By Fatal Jay
Opinion, adapted from my Fatal Jay video. Includes discussion of Superman and Lanterns story choices.
My take on Zack Snyder vs. James Gunn is simple: Snyder’s DC films gave me a sense of scale, spectacle, and larger-than-life superheroes that I have been missing from Gunn’s DCU. That does not mean Snyder got everything right. It also does not mean I expect the Snyderverse to return. But after watching the direction DC has taken, I think some of Snyder’s harshest critics should reconsider what he brought to these characters.
What up, everybody? It’s your boy Fatal Jay, and we need to talk.
Some of y’all were loud about Zack Snyder. Loud. He was the worst. His Superman was the worst. His whole approach to DC was the problem.
Now I am looking at what came afterward and asking: was the Snyder man really that bad?
Shout out to Robert Storms, whose discussion inspired this video. This is not a shot at Rob. We make similar kinds of content, we have our disagreements, and I respect having the conversation.
But I am going to give you my position straight: Snyder had problems, and I will name them. He also gave DC something that I do not think this new direction has replaced.
What Zack Snyder’s DC movies got right
For me, the biggest strength of Snyder’s DC films was how they made superheroes feel bigger than everyday life.
The scale. The physical presence. The action. The way a scene could look like a comic-book image brought to life.
That is part of why I watch these movies. I want fantasy. I want to believe I am looking at people who can stand in the middle of something impossible and still look like they belong there.
In my video, I talked about the muscular, athletic look of Snyder’s heroes and how it reminded me of the action movies I loved from the late ’80s and early ’90s. That is my taste. I like that larger-than-life presence on screen.
I even joked that I do not need everybody in these movies looking like me. I am sitting here watching a superhero fantasy. Give me the superhero fantasy.
That does not excuse weak storytelling. It explains one of the reasons Snyder’s version connected with me in the first place.
The Justice League history lesson still makes my point
The history lesson sequence in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is the example I brought up in the video.
Look at the scope of that scene. Look at the warriors, the physicality, and the way the whole thing feels enormous. That is the kind of visual ambition I am talking about.
I want DC to make me feel like I am watching legends. That sequence gave me that feeling.
You can criticize Snyder’s pacing or his character decisions and still give him credit for what he put on screen. Those strengths do not disappear just because you disliked another part of the movie.
Being a Snyder fan does not mean defending every decision
Let me stop something right here: I am not saying Zack Snyder is perfect.
On the video, I brought up LaReina Creole from the Dark Council and her criticism that Snyder does not always stick the landing. I agreed with the concern. You can have a strong concept and still lose people with the way you finish it.
That is a fair criticism, and it applies to movies I like too.
I also criticized Jonathan Kent’s death scene in Man of Steel. Clark being able to help other people but not saving his father did not work for me as a Superman character choice.
No, Zack, I am not giving you a pass on that one.
I supported getting the Snyder Cut released. Talking about Snyder and his DC movies was part of this channel from early on. But support does not mean I have to agree with every scene he writes or shoots.
I can love the scale and still question the storytelling. That is where I stand.
Why James Gunn’s Superman did not win me over
My problem with Gunn’s Superman was that it felt too safe and did not leave me with the excitement I wanted from a new beginning for DC.
I did not call it completely worthless in this video. I called it mid. I was bored, and the story choices did not give me that feeling of, “This is the one.”
I wanted them to go harder from the beginning. In the video, I brought up Brainiac as the kind of threat I would have liked to see them tackle. That was my creative preference, not me saying that one villain automatically fixes a movie.
My point was about ambition. Give me a first movie that feels like an event on its own. Give me something I want to keep talking about after it ends.
And I separated the actor from the choices around him. I praised David Corenswet, but the Superman suit, including the trunks, did not work for my taste.
The treatment of Superman’s parents also bothered me. I questioned the Jor-El direction and the portrayal of Clark’s father on Earth. Those decisions did not connect with the version of Superman I wanted to see.
If they worked for you, fine. For me, the overall experience did not deliver.
Creature Commandos interested me, but the DCU still needs more
In this video, I singled out Creature Commandos as the strongest thing Gunn’s DCU had given me so far. It caught my interest more than the other projects I discussed.
That is my personal ranking. I am not presenting it as an audience poll or a box-office verdict.
Supergirl left me disappointed. Peacemaker Season 2 did not work for me, especially its ending. And Lanterns became another example of a project that had my attention before losing me at the finish.
That last one matters because I really was interested in Lanterns. I was curious about the mystery. I wanted to see where it was going.
Then the last two episodes felt too slow, and the finale did not give me enough powers, action, or payoff. It hurt the whole experience for me.
You cannot ask me to invest in the buildup and then act like the ending is a small detail. The ending is where you have to make that investment feel worth it.
Is the Snyderverse coming back? I am not counting on it
I do not expect a full Snyderverse restoration. That is my prediction, not a confirmed announcement about DC’s future.
And I say that as somebody who wanted Snyder to get his version of Justice League released.
The Snyder Cut mattered to me. That does not mean I believe every new rumor is going to bring the whole universe back.
Merger talk, investment rumors, and renewed fan enthusiasm do not convince me by themselves. I need something more concrete before I start treating a comeback like it is happening.
There is also the difference between Snyder directing another DC project and rebuilding his entire version of the franchise. Those are very different things.
A full restoration would mean putting a lot of pieces back together, including the original Justice League ensemble. When I think about Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, and Jason Momoa, I do not see that reunion as something fans should simply assume will happen.
I am not making claims here about private contracts or what any actor has agreed to. I am explaining why I am skeptical of the idea that the whole band is about to get back together.
I can appreciate those movies without building all my hopes around a restoration.
Why The Dark Knight Returns would interest me more
If we are talking about a Snyder DC project I would be excited to watch, The Dark Knight Returns is the one I brought up.
That older-Batman story feels like a natural match for the visual style and physical intensity I like in Snyder’s work. In the video, I connected it to the older Batman and Superman conflict that interested me in Batman v Superman, and to Snyder’s work adapting Frank Miller’s 300.
That is why the idea appeals to me. I can picture the kind of movie I would want from it.
But pop your brakes before turning my excitement into a production announcement. I am talking about a project I would like to see. I did not claim that it had been approved or that Affleck had signed on for it.
Wanting something and expecting it to happen are not the same thing. I can want that movie while remaining doubtful that we will get it.
Man of Tomorrow is the next big test in my mind
When I looked ahead to Man of Tomorrow in the video, my message was direct: James, you have to deliver.
I want a Superman story with ambition, memorable action, and a payoff that makes the whole experience stronger. I want to finish watching and finally say, “This is it.”
That is the feeling I have been missing.
I am not asking for a movie that just reminds me another project is coming later. I want the story in front of me to stand on its own and give me a reason to be excited about DC again.
My frustration comes from believing these characters can deliver something special. I would love to be impressed. But the next movie has to earn that reaction.
Do Zack Snyder’s critics owe him an apology?
Some of y’all? I think so.
Not because every criticism was wrong. I just gave you some of my own. But if your argument was that Snyder brought nothing valuable to DC, I think his movies deserve another look.
The scale was there. The visual identity was there. The larger-than-life superhero feeling was there.
My disappointment with Gunn’s direction has made those strengths stand out even more. It has not convinced me to ignore Snyder’s mistakes, and it has not convinced me that the Snyderverse is coming back.
I want DC to get better. That is the point of holding this new direction to a standard.
Do you prefer Snyder’s DCEU or Gunn’s DCU? Would you rather see a full Snyderverse return or a standalone Dark Knight Returns movie? And what would Man of Tomorrow have to do to win you over?
Watch my full video, “Zack Snyder HATERS Now REGRET James Gunn DCU! | Snyderverse Not Happening?”, for the complete discussion.
Make sure to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell. You know how we do on the Fatal Jay Show.
Zack Snyder vs. James Gunn FAQ
Why does Fatal Jay prefer Zack Snyder’s DC movies?
I prefer the scale, visual spectacle, physical presence, and larger-than-life superhero feeling in Snyder’s DC films. The history lesson in Zack Snyder’s Justice League is one of my strongest examples. I still criticize some of his storytelling decisions.
Does Fatal Jay think Zack Snyder got Superman completely right?
No. I criticized Clark not saving Jonathan Kent in Man of Steel, and I agreed that Snyder does not always stick the landing. Being a fan of his movies does not mean I defend every choice.
What disappointed Fatal Jay about James Gunn’s Superman?
I found it too safe and less exciting than I wanted from a new Superman movie. The costume and some of the choices involving Superman’s parents did not work for me, even though I praised David Corenswet himself.
Which James Gunn DCU project did Fatal Jay praise in this video?
I singled out Creature Commandos as the strongest DCU project for me among the ones discussed in this video. It caught my interest, although the overall direction still had not delivered the defining experience I wanted.
Does Fatal Jay believe the Snyderverse will return?
No. I do not expect a full restoration, and merger or investment rumors alone have not changed my mind. That is my personal prediction, not confirmation from DC Studios or Zack Snyder.
Is Zack Snyder’s The Dark Knight Returns confirmed in this article?
No. I discussed The Dark Knight Returns as a project I would like Snyder to make. My enthusiasm for the idea does not establish that the movie is approved, cast, or in production.
What does Fatal Jay want from Man of Tomorrow?
I want a more ambitious Superman story with memorable action, strong characterization, and a satisfying ending. In this video, I treated it as a major opportunity for Gunn’s DCU to change my mind.
Does criticizing James Gunn mean supporting every Snyderverse rumor?
No. I can be disappointed with Gunn’s DCU and still doubt that the Snyderverse will return. My opinions about the movies and my expectations about future studio decisions are separate judgments.
