Joss Whedon Picks Up Justice League Reshoots as Zack Snyder Steps Back For Personal Reasons

Jill Pantozzi | May 23rd, 2017

I wasn’t online yesterday so I’m just now getting caught up on this news. Director Joss Whedon will be picking up reshoots on Warner Bros.’ Justice League after Zack Snyder chose to step back for some very personal reasons.

[Editor’s Note: Content warning for discussion of suicide.]

The Hollywood Reporter posted an interview with Zack Snyder and his wife Deborah Snyder yesterday. After a lot of discussion, Snyder has chosen to reveal that his 20-year-old daughter Autumn Snyder died by suicide in March.

Her death has been kept private, with only a small inner circle aware of what happened, even as the movie was put on a two-week break for the Snyders to deal with the immediate effects of the tragedy. Zack Snyder says he initially was eager to return to the film, which stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller.

“In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it,” said an emotional Snyder in an interview Monday in his office on the Warner Bros. lot, with Deborah sitting by his side. “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.”

Snyder is father to eight children and my heart goes out to his entire family and anyone else affected by the passing of Autumn. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline takes calls 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. Please utilize it, we want you here.

The Snyders also revealed in their interview that Autumn had written a sci-fi fantasy novel and they hope to publish it one day with proceeds going to charity.

As far as Justice League goes, Snyder is trying to make sure it moves ahead as planned, even though Warner offered to push back the November 17th release. “Here’s the thing, I never planned to make this public,” Snyder told THR. “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 a break, I knew there would be narratives created on the internet. They’ll do what they do. The truth is … I’m past caring about that kind of thing now.” He continued, “I want the movie to be amazing, and I’m a fan, but that all pales pretty quickly in comparison. 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.”

Whedon, who was recently announced to write and direct a Batgirl solo film, came on board Justice League to help write the scenes needed for reshoots in England and will follow through on post-production. Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich told THR the actual directing involved is minimal and will keep Snyder’s tone and style.