Zack Snyder
| Zack Snyder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Zachary Edward Snyder March 1, 1966 Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States |
| Residence | Pasadena, California, United States |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Denise Snyder (divorced) Deborah Snyder (m. 2004) |
| Partner(s) | Kirsten Elin |
| Children | Eight children (4 eldest from first marriage, 2 from Elin, 2 adopted with Deborah) |
Zachary Edward "Zack" Snyder (born March 1, 1966) is an American filmmaker, best known for his action and science fiction films. Snyder made his feature film debut with the 2004 remake of the horror film Dawn of the Dead, which earned a good box office return and positive reviews from critics. He has gone on to be known for his comic book movies and superhero films, including 300 (2007) and Watchmen (2009), as well as the Superman film that started the DC Extended Universe, Man of Steel (2013), and its follow-ups, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League Part One (2017) and Justice League Part Two (2019).
Snyder is the co-founder of Cruel and Unusual Films, a production company he established in 2004, alongside his wife Deborah Snyder and producing partner Wesley Coller.[1]
Early life
Snyder was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and raised in Riverside, Connecticut. His mother, Marsha Manley (née Reeves), was a painter and a photography teacher at Daycroft School, which Snyder later attended. His father, Charles Edward "Ed" Snyder, worked as an executive recruiter.[2][3][4] He was raised as a Christian Scientist.[1] Snyder attended Camp Owatonna in Harrison, Maine, during the summer months as a child. Snyder's mother inspired him to study painting a year after high school at Heatherley School of Fine Art in England, although he had already begun filmmaking. Afterward, Snyder attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California (where he was classmates with Michael Bay).
Career
Snyder went on to shoot, as a director and as a cinematographer, television commercials for such clients as the automobile companies Audi, BMW, Subaru and Nissan, amongst others. Other commercial work has been for clients including Nike, Reebok, and Gatorade.
Snyder made his feature film debut with the remake of the horror film Dawn of the Dead (2004), and scored a box office hit with the fantasy war film 300 (2007), adapted from writer-artist Frank Miller's Dark Horse Comics miniseries of the same name. His Warner Bros. film Watchmen was released on March 6, 2009 and grossed $185 million worldwide. His follow-up project/animation debut titled Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole was released on September 24, 2010. Snyder produced, co-wrote, and directed Sucker Punch,[5] which was released on March 25, 2011. The film, based on a script written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya, was about a young woman in a mental hospital who fantasizes of escape with her fellow inmates.
He directed 2013's Man of Steel for Warner Bros., a reboot of the Superman franchise. He will direct a yet-to-be-produced remake of the 1969 film The Illustrated Man, and produced the prequel/sequel to 300, 300: Rise of an Empire (2014). He also wants to direct a segment for an upcoming Heavy Metal 3, and plans to write and direct a sequel to Legend of the Guardians.[6]
In October 2012, Warner Bros. announced a planned 2015 release for their Justice League film. During an interview with the New York Post in November 2012, director Zack Snyder stated, “I don’t know how ‘Justice League’ is going to be handled. Honestly, I don’t. But ‘The Man of Steel’ exists, and Superman is in it. I don’t know how you’d move forward without acknowledging that,” and claimed that Warner Bros. expects him to "keep them on course" as regards to a potential cinematic universe. It was rumored in early March 2013 that Snyder would direct the Justice League film and that Christopher Nolan would again be producing.
In November 2012, Snyder proclaimed that he would not be involved with the development of Star Wars: Episode VII (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). Speculation swirled again in January 2013, when Vulture reported that he would be developing a Star Wars spin-off film inspired by Seven Samurai.[7] However, this report was later denied as rumor by Snyder's representative.[8] As of March 2013, it was rumored that Zack Snyder might be attached to the long in progress Justice League film. As reported by Latino Review, Snyder might either step in as a producer or he might direct the project itself. These reports have not been confirmed yet.[9] Snyder is set to direct a Man of Steel sequel.[10] During Comic Con 2013, Snyder announced that Batman and Superman would share the screen in the Man of Steel sequel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, released in 2016. Cavill reprised his role as Superman, and Ben Affleck played Batman.[11] In April 2014, Snyder was announced by Warner Bros. to direct the Justice League films after finishing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.[12] Snyder is also committed to making The Last Photograph, a drama featuring Christian Bale and Sean Penn.[13]
Style
Snyder often uses slow motion in and out of the fight scenes in his films, which Amy Nicholson of Boxoffice magazine remarked separates the director from other filmmakers who make multiple cuts and close-ups during a fight. A minute-long shot from 300 shows King Leonidas slaughtering his enemies, the camera zooming in and out to emphasize each kill and move Leonidas makes.[14]
Awards
Snyder's body of work has earned him a number of awards, including two Clio Awards and a Gold Lion Award for his Jeep "Frisbee" commercial. He also won an award for his humorous commercial "General's Party".
Personal life
Snyder lives in Pasadena with his second wife, producer Deborah Snyder. The couple first met in 1996, and married on September 25, 2004 at the St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Manhattan, New York.[15][16]
Snyder has eight children. The four eldest are from a marriage to Denise Weber that ended in divorce. Two are from another relationship, with Kirsten Elin, who was his line producer on commercials for a while.[1] Snyder and his current wife adopted two children during the course of making Man of Steel.[17]
Filmography
Music videos
- "You're So Close" performed by Peter Murphy (1992)
- "Tomorrow" performed by Morrissey (1992)
- "Somebody to Shove" performed by Soul Asylum (1992)
- "Black Gold" performed by Soul Asylum (1993)
- "In the Middle" performed by Alexander O'Neal (1993)
- "I Know" performed by Dionne Farris (1994)
- "Desolation Row" performed by My Chemical Romance (2009)
Films
| Year | Film | Director | Producer | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | Yes | No | No |
| 2007 | 300 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2009 | Watchmen | Yes | No | No |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Yes | No | No |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Yes | No | No |
| 2014 | 300: Rise of an Empire | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Yes | No | No |
| Suicide Squad | No | Executive | No | |
| 2017 | Wonder Woman | No | Yes | No |
| Justice League Part One | Yes | No | No | |
| 2018 | The Flash | No | Executive | No |
| Aquaman | No | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | Justice League Part Two | Yes | No | No |
Collaborations
Actors
| Actors | Dawn of the Dead (2004) |
300 (2007) |
Watchmen (2009) |
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010) |
Sucker Punch (2011) |
Man of Steel (2013) |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) |
Justice League Part One (2017) |
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| Matt Frewer | |
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| Michael Kelly | |
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| Stephen McHattie | |
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| Patrick Sabongui | |
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| Eli Snyder | |
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| David Wenham | |
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| Michael Adamthwaite | |
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| Carla Gugino | |
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| Alessandro Juliani | |
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| Jeffrey Dean Morgan | |
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| Patrick Wilson | |
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| Abbie Cornish | |
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| Jena Malone | |
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| Henry Cavill | |
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| Amy Adams | |
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| Diane Lane | |
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| Laurence Fishburne | |
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| Harry Lennix | |
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| Christina Wren | |
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| Ben Affleck | |
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| Gal Gadot | |
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| Jason Momoa | |
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| Ray Fisher | |
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| Ezra Miller | |
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Crew
- Snyder's wife Deborah Snyder, has produced all of his films dating back to 300 (executive producer on 300 and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole).
- Larry Fong and William Hoy were Snyder's cinematographer and film editor, respectively, on the films 300, Watchmen and Sucker Punch. Fong is also the cinematographer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
- John "D.J." Desjardin was the visual effects supervisor on Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
- David Brenner served as film editor on Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Reception
While his visual direction is often praised by critics, Snyder is often criticized for his subpar storytelling and excessive iconography.[18] Snyder has also been criticized for his lack of respect for comic book characters, as noted in his handling of Superman, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, and the bending of Batman's famous rule against killing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.[19][20][21]
Shortly after the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, many fans expressed their displeasure about the direction of the DC Extended Universe under Snyder's vision. Two separate petitions were created to keep Snyder off the next installment of the franchise, Justice League Part 1, and his role as the chaperone of the DC Extended Universe.[22]
Critical, public and commercial reception to films Zack Snyder has directed as of April 26, 2015:
| Year | Film | Rotten Tomatoes[23] | Metacritic[24] | CinemaScore[25] | Budget | Box office[26] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | 75% (180 reviews) | 58 (32 reviews) | B | $26 million | $102.4 million |
| 2007 | 300 | 60% (226 reviews) | 51 (35 reviews) | A- | $65 million | $456.1 million |
| 2009 | Watchmen | 65% (294 reviews) | 56 (39 reviews) | B | $130 million | $185.3 million |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | 55% (122 reviews) | 53 (21 reviews) | A- | $80 million | $140.1 million |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | 23% (202 reviews) | 33 (29 reviews) | B- | $82 million | $89.8 million |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | 56% (288 reviews) | 55 (47 reviews) | A- | $225 million | $668.0 million |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 29% (257 reviews) | 44 (50 reviews) | B | $250 million | N/A |
References
- 1 2 3 Off Screen, a Long-Running Romance New York Times, FEB. 18, 2011.
- ↑ "Fan makes a film". Berkshire Eagle, The. March 8, 2007.
- ↑ "Marsha Snyder Obituary - Pittsfield, MA | theberkshireeagle.com". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2015-08-08.
- ↑ "The North Adams Transcript from North Adams, Massachusetts · Page 15". Newspapers.com. 1958-05-05. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-08.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder: Watchmen". SuicideGirls.com. 5 March 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
- ↑ Fleming, Mike (October 4, 2010). "SCOOP: Zack Snyder Directing 'Superman'". Deadline.com. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder to direct a Star Wars movie". 3 News NZ. January 14, 2013.
- ↑ Hudson, Laura (January 14, 2013). "Zack Snyder Denies Report of New Star Wars Film Based on Seven Samurai". Wired News.
- ↑ Mayimbe, El. "EXCLUSIVE: The DCU Takeover & HUGE Developments on ‘Justice League’". Latino-Review.com. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ↑ NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief. "‘Man Of Steel’ Sequel Underway With Zack Snyder And David S. Goyer". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder Will Direct Superman/Batman Movie Inspired by Frank Miller’s ‘The Dark Knight Returns’".
- ↑ "Warner Bros. Details Plans for 'Justice League' Movie (Exclusive)". Wall Street Journey. April 26, 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder working on Rand’s The Fountainhead adaptation". Hindustan Times. March 20, 2016.
- ↑ Nicholson, Amy (February 26, 2009). "Slow and Steady". Box Office Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ↑ Louie, Elaine (October 3, 2004). "WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS: VOWS; Deborah Johnson and Zack Snyder - New York Times". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ↑ Frank Lovece (2009-02-19). "CGI: 'Watchmen'--Zack Snyder brings superhero saga to the finish line". Film Journal International. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder’s Superhero Life". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ↑ "Batman v Superman: WB needs a stronger vision". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Batman v Superman review: Zack Snyder's Doomsday". BirthMoviesDeath. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Superman and the Damage Done". BirthMoviesDeath. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder keeps ruining comic book movies". Vox. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ↑ "How fans are trying to remove Zack Snyder from the Justice League". Cinema blend. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder's Profile". Metacritic. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ↑ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Zack Snyder Movie Box office". boxofficemojo.com. Amazon.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zack Snyder. |
- Cruel and Unusual Films – Snyder's production company
- Snyder at MySpace
- Zack Snyder at the Internet Movie Database
- Zack Snyder at Believe Media
- Zack Snyder Biography at Tribute.ca
- Zack Snyder Directing 'Superman' at Deadline
- Zack Snyder directing Superman reboot at The Hollywood Reporter
- Zack Snyder on Twitter
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