Zack Snyder steps away from the Justice League following his daughter's suicide

'In the end, it's just a movie.'

In the wake of a personal tragedy, the Justice League director Zack Snyder will be stepping down from the superhero project. Following a two week hiatus in March, it was revealed that he had taken time off to be with his family following his 20 year old daughter Autumn Snyder's suicide.

He and his wife Deborah Snyder, who is also one of the film’s producers, announced yesterday that they would be leaving the Justice League. The family have chosen to keep the details of the tragedy private. Joss Whedon, the man behind The Avengers and television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is said to be stepping in to direct reshoots and guide the film through the post-production.

Snyder opened up in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter: ‘In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it. The demands of this job are pretty intense. It is all-consuming. And in the last two months, I’ve come to the realization...I’ve decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me. They are all having a hard time. I’m having a hard time.’

Internet and comic book fans have been known to be fiercely protective of superhero adaptations, which is something Snyder is keenly aware of after directing DC heavyweights Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

He anticipated the reaction to his exit saying, ‘Here’s the thing, I never planned to make this public. 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. [Internet and comic book fans will] do what they do. The truth is...I’m past caring about that kind of thing now.’

As of now, the film is still expected to be on track for its November 17 release date. Like Marvel’s Avengers films, Justice League will see superheroes like Gal Godot as Wonder Woman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Ezra Miller as The Flash and Jason Momoa as Aquaman join forces on the big screen. Toby Emmerich, the president of Warner Bros. Pictures, has since expressed his condolences to the Snyder family but also assured fans that new reshoots would be in line with Zack Snyder’s vision.

Snyder said, ‘I want the movie to be amazing, and I’m a fan, but that all pales pretty quickly in comparison. I know the fans are going to be worried about the movie, but there are seven other kids that need me.’

‘In the end, it’s just a movie. It’s a great movie. But it’s just a movie.’

For those struggling with mental health issues, the Samaritans provide 24/7 support on their hotline 116 123 and can also be emailed at jo@samaritans.org.