There’s a Petition Going for Zack Snyder to Direct The Batman

By Travis Johnson

As we reported recently, Ben Affleck has vacated the director’s chair of the upcoming Batman solo film, although he’s still in to play the Dark Knight for DC/Warner. Speculation has run rife, as speculation is wont to do, over who might replace him. The studio has yet to make an announcement, which is understandable given that the entire DCEU is basically a rolling garbage fire of disaster and derision that will probably collapse into a heap of embers before the end of the year.

However, one fan has stepped forward with a solution. Over on Change.org, American fan Jennifer Huneycutt has put forward a modest proposal: Let Zack Snyder Direct The Batman.

Knowing her audience, Jen follows this gambit with “Pipe down, haters. Hear me out here. Snyder has a stellar record with comic book and graphic novel properties. Starting with 2006’s 300, and followed by Watchmen in 2009…”

Let’s pause here to note that Watchmen is basically a war crime disguised as a feature film, and marks the exact point Snyder went from “promising young director” to “monstrously tin-eared fanboy with an effects budget”.

“He doesn’t try to stick his two cents’ worth in every movie,” Jen continues. “Putting his own spin on things (they like to call it “artistic license” in the biz) just because he can.”

Jen apparently has never read a Superman comic in her life, or noticed the awful Randian subtext that Snyder shoehorned into Batman V Superman: One Martha’s Son.

“Another reason is continuity. Aside from the abysmal Suicide Squad, Snyder is pretty much in the driver’s seat for the whole DCEU. He directed Man of Steel, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; and is also slated for Justice League: Parts 1 & 2. So it only makes sense to let him remain in control, for the sake of the integrity of the film universe itself.”

This seems to be a terrible hybrid of Stockholm Syndrome and the Sunk Cost Fallacy.

“Having a bunch of different directors work on a single series is just asking for trouble, both in continuity and in the dreaded “creative differences.” (Yes, it has mostly worked for Marvel, but the MCU is lightning in a bottle. Let’s not pretend that makes it a foolproof formula.)”

That lightning has been bottled 10 times, even discounting one Hulk, two Thors and Iron Man 2.

“Finally, there’s his style, visually and tonally. He’s created a beautifully dark DCEU, and populated it with characters and stories who fit the narrative perfectly. Some may not care for the darkness he’s brought to the founders of the Justice League, but I would advise those people to read more comics.”

Back atcha.

“Really, it’s a no-brainer.”

First thing we’ll agree with.

“Zack Snyder’s commitment to source material, extraordinary visual style, and previous experience in the DCEU makes him the ideal candidate, especially when you factor in the influence Ben Affleck is still going to have on the film’s story and dialogue. The two working together just might make the best comic book film we’ve seen yet.”

We will take that bet.

Look, the received wisdom here is that this will never happen – Snyder has been removed as helmsman of the DCEU because his edgy teen moodiness and wildly atypical take on the characters has alienated a large swathe of the potential audience. None of these films have made as much money as Warner would hope, Suicide Squad aside, and the critical response has been abysmal – something that actually matters to the studio, and sure as hell matters to Affleck, who has worked his ass off to shed his early-career rep and re-positioned himself as a classy AAA filmmaker. However, stranger things have happened and, given that Warner has tended to course-correct wildly with their supers properties in response to perceived popular trends, there’s a non-zero chance that a big enough noise might make them reconsider young master Snyder’s worthiness. So, if you want to add your voice to Jen’s in this chorus of the damned, click on through, and on your own head be it.