Zack Snyder Appearance At Warner Bros. Screening Reignites Snyderverse Fan Hopes
Hopes remain high for many that James Gunn’s DCU will be the change that the franchise needs to succeed in a new era, following a tumultuous period for the last several years. Even after a disappointing box office outcome for Supergirl, Gunn’s Superman proved to be incredibly popular last year, and fans of that film are eager to see where this story goes next in Man of Tomorrow. However, despite these updates to the franchise (and, it should be noted, separate ongoing interest in The Batman: Part II), some DC fans are still holding out hope that Zack Snyder will return in some capacity.
The “Snyderverse,” as it’s often called, comprises a host of DC projects that are easily distinguishable because of their darker, grittier approaches to these stories. In truth, these movies were controversial, with many disliking a dark take on Superman, for example. Yet, Snyder’s approach to the DC franchise remains popular enough within the fanbase that a push persists even now to bring him back—and, for some, the argument is that Gunn should be tossed out and replaced by Snyder. Although that seems unlikely to happen for myriad reasons, a recent appearance by Zack Snyder has reinvigorated hopes.
Snyder Hosted a Screening of Excalibur, and Fans Have Opinions
Amid ongoing discourse about who is the better choice for DC’s future, Snyder or Gunn, Snyder reportedly had a recent appearance at the Warner Bros. lot, during which he hosted a screening of Excalibur. Seemingly, this really was just a screening and not a sign of anything more, but that hasn’t stopped fans—especially those who are eager to see Snyder return—from speculating about what it could mean. One X post about Snyder’s appearance is full of comments to that effect, with one commenter saying, “Oh he’s coming back. Get them possibilities open again,” and another commenting, “Snyder’s firing was the biggest mistake in Hollywood’s 100-year history. WB lost billions by firing a man with an original and public’s beloved vision, trying to catch a marvel’s bird in the sky.”
Yet another X post about Snyder’s appearance has a number of similar responses, many of which are calling out the idea that Snyder received a “hero’s welcome” at the screening event. One comment reads, “My GOAT is back,” and another similarly says, “The return of the king.” Granted, comments under both posts, along with various others about the screening event, are also expressing the opposite opinion, with one commenter saying, “Why would they want him back? He’s not very good at making movies,” and another asserting, “The only ‘golden boy’ WB really wants back is Nolan.” Clearly, the fanbase remains divided on whether this is a return they’d really like to see.
At the end of the day, though, this conversation is likely to remain relegated to fan debates alone. It seems clear that the DCU is moving full steam ahead with Gunn, and while things can certainly change, there’s little reason to suspect at this stage that Snyder is truly coming back (especially based on just one appearance).
