It has been reported that Zack Snyder will step down from Justice League in the wake of his daughter's death. He has tapped Joss Whedon to finish the movie which is currently in post-production.
The movie was already in post-production when Snyder's daughter killed herself, but the director felt he needed to step away from the movie to spend time with his family.
Snyder: 'I'm Having A Hard Time'
Snyder initially hoped that he would be able to use his work as a coping mechanism, but eventually felt that he needed to step away from the project in order to spend time with his family.
"I've decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me," Snyder told the Hollywood Reporter. They are all having a hard time. I'm having a hard time."
Warner Bros. offered to allow push back the movie's release date, but Snyder and his wife Deborah, who co-produces the movie, said they did not want to do that. Snyder wanted to add a couple of scenes to the movie but felt he wouldn't be able to do the job justice in his current state. Whedon has agreed to add those scenes himself.
Despite Snyder's departure from Justice League, Warner Bros. has been adamant that Whedon's role is limited and that the project still adheres to Snyder's vision. Warner Bros. President Toby Emmerich said that despite Snyder's departure, he is confident that the movie will be a success.
Not Concerned With Public Response
Given the passion that many fans have for DC Comics and Snyder's somewhat controversial take on the DC universe, Snyder said that he expects fans to be disappointed by this decision. However, he also stated that he currently is not concerned with the internet's response to his decision.
"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."
Justice League will be released on Nov. 17.
