Things have been fairly quiet on the Ray Fisher front since the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO Max this past March, where it became abundantly clear just how heavily the actor’s role in the movie had been impacted. In the theatrical edition, Cyborg is little more than a passenger tasked with delivering exposition and lending a hand in the action sequences, but in the Snyder Cut he’s the beating heart of the entire team.
The four-hour DCEU epic would have given Fisher at least some sense of closure after watching the majority of his scenes left on the cutting room floor once Joss Whedon was brought on board to butcher Snyder’s vision, but his issues with Warner Bros. and DC Films president Walter Hamada are far from over, at least until he gets that apology.
It was Fisher who made the initial accusations against Whedon that led to a slew of former collaborators coming forward with similar claims, and yet WB’s official investigation determined that there was no misconduct, with the response effectively calling the DCEU’s Victor Stone a liar.
The 33 year-old hasn’t given up the fight by any stretch of the imagination, and even confirmed last year that he wouldn’t be returning as Cyborg in The Flash or any other DC project until those responsible are held accountable for their actions. In a new interview, Fisher once again explained what it would take for him to end his self-imposed superhero exile.
“That’s a complicated question. I think, ultimately, how people spend their money determines what happens and what does not happen in this business, and particularly in comic books and DC. For me, there’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes. Obviously, I’ve not been shy about talking about all of the things that have occurred over the last year, the back and forth that I’ve had personally and publicly with Warner Bros. Pictures, Walter Hamada, and the rest of the crew over there. For me, I think it all starts with an apology coming from the Warner Bros. side of things. There’s a lot of really gnarly stuff that has gone down, especially publicly.
What Walter Hamada and Warner Bros. Pictures attempted to do, professionally and personally, during one of the most crucial years for black people in the history of really humanity, is just unacceptable. So until such time an apology is issued. I definitely will not be supporting any Walter Hamada productions, period. And it’s a tough thing because I’m a DC fan through and through. I love these characters, but sometimes you gotta give up what you love to do what’s right.”
If Hamada thought the release of HBO Max’s Justice League would draw a line under the long-running war of words between talent and former employers, then Fisher’s latest comments would make it clear that he’s sorely mistaken.