Warning: The following article contains discussion of suicide that some readers may find triggering.
Zack Snyder is stepping down as director of Justice League following his daughter's death.
The creative visionary behind the DC Extended Universe is handing over the film to The Avengers director Joss Whedon to finish post-production work and reshoots so Justice League can still make its November 17 release.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the director and his wife/fellow producer Deborah Snyder made the decision to step back from Justice League while quietly mourning the March suicide of Zack's 20-year-old daughter Autumn (who was born from Zack's first marriage).
"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."
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The Snyders have the full support of Warner Bros and DC Entertainment, with Warners having already extended his contract so he can resume work on future projects down the road.
"I want [Justice League] to be amazing and I'm a fan, but that all pales pretty quickly in comparison," Zack 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."
(Zack Snyder with wife Deborah)
His replacement Joss Whedon recently joined DC Entertainment to make a Batgirl solo film, after shepherding the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was originally brought in to write additional Justice League scenes, and then elevated once Zack stepped down.
20-year-old Autumn had been attending the prestigious Sarah Lawrence College at the time of her tragic death, and had even written a first-person science fiction novel. Zack now says he'd like to publish that novel in the future to raise money for charity.
Messages of support continue to pour in on social media, as fans and co-workers all send love to the Snyder family in this very difficult time:
Suicide is preventable. Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
