The DCEU and the greater DC universe have been at the center of a few different controversies in the last couple of years, most recently from Aquaman's Amber Heard and The Flash's Ezra Miller. On top of that, there are still plenty of unresolved issues and concerns stemming from the news surrounding former Justice League director Joss Whedon, which first came to light in the summer of 2020.
Justice League star Ray Fisher fervently accused Whedon of abuse and unprofessional behavior on set after Whedon took over from Zack Snyder, leading to him being vilified by the general public. Whedon shared his side of the story in the months since, blaming some of the Justice League problems on Fisher being a "bad actor" while Warner Bros. completed an investigation into the matter as well.
Since those accusations were made public, Fisher has garnered plenty of support for his statements, including from Aquaman leading actor Jason Momoa and The Flash star Kiersey Clemons. Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot also opened up on her own time with Whedon, noting how he threatened her career if she revealed anything happened with their work together on set..
On the other side of the dispute, a recent DCEU star shared his own support for Whedon after working together long before their days with DC.
The Suicide Squad Star Backs Joss Whedon
Via Variety, The Suicide Squad star Nathan Fillion joined the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast to discuss his experience with Justice League director Joss Whedon.
Noting the New York Magazine profile detailing the accusations against Whedon, which didn't mention Whedon's work on Firefly, Fillion made it clear that his experience with the director was completely different. While describing Whedon as “funny, self-deprecating, incredibly talented," along with “maybe a little haunted,” Fillion expressed that he had a much more positive memory of Whedon:
“I read that article, and nowhere in there at any point in time did he mention Firefly. I had an entirely – that was not my experience with that man."
He even admitted that he's spoken casually with Whedon about bringing Firefly back, saying that they "talk... joke... fantasize" about making it happen. However, he made it clear that he wouldn't do Firefly again without Whedon, explaining how Whedon's spoken about himself as "a work in progress" and confirming that he'd work with Whedon again if asked:
“It would be heartbreak. How can you? I mean, listen by his own admission that guy’s a work in progress and I appreciate that…I would work with Joss again in a second. I would work with him again in a second.”
Whedon Supported Amid Justice League Scandal
Nathan Fillion has made his own mark on the superhero movie world with a minor role in Guardians of the Galaxy and a fun opening salvo as TDK in 2021's The Suicide Squad. With regard to his time working with Joss Whedon, it's clear that he experienced something completely different than everything that's been in the news since the story first came to light.
Firefly became something of a cult classic after its one-season run in 2002, and it became one of countless Whedon projects that led fans to be excited for his work with Marvel Studios' Avengers movies. This led to Fillion meeting Whedon, and from Fillion's quotes in this podcast, he still has fond memories of working together and would welcome another opportunity to join forces.
Whedon's future in the industry is still quite up in the air due to the controversy with Warner Bros., and it's still unclear if or when he will find himself back in a more positive light with fans and critics alike.
