In the weeks following the long-anticipated release of Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max, the director has remained in the spotlight due to his upcoming Netflix film Army of the Dead. This is in addition to the continuing efforts of his fan army in pressuring Warner Bros. to #RestoreTheSnyderverse.
But instead of past plans, Warner Bros. only seems interested in their packed slate of upcoming projects, such as Black Adam starring The Rock, the Shazam! sequel, Matt Reeves' The Batman, and more.
And the film to usher in this literal wave of new projects from Warner Bros is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad releasing on August 6, 2021.
James Gunn is well known for both sharing his work and interacting with fans on social media.
And in response to a recent post about his upcoming Peacemaker series, a spinoff of The Suicide Squad, the director was able to share his thoughts on a fan movement involving another DC project.
JAMES GUNN SHARES HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE SNYDERVERSE
In response to Gunn's behind-the-scenes Instagram pic, user @rahulsssj commented claiming that fans didn't want Peacemaker but rather Zack Snyder projects.
Gunn's response? That's not how "creativity works."
"No one asked for The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, or Seinfeld either. That's not how television or ideas or creativity works. Open up your mind to the possibilities of what you don't know and your life will be more full."
User @rahulsssj commented back establishing that he's not against Gunn's work.
But he alluded to the fan effort behind the #RestoreTheSnyderverse movement expressing that Warner Bros. should make good on their promise before green-lighting Gunn's projects.
Gunn then replied back saying, "You can't have it both ways..."
"Warners wanted to do what I wanted to do and I wanted to do this, that simple. You can't have it both ways - you either want creators to have power, or you want creators to do only what you want them to do."
From here, the exchange shifted more towards Warner Bros. track record with creators and the issue of creative control.
And according to @rahulsssj's perspective, the studio's actions prevented some creators from realizing their vision while Gunn has had a different experience.
Gunn replied again stating that the Instagram user's "actions are hypocritical."
"Yes so imagine if Zack wanted to make a Metamorpho show and you were on here complaining about that. Like I said, you can't have it both ways. My creative choices aren't dictated by the studio and they aren't dictated by you either. Your actions are hypocritical."
Gunn was then asked whether Zack Snyder's millions of fans are also hypocritical to which the director responded saying "of course not," and emphasizing that the fans are "fighting for a director's choices..."
"What? Of course not. The people trying to restore the Snyderverse are fighting for a director's choices - they aren't on here simultaneously complaining about a director's choices."
SNYDER FANS STRUGGLE WITH THE FUTURE OF WARNER BROS.
While it certainly appears that Gunn has had a different experience with Warner Bros. than Zack Snyder and David Ayer, Gunn's point throughout this online exchange is that a fight for director's choices shouldn't be exclusive.
While Snyder's plans for the DCU were never fully realized, that doesn't mean Gunn should have to forsake his own.
But what this entire exchange shows is that DC fans are frustrated with Warner Bros. and are struggling to support the studio's projects moving forward.
And while that's understandable, it's important to note that creators and directors like Gunn and Matt Reeves had nothing to do with the studio's treatment of Snyder.
Hopefully, the fan community recognizes that fact and won't associate their work solely with the studio and thus defeating their own cause. Perhaps that's the very warning Gunn wants to send.
In the meantime, it's safe to say that #RestoreTheSnyderverse movement will continue as Snyder's latest project continues to gain traction. But whether Warner Bros. will be open to a second Snyder comeback remains to be seen.
But in this pop culture moment of reboots and multiverses, hope remains that old visions and new visions could possibly coexist together under the same studio umbrella.
