Zack Snyder Shares Honest Thoughts on James Gunn’s SUPERMAN: “He’s a Great Steward of That World”
When it comes to Superman, few modern filmmakers are as closely tied to the character as Zack Snyder. His 2013 film Man of Steel launched the DCEU under Warner Bros. Pictures and introduced Henry Cavill’s version of the Last Son of Krypton to a new generation.
That creative path later expanded into Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the tumultuous saga of Justice League, culminating in 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Now, the DC cinematic universe has entered a new era.
With the DCEU closing its chapter in 2023, James Gunn and Peter Safran have taken the reins at DC Studios, launching a reimagined DCU that includes Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2.
Online discourse between fans of Snyder and Gunn hasn’t always been pretty. But the filmmakers themselves have consistently kept it respectful.
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Snyder addressed Gunn’s upcoming Superman film with a tone that felt refreshingly grounded.
“I wish them all the best, and I don’t have any — it is what it is. It’s a weed — that three-movie [DCEU trilogy is a weed that just won’t die, you know? It grows on its own. It has its own life. It’s not concerned with, I don’t think, with James’ Superman, which is amazing and all the best to them. I can’t wait to see the next movie. It’s just awesome.”
Snyder didn’t stop there. He also spoke directly to Gunn’s strengths as a filmmaker:
“…James is singular in his storytelling, his ability to channel sort of mythological pop culture into what I’d consider an iconic and very particular point of view that’s both poignant and funny. All of the things. He’s the best at it that I can think of. He’s a great steward of that world.”
For fans who have treated the DCEU and DCU as opposing teams, Snyder’s comments offer a reality check. The creative shift at DC Studios doesn’t erase what came before.
His films remain available on HBO Max, and they continue to resonate with audiences who connected to that darker, more operatic take on Superman and the wider DC mythology.
Meanwhile, Gunn’s version is shaping up to embrace a different tonal palette. If Snyder leaned into solemn grandeur, Gunn appears poised to balance heart, humor, and comic book eccentricity. Different approaches, same icon.
At the end of the day, Superman is bigger than any one director. Snyder had his chapter. Gunn is working on the next one, and if Snyder’s words are anything to go by, he’ll be watching right alongside the rest of us.