
“I met with this executive at Warner Bros. who’s long gone since — I won’t say who it was — and he said to me, ‘You know, Zack, I’ve got to tell you one thing: You were right about everything.’”
Snyder said the executive went even further.
“We were fighting you, and in the end you were right.”
When asked what Warner Bros. had been fighting him over, Snyder said it extended far beyond a single movie.
“The whole vision for the DC universe and the way I made movies and everything.”
Wayne T. Carr, as Green Lantern [Zack Snyder]
Snyder acknowledged that the studio was attempting to protect an enormously valuable collection of characters and franchises, but said the Warner Bros. leadership at the time repeatedly attempted to control the direction of his DC universe.
The conflict eventually became most visible with Justice League.
Snyder stepped away from the movie during post-production in 2017 following the death of his daughter Autumn. Joss Whedon subsequently oversaw extensive rewrites and reshoots before the theatrical version of Justice League was released.
Snyder says he still has never watched that version of the film. His wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder saw it and advised him not to watch it.
Years later, the massive #ReleaseTheSnyderCut fan campaign ultimately resulted in Warner Bros. allowing Snyder to complete his original version of the movie. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was released in 2021, restoring numerous characters, storylines and sequences that had been removed or significantly altered for the theatrical cut.
Zack Snyders Justice League [Warner Bros.]
Snyder described finally completing his version of the film as “catharsis.”
The filmmaker’s larger DC plans, however, were never completed. His intended storyline would have continued beyond Justice League through additional films, while Warner Bros. ultimately moved away from the interconnected universe Snyder had begun with Man of Steel.
DC has since entered an entirely new era under DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Despite the history surrounding his departure, Snyder said he likes Gunn and appreciates his vision for DC. He also revealed that he has not yet watched the new Superman or Supergirl, explaining that his relationship with the characters remains “a little bit too personal.”
For fans who have spent years debating what might have happened had Snyder been allowed to complete his original DC plans, however, the filmmaker’s account of the former Warner Bros. executive’s admission adds a remarkable new chapter to the SnyderVerse story.
John Cena may not be putting on the Peacemaker helmet again anytime soon, but the actor appears perfectly comfortable waiting for James Gunn to call his number.
During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Cena opened up about his future as Christopher Smith following the second season of Peacemaker and where the character currently fits within Gunn and Peter Safran’s expanding DC Universe.
When asked whether he had worn the Peacemaker helmet since finishing the second season, Cena gave a straightforward answer: “No.”
That doesn’t mean Cena is walking away from the character. The actor made it clear that he remains committed to Gunn and is willing to return whenever the DC Studios co-CEO needs him.
Cena explained that he has already had an opportunity to play a character who was relatively unknown to mainstream audiences and believes it is now important for Gunn to devote his attention to some of DC’s biggest characters.
“I got to step back.”
Cena pointed to characters such as Superman as examples of the massive pieces Gunn is currently responsible for establishing within the new DCU.
Peacemaker [dc studios]
The comments come as Gunn continues building an interconnected universe across film and television. David Corenswet’s Superman has become one of the central figures of the franchise, while projects involving Batman, Wonder Woman and several other major DC characters remain in various stages of development.
Cena’s comments shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as the end of Peacemaker.
The second season left Christopher Smith’s story open for continuation, and Gunn has previously avoided giving fans a definitive answer about exactly when Peacemaker or the other members of the 11th Street Kids will return.
For now, Cena appears content to wait.
After helping turn one of DC’s more obscure characters into a major live-action fan favorite, Peacemaker may simply be taking a temporary backseat while Gunn continues putting the larger pieces of the DCU into place.
DC Studios’ upcoming Deathstroke and Bane movie finally has a name, with the project currently being developed under the title Savage Hunters.
The title surfaced as part of an internal list of projects at Warner Bros. following the formation of the new Skydance structure. The film appears on the list as “Savage Hunters aka Deathstroke & Bane Movie (DC)” and is categorized as being in early development.
While Savage Hunters is now the name attached to the project, DC Studios has not formally announced it as the movie’s final theatrical title. With the film still in the early stages of development, the title could potentially change before production begins.
The project has been in development since 2024 and is expected to bring two of DC’s most formidable villains together on the big screen. Matthew Orton, whose credits include Moon Knight and Captain America: Brave New World, has been attached to write the screenplay.
[Warner Bros. Pictures]
The movie is one of several DC projects currently listed in early development alongside The Brave and the Bold, Teen Titans, Swamp Thing and the new Wonder Woman movie.
Bane was most famously portrayed by Tom Hardy in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, while Joe Manganiello previously appeared as Deathstroke in the former DC Extended Universe. Neither actor is currently confirmed to be involved with Savage Hunters.
For now, Savage Hunters gives the long-developing Deathstroke and Bane project its clearest identity yet as DC continues building out its upcoming movie slate.
David Corenswet will be sporting a slightly different Superman suit when he returns as the Man of Steel in James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow.
While speaking with PEOPLE, Corenswet revealed that some changes have been made to his Superman costume for the upcoming DC Studios film, with the updated design being built with action in mind.
“The suit itself is a little bit different,”
Corenswet said.
According to the actor, the changes aren’t simply cosmetic.
“They re-engineered it to be slightly more functional and ready for a fight.”
David Corenswet as Superman [Warner bros. pictures]
Corenswet also teased that the upcoming film will dig deeper into the dynamic between Superman and Lex. The actor said returning to work alongside Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan felt more relaxed after the trio established their characters and relationships in Superman.
Exactly what “ready for a fight” means for the new suit remains to be seen, but the comment could offer a small indication of what Superman will be facing in Man of Tomorrow. Rather than completely reinventing the costume, Corenswet’s description suggests the filmmakers have refined the existing design to give Superman greater functionality for the action ahead.
Gunn is once again writing and directing the film, which continues Superman’s story within the developing DC Universe.
Man of Tomorrow is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.
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