Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He made his feature film debut in 2004 with a remake of the 1978 horror film Dawn of the Dead. Since then, he has done a number of comic book and superhero films, including 300 (2006) 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) and Justice League (2017). He also served as co-screenwriter for 300, Sucker Punch (2011), and 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), an executive producer for Suicide Squad (2016) and Aquaman (2018), and as co-writer of the story for Wonder Woman (2017) and Justice League.
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.[2]
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.[3][4][5] He has an older sister, Audrey (Davis), and was raised as a Christian Scientist.[2] Snyder attended Camp Owatonna in Harrison, Maine, during the summer months as a child. Snyder studied painting a year after high school at Heatherley School of Fine Art in England, although he had already begun filmmaking. Afterward, Snyder attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.[6]
Career[]
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 (2006), 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,[7] 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 signed on direct a yet-to-be-produced remake of the 1969 film The Illustrated Man,[8] 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.[9]
During Comic Con 2013, Snyder announced that Batman and Superman would share the screen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, released in 2016. Snyder directed, Cavill reprised his role as Superman, and Ben Affleck played Batman.[10] Snyder directed Warner Bros.' 2017 Justice League, but was replaced with Joss Whedon after having to leave during post-production to deal with the death of his daughter.[11]
As of March 2016, Snyder was working on The Last Photograph, a drama about a war photographer in Afghanistan. He is also currently working on an adaptation of the 1943 novel The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.[12][13][14]
On January 29, 2019, Snyder announced that he has signed on to helm Army of the Dead, a zombie horror thriller, for Netflix. Snyder will direct and produce with his partner and wife, Deborah Snyder, via their newly rebranded production company, Stone Quarry.[15]
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.[16]
Personal life[]
Snyder lives in Pasadena with his second wife, producer Deborah Johnson. The couple first met in 1996, started dating in 2002, and married on September 25, 2004 at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Manhattan, New York.[17][18] He was previously married to Denise Weber.
Snyder has eight children, half of whom are adopted: Olivia, Willow, Autumn, Eli, Ezekiel, Jett, Sage and Cash. He and Denise had Olivia and Eli, and adopted Willow and Autumn from China. Two younger sons, Ezekiel and Jett, are from his relationship with Kirsten Elin, who was his line producer on commercials for some time.[2] Snyder and Deborah adopted Sage and Cash during the course of making Man of Steel.[6]
On March 12, 2017,[19][20] the suicide of his daughter Autumn prompted Snyder to withdraw from post-production work on Justice League in May 2017 to be with his family.[21]
Filmography[]
Films[]
| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | Yes | No | No | Directorial debut |
| 2006 | 300 | Yes | Yes | No | Co-screenwriter with Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon |
| 2009 | Watchmen | Yes | No | No | |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Yes | No | No | |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Co-screenwriter with Steve Shibuya |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Yes | No | No | |
| Superman 75th Anniversary | Yes | Story | No | Animated short; Story co-written with Bruce Timm | |
| 2014 | 300: Rise of an Empire | No | Yes | Yes | Co-screenwriter with Kurt Johnstad |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Yes | No | No | |
| Suicide Squad | Uncredited | No | Executive | Flash cameo scene | |
| 2017 | Wonder Woman | No | Story | Yes | Story co-written with Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs |
| Snow Steam Iron | Yes | Story | Yes | Short film; Also cinematographer | |
| Justice League | Yes | Story | No | Story co-written with Chris Terrio | |
| 2018 | Aquaman | No | No | Executive | |
| 2020 | Wonder Woman 1984 | No | No | Yes | |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad | No | No | Executive | |
| The Flash | No | No | Executive | ||
| TBA | Army of the Dead | Yes | Story | Yes |
Music videos[]
| Year | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Peter Murphy | "You're So Close" |
| Morrissey | "Tomorrow" | |
| Soul Asylum | "Somebody to Shove" | |
| 1993 | Soul Asylum | "Black Gold" |
| Alexander O'Neal | "In the Middle" | |
| 1994 | Dionne Farris | "I Know" |
| 2009 | My Chemical Romance | "Desolation Row" |
Collaborations[]
- 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, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
- David Brenner served as film editor on Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League and the short film Snow Steam Iron.
Reception[]
Critical, public and commercial reception to films Zack Snyder has directed as of November 26, 2017:
| Year | Film | Rotten Tomatoes[22] | Metacritic[23] | CinemaScore[24] | Budget | Box office[25] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead | 76% (184 reviews) | 59 (37 reviews) | B | $26 million | $102.4 million |
| 2006 | 300 | 60% (229 reviews) | 52 (42 reviews) | A– | $65 million | $456.1 million |
| 2009 | Watchmen | 64% (300 reviews) | 56 (39 reviews) | B | $130 million | $185.3 million |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | 50% (126 reviews) | 53 (21 reviews) | A– | $80 million | $140.1 million |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | 23% (207 reviews) | 33 (29 reviews) | B– | $82 million | $89.8 million |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | 56% (308 reviews) | 55 (47 reviews) | A– | $225 million | $668.0 million |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 27% (379 reviews) | 44 (51 reviews) | B | $250 million | $873.6 million |
| 2017 | Justice League | 40% (313 reviews) | 46 (50 reviews) | B+ | $300 million | $657.9 million |
Awards and nominations[]
Template:BLP unsourced section 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 the Society of British Advertisers Award for Humor for his controversial EB Beer commercial "General's Party."[26]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Golden Schmoes Award | Best Director of the Year | 300 | Nominated |
| Hollywood Film Award | Hollywood Movie of the Year | Won | ||
| 2008 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Won | |
| Best Writing Shared with Michael B. Gordon & Kurt Johnstad |
Nominated | |||
| 2009 | ShoWest Award | Director of the Year | Watchmen | Won |
| 2010 | Saturn Award | Best Director | Nominated | |
| SFX Award | Best Director | Nominated | ||
| St. Louis Film Critics Association Award | Best Animated Feature Film | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Hollywood Film Award | Hollywood Movie of the Year | Man of Steel | Nominated |
| 2014 | Jupiter Award | Best International Film | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Golden Raspberry Award | Worst Director | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Nominated |
| Jupiter Award | Best International Film | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay Shared with Allan Heinberg & Jason Fuchs |
Wonder Woman | Nominated | |
| 2018 | American Film Institute | Top Ten Films of the Year Shared with Charles Roven, Richard Suckle & Deborah Snyder |
Won | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Best Theatrical Motion Picture Shared with Charles Roven, Richard Suckle & Deborah Snyder |
Nominated | ||
| Saturn Award | Best Writing Shared with Allan Heinberg & Jason Fuchs |
Nominated |
References[]
- ↑ Justice League: Zack Snyder quits movie after daughter kills herself (23 May 2017). Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Louie, Elaine (18 February 2011). Off Screen, a Long-Running Romance. The New York Times.
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Everhart, Bill (8 March 2007). "Fan makes a film". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
- ↑ Marsha Snyder Obituary - Pittsfield, MA. The Berkshire Eagle. Legacy.com. Retrieved on August 8, 2015.
- ↑ The North Adams Transcript from North Adams, Massachusetts · Page 15. Newspapers.com (1958-05-05). Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved on August 8, 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Leonard, Devin (1 March 2016). Zack Snyder's Superhero Life. Bloomberg News. Retrieved on March 1, 2016.
- ↑ Zack Snyder: Watchmen. SuicideGirls (5 March 2009). Retrieved on March 5, 2009.
- ↑ Douglas, Edward (4 October 2010). Updates on The Jetsons & Zack Snyder's The Illustrated Man. Retrieved on June 13, 2016.
- ↑ Fleming, Mike (4 October 2010). SCOOP: Zack Snyder Directing 'Superman'. Deadline.com. Retrieved on October 4, 2010.
- ↑ Fischer, Russ (20 July 2013). Zack Snyder Will Direct Superman/Batman Movie Inspired by Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns'.
- ↑ Fritz, Ben (26 April 2014). Warner Bros. Plans 'Justice League' Movie Directed by Zack Snyder (Exclusive). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on April 27, 2014.
- ↑ Brown, Todd (2 August 2011). BREAKING: Zack Snyder Taking Director's Chair On THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH. Screen Anarchy. Retrieved on August 8, 2016.
- ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (17 March 2016). 'Batman v. Superman': Married Creative Duo on That R-Rated DVD, Plans for DC Superhero Universe. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on July 4, 2016.
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Desta, Yohana (29 May 2018). "Zack Snyder's Next Project Is an Adaptation of The Fountainhead". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- ↑ Zack Snyder Returning to Movies With Zombie Action Pic 'Army of the Dead' (Exclusive) (en).
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Nicholson, Amy (26 February 2009). "Slow and Steady". Box Office Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2016. Unknown parameter
|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Louie, Elaine (3 October 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.
- ↑ Template:Cite journal
- ↑ Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner - Coroner - Case Detail.
- ↑ Autumn Snyder (1996-2017).
- ↑ Template:Citeweb
- ↑ Zack Snyder. Retrieved on April 26, 2015.
- ↑ Zack Snyder Movies Profile. Retrieved on April 26, 2015.
- ↑ Cinemascore. Retrieved on April 26, 2015.
- ↑ Zack Snyder Movie Box Office Results. Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved on January 23, 2018.
- ↑ Template:Citeweb
External links[]
- Cruel and Unusual Films – Snyder's production company
- Zack Snyder at IMDb
- Template:Tcmdb name
| v - e - dZack Snyder | |
|---|---|
| Films directed | Dawn of the Dead (2004) • 300 (2006) • 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 (2017) • Gwen and Dan (2019) • Oh Yeah Cartoons! The Movie (2019) |
| Films produced | 300: Rise of an Empire (2014) • Wonder Woman (2017) • Gwen and Dan (2019) • Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) |
| See also | 75 Studio • The Stone Quarry • Deborah Snyder |
Template:Saturn Award for Best Direction
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