Justice League Producer Deborah Snyder Responds To 'Cruel' Critics

After nearly three years of fan discussions and rumors circling behind the scenes, DC mainstay Zack Snyder is about a month away from releasing his full vision of Justice League to the world with Zack Snyder's Justice League. The highly controversial 2017 theatrical release made its rounds through the media in 2020 thanks to the Joss Whedon/Ray Fisher saga, and that all came on top of the Snyder Cut officially getting the green light for production.

Now that the Snyder Cut is just over four weeks from releasing, its presence in the news is only set to increase, especially after the latest trailer released on Valentine's Day. Much of the chatter is now focused on all the new footage to analyze before the four-hour cut arrives in full, particularly the first look at Jared Leto's Joker since 2016's Suicide Squad.

This movie, like much of Snyder's other DC work, has come with its fair share of criticism and skepticism before it arrives in full. In that light, one of Snyder Cut's higher-ups took a moment to address that fact.

DEBORAH SNYDER TALKS CRITICISM FROM THE PRESS

In a recent appearance on the LightCast Podcast, Justice League producer Deborah Snyder tackled the question regarding the "unkind press" that is coming with the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League. She discussed the issue of fans having a "preconceived notion of what it should be:"

"We’ve had our share of unkind press. Some of it, though... It’s interesting because I think… [Batman v Superman] is the perfect example. 'It’s too dark.' Too dark compared to what? I think that some of the reactions were ‘It’s not funny enough. It’s not the movie I expected it to be.’ And you’re [saying], ‘Is that the movie’s fault or is that your fault for having a preconceived notion of what it should be?’ It was kind of interesting to read things like that. "

Deborah also acknowledged the fact that "some of the negativity kind of gets bigger headlines" when it comes to reporting about this movie:

"I also think that some of the negativity kind of gets bigger headlines, and I think that’s a shame too. Sometimes I’ll read a headline and, actually, the story isn’t as salacious as that…Sometimes I feel, not just about our movies, but in general, the reviewers are cruel, and there’s people behind it that spend a lot of time, whether you like it or not. And you don’t have to like it, but sometimes it gets very personal, and it gets mean. You can say what you think about it without being mean or cruel or, ya know."

The full interview can be seen below:

 

IS THE PRESS GOING TOO HARD ON THE SNYDER CUT?

Zack Snyder is no stranger to movie press and fans having some tough criticism for his work, especially regarding his movies within the DC Extended Universe. With the critical troubles the franchise has had since its debut in 2013 compared to other juggernauts like Marvel, it's impossible to ignore, even with so much new material releasing in the near future.

It's refreshing in a way, however, to hear Deborah Snyder speak of these troubles for the entertainment industry as a whole and not just when it comes to the movies she and her husband make. This era of movies with the internet and social media can be absolutely brutal, which the Snyders have clearly seen firsthand from their experience with the DCEU.

Hopefully, no matter what the final result is for the Snyder Cut, critics will find a way to review it and comment on it without resorting to personal attacks or shots. This is undoubtedly a film that fans want to see, and Zack Snyder has put his heart and soul into making it a reality, which should be commended at the end of the day.

Zack Snyder's Justice League will arrive on HBO Max on March 18, 2021.