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Zack Snyder | |
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 Snyder at the 2016San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Zachary Edward Snyder (1966-03-01)March 1, 1966 (age 59) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | Art Center College of Design (BFA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 8[1] |
Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He made his feature film debut in 2004 withDawn of the Dead, a remake of the 1978 horror filmof the same name. Since then, he has directed or produced a number of comic book and superhero films, including300 (2006) andWatchmen (2009), as well as theSuperman film that started theDC Extended Universe,Man of Steel (2013), and its follow-ups,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) andJustice League (2017), the latter of which had adirector's cut released in 2021. He also directed the animated filmLegend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010), thepsychologicalaction filmSucker Punch (2011), thezombieheist filmArmy of the Dead (2021), and thetwo-parterspace opera filmsRebel Moon (2023) andRebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver (2024).
In 2004, he founded the production companyThe Stone Quarry (formerly known as Cruel and Unusual Films) alongside his wifeDeborah Snyder and producing partner Wesley Coller.
Zachary Edward Snyder was born on March 1, 1966, inGreen Bay, Wisconsin, and raised inRiverside, Connecticut[2] and/orGreenwich, Connecticut.[3] His mother, Marsha Manley (née Reeves), was a painter and a photography teacher atDaycroft School, which Snyder later attended. His father, Charles Edward "Ed" Snyder, worked as an executive recruiter.[4][5][6][2] Marsha always nurtured her son's artistic side, buying him his first film camera.[3] He has an older sister, Audrey.[7] He also had a brother, Sam, who died when Snyder was a teenager.[8][better source needed]
Snyder was raised as aChristian Scientist,[7] and attended a summer camp inHarrison,Maine, run by the church.[9]
He studied painting a year after high school atHeatherley School of Fine Art in England, although he had already begun filmmaking.[9] Back in high school, Snyder struggled due to hisdyslexia and made his first film there with the camera his mother bought him, using it to make an unflattering commentary about his school's administration that got him expelled.[3] Afterward, Snyder attendedArt Center College of Design inPasadena, California.[9] His classmates included fellow future Hollywood directorsMichael Bay andTarsem Singh. Despite being Indian, Singh also played a Nazi in a short film by Snyder.[10] He graduated with aBFA in film in 1989.[11]
The production notes for Snyder's first filmDawn of the Dead describes Snyder as "a comic book and horror film enthusiast in his youth".[12]
After graduating, Snyder directed commercials as well asmusic videos forZZ Top andMorrissey, where he met his future wife Deborah, who was then a music producer.[3] Snyder directed "Respect" forBudweiser, which came out in February 2002. The 60-second commercial depicts a group of horses traveling toward the site of the 9/11 terror attacks to pay their respects to the victims with a bow.[13]
Snyder made his feature film debut with the remake of the horror filmDawn of the Dead (2004), and scored a box office hit with the fantasy war film300 (2006), adapted from writer-artistFrank Miller'sDark Horse Comicsminiseries ofthe same name. HisWarner Bros. filmWatchmen was released on March 6, 2009, and grossed $185 million worldwide. His follow-up project/animation debut,Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, was released on September 24, 2010. Snyder produced, co-wrote, and directedSucker Punch,[14] which was released on March 25, 2011. The film, based on a script written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, was about a young woman in a mental hospital who fantasizes of escape with her fellow inmates.
He directed 2013'sMan of Steel for Warner Bros., a reboot of theSuperman franchise and the jumpstart to theDC Extended Universe (DCEU) and produced the prequel/sequel to300,300: Rise of an Empire (2014).
During Comic Con 2013, Snyder announced thatBatman andSuperman would share the screen inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, released in 2016. Snyder directed, Cavill reprised his role as Superman, andBen Affleck played Batman.[15] Snyder directed Warner Bros.' 2017Justice League, but he exited during post-production to deal with the death of his daughter, Autumn Snyder.[16][17] His replacement wasJoss Whedon.[17][1]
On January 29, 2019, Snyder announced that he had signed on to helmArmy of the Dead, a zombie heist thriller, forNetflix. Snyder directed and produced the film with his partner and wife, Deborah Snyder, via their newly rebranded production company,The Stone Quarry.[18] His agreement with Netflix has since expanded into severalArmy of the Dead projects;Army of Thieves, a prequel released in 2021, andPlanet of the Dead, a sequel to be created.[19]
On May 20, 2020, Snyder announced thatZack Snyder's Justice League would be released on the streaming serviceHBO Max in 2021.[20] The film was released on March 18, 2021, dedicated to the memory of his daughter Autumn.
In July 2021, Snyder was officially announced to be developing the filmRebel Moon forNetflix. It was inspired byStar Wars and the films ofAkira Kurosawa.[21] Filming began in April 2022 and lasted until November that year, with the project being developed as a two-part film.[22][23] Snyder also produced and directed two episodes ofTwilight of the Gods, ananime-styleweb series inspired byNorse mythology, for Netflix.[24]
As of February 2021[update], Snyder was developing aKing Arthur film, which he said would be a "faithful retelling"[25] set during the AmericanGold rush era.[26]
FollowingRebel Moon, Snyder will return to directPlanet of the Dead, a sequel toArmy of the Dead.[27] He also signed afirst-look deal with Netflix.[28]
In May 2021 it was reported that Snyder had been developingHorse Latitudes, a film about two war photographers since 2011, although the project was on hold while he works at Netflix.[29] After a period of relative silence on the film, he mentioned to DC Cinematic Cast on September 13, 2024, thatHorse Latitudes had found an investor.[30]
Snyder held the television rights to an adaptation ofBlack Kiss, a late-1980s comic byHoward Chaykin. Snyder wrote the pilot, but couldn't find any takers.[31]
In 2022, Snyder expressed interest in directing a science fiction film adaptation of theAdult Swim cartoon seriesRick and Morty, feeling that such a film would be the closest project he could tackle to make a comedy film.[32]
In a November 2023 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Snyder stated that while he no longer had any interest in tackling superhero comic book adaptations in light of the DCEU continuity's conclusion withAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, he only consider returning for theDC Universe ifJames Gunn invited him back to direct a faithful adaptation of Miller'sThe Dark Knight Returns comic book.[3]
As of November 2024[update], Snyder is set to direct a new feature action film for Netflix, centered around theLos Angeles Police Department, co-writing the script with frequent collaboratorKurt Johnstad.[33]
Blood and Ashes would have been the third film set in the world of300. Snyder and Johnstad wrote the movie during theCOVID-19 pandemic on request from Warner Bros, but Warner did not pick the project up. What started as the final piece of a trilogy became its own story as it developed, separate from the main plot of the franchise, but part of the same world. The film would have been a love story aboutAlexander the Great's relationship withHephaestion during a time of war.[34] It likely would have been a loose adaptation of the Alexander the Great segments fromFrank Miller's graphic novelXerxes. In 2023, the Stone Quarry gained the movie rights from Warner Bros.[31]
Snyder often usesslow motion, particularly the technique ofspeed ramping, in and out of the fight scenes in his films. This differs from other directors who make multiple cuts and close-ups during a fight. A minute-long shot from300 shows King Leonidas slaughtering his enemies, the camera zooming in and out to emphasize each kill and move Leonidas makes.[35]
Snyder said
There are other superhero movies where they joke about how basically no one's getting hurt. That's not us. What is that message? That it's okay that there's this massive destruction with zero consequence for anyone? That's whatWatchmen was about in a lot of ways too. There was a scene, that scene where Dan and Laurie get mugged. They beat up the criminals. I was like the first guy, I want to show his arm get broken. I want a compound fracture. I don't want it to be clean. I want you to go, 'Oh my God, I guess you're right. If you just beat up a guy in an alley he's not going to just be lying on the ground. It's going to be messy'.[36]
TheNetflix productionArmy of the Dead was a special project for Snyder as he served as his own cinematographer, as well as this being his first film shot digitally.[37]
Snyder has been described as one of the most polarizing directors of modern cinema.[38][39] David Ehrlich ofIndieWire wrote that Snyder's "name alone is enough to launch a thousand angry tweets, and the most passionate writing about his work is exclusively found in the comment sections of websites like this one. Snyder's critics really seem to hate him, and Snyder's fans really seem to hate his critics ... Is Snyder a master or a hack? A misunderstood myth-maker, or a meathead with a movie camera?"[38] Film criticArmond White listed Snyder as one of the four best filmmakers of the 2010s.[40] DirectorJames Cameron praised Snyder, listing him as one of the filmmakers who created their own "cinematic language".[41]
In 2009, Snyder listedExcalibur,Mad Max 2,A Clockwork Orange,Blue Velvet, andRoboCop as his five favorite films.[42][43]
Snyder lives inPasadena,California with his second wife, producerDeborah Johnson. The couple first met in 1996, began dating in 2002, and married on September 25, 2004, atSt. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Manhattan, New York.[44][45] He was previously married to Denise Weber.
Snyder has eight children: two biological children and two adopted daughters with Weber, two biological sons from a relationship with Kirsten Elin, and two adopted children with Johnson.[7] The suicide of his daughter Autumn prompted Snyder to withdraw from post-production work onJustice League in May 2017 to be with his family, which resulted inJoss Whedon completing the film in his place.[17][1]
Following his daughter's suicide, Snyder became involved in philanthropic activities directed towards suicide prevention andmental health awareness. Snyder promoted this effort on social media by selling clothing and merchandise related to the Snyder Cut; in May 2021, it was revealed that this effort had raised more than $750,000 in charitable donations to theAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention.[46]
In another effort to help with suicide prevention, Snyder included a billboard for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention with the message "You are not alone" in a scene inZack Snyder's Justice League. The film features other tributes to his late daughter.[47][48][49]
Snyder directed two PSAs for theLeukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2018.[50]
In 2021, Snyder partnered withSave the Children, a global child rights organization, to build a 100-bed temporary hospital facility inNew Delhi to help fight theCOVID-19 pandemic in India.[51]
Although his films have been critiqued as having "right-wing" messages,[52] politically, Snyder is aDemocrat. He endorsedJoe Biden in the2020 presidential election.[53] In a 2021 interview withThe Guardian, he stated:
I vote Democrat! I'm a true lover of individual rights. I've always been a super-strong advocate of women's rights and a woman's right to choose, and I've always been surrounded by powerful women. And, of course, I'm a huge advocate for the rights of all ethnicities and every walk of life. I would say I'm a prettyliberal guy. I want to make sure everyone's heard and everyone feels included. I don't have a rightwing political agenda. People see what they want to see. For me, that was not certainly the point.[54]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | DoP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | Yes | No | No | No | Directorial debut |
| 2006 | 300 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Co-wrote withKurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon |
| 2009 | Watchmen | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Co-wrote withSteve Shibuya |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2014 | 300: Rise of an Empire | No | Yes | Yes | No | Co-wrote with Kurt Johnstad |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Suicide Squad | No | No | Executive | No | Also directed theFlash cameo scene | |
| 2017 | Wonder Woman | No | Story | Yes | No | Co-wrote story withAllan Heinberg andJason Fuchs |
| Justice League | Yes[N 1] | Story | No | No | Co-wrote story withChris Terrio | |
| 2018 | Aquaman | No | No | Executive | No | |
| 2020 | Wonder Woman 1984 | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League[N 2] | Yes | Story | No | No | Co-wrote story with Chris Terrio andWill Beall |
| Army of the Dead | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-wrote withShay Hatten andJoby Harold | |
| The Suicide Squad | No | No | Executive | No | ||
| Army of Thieves | No | Story | Yes | No | Co-wrote story with Shay Hatten | |
| 2023 | Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire[N 3] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-wrote with Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten |
| 2024 | Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver[N 4] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Writer | Producer | DoP | |||
| 1990 | Playground | Yes | No | No | No | Direct-to-video documentary |
| 2004 | The Lost Tape: Andy's Terrifying Last Days Revealed | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2009 | Tales of the Black Freighter | No | Yes | Executive | No | Direct-to-video |
| Under the Hood | No | No | Executive | No | ||
| 2013 | Superman 75th Anniversary | Yes | Story | No | No | Co-wrote story withBruce Timm |
| 2017 | Snow Steam Iron | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Shot on a mobile phone[57] |
| Year | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Lizzy Borden | "Love Is a Crime" |
| 1992 | Peter Murphy | "You're So Close" |
| Morrissey | "Tomorrow" | |
| Soul Asylum | "Somebody to Shove" | |
| 1993 | "Black Gold" | |
| Alexander O'Neal | "In the Middle" | |
| Paul Westerberg | "World Class Fad" | |
| 1994 | ZZ Top | "World of Swirl" |
| Dionne Farris | "I Know" | |
| 1995 | Rod Stewart | "Leave Virginia Alone" |
| 2009 | My Chemical Romance | "Desolation Row" |
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator | Director | Executive Producer | Voice actor | |||
| 2022 | Teen Titans Go! | No | No | No | Yes | Episode: "365" Voice role: Zack Snyder |
| 2024–present | Twilight of the Gods | Yes[58] | Yes | Yes | No | Directed 2 episodes Co-created withJay Oliva and Eric Carrasco[59][60] |
Snyder's body of work has earned him a number of awards, including twoClio Awards and a Gold Lion Award for hisJeep "Frisbee" commercial.[61] He also won the Society of British Advertisers Award for Humor for his controversialEB Beer commercial "General's Party."[62][63]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cannes Film Festival | Golden Camera | Dawn of the Dead | Nominated |
| 2007 | Golden Schmoes Award | Best Director of the Year | 300 | Nominated |
| Hollywood Film Award | Hollywood Movie of the Year | Won | ||
| 2008 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Won | |
| Best Writing (Shared with Michael B. Gordon &Kurt Johnstad) | Nominated | |||
| 2009 | ShoWest Award | Director of the Year | Watchmen | Won |
| 2010 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Nominated | |
| SFX Award | Best Director | Nominated | ||
| St. Louis Film Critics Association Award | Best Animated Feature Film | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Hollywood Film Award | Hollywood Movie of the Year | Man of Steel | Nominated |
| 2014 | Jupiter Award | Best International Film | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Director | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Nominated |
| Jupiter Award | Best International Film | Nominated | ||
| Dragon Awards | Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie (Shared withPatty Jenkins,Allan Heinberg &Jason Fuchs | Wonder Woman | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay (Shared withAllan Heinberg &Jason Fuchs | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | American Film Institute | Top Ten Films of the Year (Shared withCharles Roven,Richard Suckle &Deborah Snyder) | Won | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Best Theatrical Motion Picture (Shared with Charles Roven, Richard Suckle & Deborah Snyder | Nominated | ||
| Hugo Awards | Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form (Shared withPatty Jenkins,Allan Heinberg &Jason Fuchs | Won | ||
| 2021 | Hollywood Critics Association | Valiant Award | Himself | Won |
| Dragon Awards | Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie | Zack Snyder's Justice League | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Academy Awards | Oscars Cheer Moment | "The Flash enters the speed force" –Zack Snyder's Justice League | Won |
| Oscars Fan Favorite | Army of the Dead | Won | ||
| 2024 | Joy Awards | Honorary Entertainment Makers Award | Himself | Won |
Despite his cinematic vision giving rise to polarized opinions, Zack Snyder is strongly recognized for bringing a very influential cinematic language to mainstream Hollywood from the 2000s onwards,[64] notable for adopting a high level of visual refinement, epic stories and films with deconstructivist and political narratives,[65][66] which is reflected in the existence of several films with a large scale of production and long duration, such asZack Snyder's Justice League, that holds theGuinness World Record for the longest director's cut of a film compared to the theatrical release.[67]
Oscar-winner directorJames Cameron, in an interview given to Comic Book Debate about the filmmakers that have at times influenced him, mentioned that the work Snyder did on300 was pretty revolutionary at the time and introduced a new"cinematic language", along with the names ofRobert Rodriguez andRidley Scott.[68]Christopher Nolan, one of the most awarded directors of the 21st century, pointed Snyder's work as a contemporary influency onscience fiction andsuperhero movies, stating that "There's no superhero science-fiction film coming out these days where (he) don't see some influence of Zack".[69] He also emphasized the emotional power that is very characteristic of Snyder's filmography: "When you watch a Zack Snyder film, you see and feel his love for the potential of cinema. The potential of it to be fantastical, to be heightened in its reality, but to move you and to excite you."[69]
Nolan is particularly fond of two of Snyder's films:Man of Steel andWatchmen. With regard to the former, he singled it out for its dramatic impact, highlighted by a scene about fatherhood between Clark and Jonathan Kent: "The moment in Man of Steel whereKevin Costner tells young Clark that whatever his origin, he's still his son puts a lump in my throat every time."[70] InWatchmen, its emphasis is on the avant-garde element of the work in the genre of superhero films, especially films dealing with groups of heroes and their complex interactions: "I've always believed Watchmen was ahead of its time. The idea of a superhero team, which it so brilliantly subverts, wasn't yet a thing in movies. It would have been fascinating to see it released post-Avengers."[70]
Snyder is also recognized by his strong visual storytelling. In a commentary about his horror-remakeDawn of the Dead,Stephen King, one of the most notable writers of horror novels of all time, described his movie as "scary" and "perfectly crafted", especially its opening sequence: "Genius perfected would be Zack Snyder's 2004 Dawn [of the Dead] remake, which begins with one of the best opening sequences of a horror film ever made."[71]
However, his best-known work came to beZack Snyder's Justice League, the result of a huge grassrootscampaign for the release of the director's version of Justice League, which fell victim to a series of alterations after the director stepped down following the death of his daughter. Renowned directors and filmmakers such asHideo Kojima,[72]the Russo Brothers,[73]David Lowery,[74]Kevin Smith[75] andBen Affleck[76] expressed their support for the director's cut. It was responsible for turning Snyder in a pop culture phenomenon, generating several references in the industry for its enormous adherence to the director's cuts.[77]
In addition to his work as a director, Snyder also stands out for writing scripts and stories for many films he directs or only produces, with a special mention forWonder Woman, named one of the 10 best films of 2017 by theAmerican Film Institute.[78]
He is also one of thehighest-grossing film directors of all time, being in the top 40 of the worldwide ranking.[79] In 2020, he was even awarded by theGuinness World Records as the Most bankable Hollywood director, whose value to the movie industry was rated at $14,011,010 (£11,320,700) at the time.[80]
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