Zack Snyder's Insights on Superhero Movie Exhaustion
Zack Snyder, renowned director of numerous superhero movies, opens up about his own exhaustion with the genre, shedding light on the challenges and pressures that come with being at the forefront of superhero filmmaking
Zack Snyder is widely known as a prolific director of superhero movies in the 21st century, but even he has expressed feeling tired of the genre. He began his career with a fast-paced remake of Dawn of the Dead, followed by the successful adaptation of 300, and a significant comic book film of the 2000s with Watchmen.
Following underwhelming releases such as Legend of the Guardians and Sucker Punch, he established his mark with the DCEU franchise, starting with the polarizing Man of Steel, followed by Batman v Superman and his extensive cut of Justice League.
As Aquaman 2 closes the doors to that universe and Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels struggle in 2023, Snyder believes the superhero craze is losing steam and has his own theories as to why.
Zack Snyder has superhero movie fatigue
In a recent interview with The Atlantic discussing Rebel Moon, his latest space opera on Netflix, Snyder addressed the declining box office performance of superhero movies.
"I feel the same exhaustion," he expressed, labeling comic book adaptations as a "dead end now... no one expects them to be just a single superhero movie."
Reviewing the last five years, it's difficult to argue against his point: since 2018, there have been 16 MCU movies, 10 Marvel TV shows, and 14 DC movies. Some that appeared to be standalone stories are now receiving sequels (Joker), while others that were originally intended to launch franchises (Black Adam) have been abandoned.
Snyder previously mentioned that he would only consider returning to DC if given the opportunity to direct a "true" adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns. He also expressed interest in continuing his universe on Netflix if they were able to acquire the rights. Despite this, it is clear that he is not eager to dive back into it all.
"I'm not asking James Gunn to hook me up with one of those awesome movies," he stated. "The true goal is to create original intellectual property that resonates and is considered cool."
Watch Rebel Moon on Netflix and don't forget to explore our other superhero movie hubs including The Batman Part II, Joker 2, Harley Quinn Season 4, The Flash Season 9, Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Zombies, The Marvels, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Daredevil: Born Again, Blade MCU, and Captain America 4.
Editor's P/S
As a passionate fan of superhero movies, I can understand Zack Snyder's feelings of exhaustion with the genre. The sheer number of superhero movies and TV shows released in recent years has been overwhelming, and it can be difficult to keep up with everything. Additionally, many of these movies and shows have been formulaic and unoriginal, which can lead to fatigue among fans.
I agree with Snyder that the superhero genre is in need of some fresh ideas and new approaches. I would love to see more original intellectual property that resonates with audiences and is considered cool. I believe that this is the key to keeping the superhero genre alive and well for years to come.
