Well, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Last week, erstwhile Justice League director Zack Snyder removed all trace of the DC tentpole from his personal Twitter feed, sparking concerns that the DCEU architect was trying to distance himself from both JL and Warner’s overarching universe. As you’ll no doubt remember, both Zack Snyder and his wife and producing partner, Deborah Snyder, stepped away from Justice League back in May to tend to a personal tragedy, leading to the appointment of soon-to-be Batgirl helmer Joss Whedon.
Whedon has reportedly taken on a fairly major role within the DCEU since climbing aboard, and a new report compiled by Mashable today even goes so far as to suggest that the two-time Avengers director and DC stalwart Geoff Johns will now take the reins of Warner’s superhero franchise moving forward, with Zack and Deborah Snyder adopting a smaller, advisory role henceforth. It’s not outside the realm of possibility; Hollywood tentpoles tend to move along at such a brisk clip that, once you step off the treadmill, we imagine it’d be difficult to climb back on board without feeling a little overwhelmed. That situation is no doubt a million times harder for the Snyders, who tragically lost their 20-year-old daughter a few months ago.
In closing, the report from Mashable notes that “the Snyders will no longer have anything like the level of creative influence that got the franchise to this point,” thereby handing the keys to the kingdom over to Joss Whedon and Geoff Johns.
Meanwhile, the official word from Warner Bros. is as follows:
The Snyders remain an important part of the Warner Bros. family and are actively involved in several upcoming DC pictures, including their continued creative input on Justice League. We are excited about our partnership and look forward to our continued collaboration.
Next up for the DC Extended Universe is the release of Justice League on November 17th, which is currently in the midst of extensive (and indeed expensive) reshoots to help course-correct the film ahead of its long-anticipated release. Beyond that, there are also plans in place for a solo Aquaman movie, Shazam, Gotham City Sirens, and much more.