A family tragedy leads to Zack Snyder stepping down from Justice League

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

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An incredibly awful family tragedy has led to Zack Snyder stepping away from JUSTICE LEAGUE. While in the midst of post-production on the upcoming Warner Bros. film, Snyder's daughter, Autumn, committed suicide in March at the age of twenty. THR reports that her death was kept private at the time and that the movie was put on a two-week break. Although Zack Snyder said that he was initially sure that he would be able to get back to work, both Deborah Snyder and himself have decided to step away entirely to focus on healing their family.

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. 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.

Stepping in to handle the remainder of the work on JUSTICE LEAGUE, including the shooting of a few additional scenes, will be Joss Whedon. Warner Bros. president Toby Emmerich said that the studio is fully behind Zack and Deborah Snyder stepping away, saying "what they are going through is unimaginable, and my heart — our hearts — go out to them." The studio was willing to push back the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE, but the Snyders decided that it was best to keep the date. Zack Snyder knew that he wanted to add additional scenes after a screening of a rough cut of JUSTICE LEAGUE, but he didn't want to head back to England to shoot them. Emmerich said that it was then that Joss Whedon was brought in to write and direct the sequences.

The directing is minimal and it has to adhere to the style and tone and the template that Zack set. We’re not introducing any new characters. It’s the same characters in some new scenes. He’s handing a baton to Joss but the course has really been set by Zack. I still believe that despite this tragedy, we’ll still end up with a great movie.

The family had initially never planned to make the tragedy public, but Snyder knew that rumours would begin flying once it was revealed that he was stepping down. "I thought it would just be in the family, a private matter, our private sorrow that we would deal with," said Snyder. "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. I know the fans are going to be worried about the movie but there are seven other kids that need me,” he says. “ In the end, it’s just a movie. It’s a great movie. But it’s just a movie." The thoughts of all of us here at JoBlo are definitely with the Snyder family and we wish them the best during this tragic time.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It's free and provides confidential support 24/7 for anyone who is thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support.