If you look to the internet fan forums, James Gunn and Zack Snyder should be mortal enemies. The fact is, the two are actually good friends, and the pair recently met up for a chat and took a photo together… specifically because they knew the reaction it would get online.
At a recent DC Studios press event James Gunn spoke about why he and Zack Snyder posed for the photo.
“We knew that people have this view that somehow we have been pitted against each other,” Gunn said. “It’s odd to have someone who you’re friendly with in real life be the guy that is positioned as your Lex Luthor, or I’m his Lex Luthor. It’s just such a weird dynamic that’s been created between factions online.”
Many fans believe James Gunn and Zack Snyder should be enemies due to their seemingly opposing approaches to superhero filmmaking within the DC universe. Snyder established a darker, more serious tone with films like “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman,” while Gunn, now DC Studios’ co-CEO, brings a more colorful, irreverent style as seen in “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker.” The narrative of rivalry intensified when Gunn’s DC Universe reboot effectively replaced Snyder’s vision, leading passionate “Snyder Cut” supporters to view Gunn as the corporate figure who ended their hoped-for “Snyderverse” continuation. Despite this perceived conflict, the directors have consistently expressed mutual respect, with Gunn praising Snyder’s work and Snyder publicly supporting Gunn’s DC leadership, suggesting the supposed enmity exists primarily in fan imagination rather than reality.
As for fan speculation that the recent photo meant Snyder might be collaborating on a new project for DC Studios, Gunn simply said the two “sometimes talk about different things” but the recent photo was specifically taken for the reaction they knew it would get.
Hopefully, they will be working on something good.