Justice League is going to be perhaps the biggest test for DC Entertainment’s cinematic universe. The film will bring together some of the greatest characters in the history of comics.
Most audiences are excited about the potential of seeing Aquaman on top of the Batmobile as Batman drives straight toward Parademons and Aquaman jumps to attack them. Seeing our favorite characters from childhood “come together” as the latest trailer says is potentially something that’s a game changer for not only the genre as a whole but DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers.
Despite such excitement, there have been some latest concerns. It’s not like having suboxone addiction signs. It is something structurally that’s starting to bring concern. First, there was the unfortunate news of the suicide of Autumn Snyder, the daughter of Justice League director Zack Snyder. “In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it,” Snyder told The Hollywood Reporter. “The demands of this job are pretty intense. It is all-consuming. And in the last two months, I’ve come to the realization … I’ve decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me. They are all having a hard time. I’m having a hard time.”
Snyder is referencing Autumn’s suicide in March at the young age of 20. Snyder told The Hollywood Reporter he wanted to return after what happened. Yet, he could not bear it any longer. The studio was direct in their support of Snyder. “What they are going through is unimaginable, and my heart – our heart – go out to them,” Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich stated. Snyder stated he did not want to make this public but wanted to make sure there were no false narratives put out about the film.
Emmerich added he was still confident the film would turn out great. The Avengers director Joss Whedon, who is also directing WB’s Batgirl, was announced to replace Snyder. He was previously brought aboard to write more scenes for the film. This came on May 22. Then, on June 14, news from The Hollywood Reporter came Junkie XL, the film’s composer was being replaced with Danny Elfman. Junkie XL confirmed this with a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “As my mentor Hans Zimmer told me: you haven’t made it in Hollywood as a composer until you get replaced on a project,” his statement read. “So I guess I finally graduated this week. It pains me to leave the project, but a big thanks to Zack for asking me to be part of his vision, and I wish Danny, Joss and Warner Bros all the best with Justice League.”
Other reports coming out are stating that Whedon’s coming aboard and the replacement of Junkie XL are significant proof there is being a tonal shift in the film. It’s evidence we are not all showing suboxone addiction signs. While it’s likely the very saddening events in the Snyder family led to these changes, it indicates the film might be much different than initially conceived. Certainly, the response to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad likely led the studio down this path.
At the end of the day, the fans, WB and likely Snyder and Whedon themselves only want Justice League to be the best story representation of these characters on screen together for the first time. Here’s hoping that when you spend the between $10 to $20 dollars on tickets, not to mention the additional $5-$15 dollars on snacks, that the movie not only blows your socks off but becomes a giant pop culture sensation for the entire winter season.
