Joss Whedon Takes Over Directing Duties on Justice League Under the Most Heartbreaking Circumstances
I’ve absolutely wanted Joss Whedon to direct a DC film, but I would never have wanted it to happen like this. Whedon is taking over directing duties on Justice League, which is currently in post-production, from Zack Snyder. The reason? Snyder and his wife, producer Deborah Snyder, lost their 20-year-old daughter a couple of months ago to suicide, so Snyder has decided to step away from the film.
According to E! Online, Snyder wasn’t intending on making his daughter’s suicide public at all and planned to continue working on the film, hoping that burying himself in work would see him through the tragedy. “In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was way through it,” Snyder said. “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.”
He first realized he’d need help when he realized the film needed some extra scenes written but couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, he enlisted Whedon’s help. Now that Whedon is on board officially, Justice League is still on track for its original release date in Nov. 2017. While Whedon’s flavor will likely permeate a bit, as the film is mostly shot and done, it will likely remain very much Zack Snyder’s film.
“Here’s the thing, I never planned to make this public,” Snyder reveals. “I thought it would just be in the family, a private matter, our private sorrow that we would deal with. When it became obvious that I need to take break, I knew there would be narratives created on the internet. They’ll do what they do. The truth it … I’m past caring about that kind of thing now. I want the movie to be amazing and I’m a fan, but that all pales pretty quickly in comparison,” he said. “I know the fans are going to be worried about the movie but there are seven other kids that need me. In the end, it’s just a movie. It’s a great movie. But it’s just a movie.”
Amen to that. We here at TMS wish the Snyder family strength and love as they navigate this unimaginably difficult time.
And if you are someone who thinks there’s no way out, THERE IS. We need you on this planet. Yes, you. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or reach out to a friend, a family member, a therapist, or anyone you trust. The world would be less good without you in it.
(image: Warner Bros.)
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