Zack Snyder, the director behind ‘Man of Steel,’ ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,’ and his own cut of ‘Justice League,’ recently sat down for a pretty honest conversation about the fate of his so-called SnyderVerse. Studios are anyway scrambling to figure out what’s next, as it indeed is a weird time for superhero movies, and on top of that, nobody seems sure where DC on the big screen is even headed.Snyder didn’t hold back from talking about whether his vision for DC’s heroes could ever come back and sharing what he really thinks about James Gunn’s new direction for the DC Universe.
What is the SnyderVerse?
Basically, the SnyderVerse is the darker, more epic version of the DC movie world that Zack Snyder himself kicked off at Warner Bros. It all started with ‘Man of Steel’ back in 2013, which is a modern Superman reboot with Henry Cavill. Then came ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,’ which took some big swings and got people arguing (a lot). ‘Justice League’ followed in 2017, but that movie got taken out of Snyder’s hands halfway through. The studio brought in Joss Whedon for rewrites and reshoots, and that version didn’t exactly win people over.After years of fans pushing for it, HBO Max finally released Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the ‘Snyder Cut,’ a four-hour epic that gave people the movie they’d been fighting for. Fans loved it, and they haven’t stopped asking the previous studio to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse ever since.In fact, Snyder had actually planned out a whole five-movie arc, with ‘Justice League’ sequels that would dive deep into villains like Darkseid and big ideas like the Anti-Life Equation. However, that full story never happened. Now, Snyder says spilling beans on more of his saga in other ways, like comics or animation, is still on the table, even if a big live-action comeback isn’t happening right now.
Could the SnyderVerse come back?
On a recent episode of the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, Snyder talked about whether we’ll ever see his DC universe return. He didn’t slam the door shut. “I would never say there’s no way,” he admitted while talking to the host, Josh Horowitz. Snyder pointed out that there were a ton of times he thought his version of Justice League would never see the light of day, but then fans made it happen.He didn’t just credit the fans for bringing his movie to life. He got a bit fired up, saying people forget that the campaign for the Snyder Cut also raised a ton of money for suicide prevention and that the fans actually did a lot of good. “They literally saved human lives,” he said. “So you can go f*** yourself if that’s what you think,” he added, pushing back at critics who call the fanbase toxic.When asked about bringing his Justice League sequels to life as comics or animation, Snyder said, “We’ve absolutely talked about it quite a bit. We live in a world where all that’s possible, and whatever form it would take, that would be amazing.” So, nothing’s official, but the door’s not closed, either.He called his era of DC movies a complete story, something that was meant to “bloom and then conclude.” But he’s still open to other projects, even mentioning he’d love to make a Dark Knight Returns film if he ever got the chance. Clearly, Snyder’s not done with DC’s world, even if the SnyderVerse as we knew it is on pause.
What’s James Gunn’s DCU all about?
Basically, James Gunn and Peter Safran hit the reset button on the whole DC movie universe. They cleared out the old SnyderVerse and built something new from the ground up, calling it the DCU. This version is supposed to tie all the movies and shows together, giving DC fans a connected world with a clear vision and tone.Here’s what’s on Gunn’s list so far:There’s ‘Creature Commandos,’ an animated series, that kicked things off. Then there’s ‘Superman’ (2025), officially called ‘Superman: Legacy,’ which is the big start with a younger Clark Kent, a new vibe, and a fresh story. ‘Peacemaker’ (both seasons) is now part of the new continuity. ‘Supergirl,’ ‘Lanterns,’ ‘The Brave and the Bold,’ ‘The Authority,’ and ‘Swamp Thing’ are all coming, too.
What does Snyder think about Gunn’s DCU?
Gunn’s style is different from Snyder’s. He leans into humor and character moments, but he keeps the action big. You get the sense he wants each story to stand out: less brooding, more heart. However, Zack Snyder, who basically started the last DC universe, seems on board with Gunn’s approach. Per Games Radar, he’s called Gunn’s storytelling unique and genuinely wished him luck.In fact, Snyder has actually been pretty gracious. He praised Gunn’s ‘Superman’ movie, calling it “amazing,” and said he’s looking forward to seeing what happens next. Sure, it’s not what Snyder originally wanted, as his vision for the DCEU ended up getting rebooted, but he isn’t bitter about it. He’s pretty complimentary about Gunn overall. He thinks Gunn does something special: mixing pop culture, myth, and humor into stories that feel both iconic and personal. In Snyder’s view, Gunn is the perfect person to run the show right now, and that’s a win for fans.On the podcast, Snyder described his own trilogy as something that “just grows on its own,” separate from Gunn’s plans. In his words, his three movies are “a weed that just won’t die,” and he’s happy to let them exist on their own terms. He’s not worried about competing with Gunn, and he can’t wait for the new Superman.
