Zack Snyder has been an integral part of DC's ongoing cinematic universe. After directing the 2013 Superman film "Man of Steel", Snyder has been involved in some capacity with the slate of DC films ramping up for release.
News broke on Monday however that the director would be stepping aside from DC's major superhero epic "Justice League" which would see many of its iconic heroes coming together as an ensemble.
Speaking to "The Hollywood Reporter", Snyder revealed he and his wife Deborah, a producer on "Justice League", would be stepping aside due to the death of their daughter. Autumn, who was 20-years-old, committed suicide back in March, the details of which were kept private to close friends and family.
"I never planned to make this public," Snyder told "THR", "I thought it would just be in the family, a private matter, our private sorrow that we would deal with. When it became obvious that I need to take a break, I knew there would be narratives created on the internet. They'll do what they do. The truth is ... I'm past caring about that kind of thing now."
Stepping in to finish the film is "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator and the writer and director of the "Avengers" films, Joss Whedon.
Snyder wanted to shoot additional scenes, which Whedon wrote, so the studio felt it was appropriate for Whedon to take over when Snyder decided to take some time away from the project.
"We're not introducing any new characters," Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich said, "It's the same characters in some new scenes. He's handing the baton to Joss, but the course has really been set by Zack. I still believe that despite this tragedy, we'll still end up with a great movie."
The DC cinematic universe continues with "Wonder Woman" arriving in cinemas on June 1. "Justice League" is still scheduled to release in November 2017.
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