Line #14 Creator/ZackSnyder


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zacksnyder.jpg]]
2
3	->''"I think I just have a natural operatic aesthetic. I can't help it."''
4
5	[floatboxright: Genres:
6	+ ScienceFiction, ScienceFantasy, {{Superhero}}, {{Action\|Genre}}, {{Horror}}, SpaceOpera
7	]
8
9	[floatboxright:'''Influences:'''
10	+ Creator/JohnBoorman, Creator/StanleyKubrick, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/FrankMiller, Creator/PeterJackson, Creator/GeorgeARomero, FilmNoir, Renaissance and Classical art, Creator/FrankFrazetta, Creator/ScottSnyder, Creator/AlanMoore, MediaNotes/TheIronAgeOfComicBooks, MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, ''Magazine/HeavyMetal'', {{Anime}}s ]
11
12	Zachary Edward Snyder (born March 1, 1966 in Green Bay, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is well-known for his stylized action movies in which he displays his love for details, crisp cinematography, [[{{Overcrank}} slow-motion sequences]] and [[ColorWash dark and gloomy color filters]], and for creating almost shot-for-shot adaptations of comic books such as ''Film/ThreeHundred'' and ''Film/{{Watchmen}}''. He and his wife Deborah co-produce his films via their company, Creator/TheStoneQuarry (formerly Cruel and Unusual Films, renamed in 2019).
13
14	His biggest directorial challenge to date has undoubtedly been to kick-start the Creator/WarnerBros[=/=]Creator/DCComics [[SharedUniverse shared movie universe]] commonly referred to as the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse (DCEU), starting with the Franchise/{{Superman}} [[ContinuityReboot reboot]] ''Film/ManOfSteel'' in 2013, which was followed by ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' in 2016. He signed on as the director of ''Film/{{Justice League\|2017}}'', but exited in the middle of the film's post-production in May 2017 after the death of his daughter Autumn in March of that year, with the film's completion instead being overseen by Creator/JossWhedon (although Snyder retained the sole director credit). After almost three years of speculation and [[SendingStuffToSaveTheShow fan campaigns]], [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague Snyder's version of the film]] (without the 2017 version's alterations) was eventually released on Creator/HBOMax in 2021.
15
16	Snyder has since struck big deals to provide content for Creator/{{Netflix}}, including ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' (his second non-adaptation, which also marked his return to the {{zombie\|Stories}} genre and spawned a franchise), a Myth/NorseMythology-[=inspired=] animated series titled ''Twilight of the Gods'' (to be directed by Creator/JayOliva), and the SpaceOpera ''Film/RebelMoon''. He is also interested in adapting the Creator/AynRand novel ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' and the Myth/ArthurianLegend.
17
18	He is not related to comic book creator Creator/ScottSnyder, but has mentioned him among his inspirations for his DCEU films. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen There were even brief plans]] for Scott to bring Zack's original vision for the DCEU post-''Justice League'' to [[ComicBookAdaptation comic book form]] in compliments to the release of the long-awaited Snyder Cut, but they ultimately didn't go through.
19	----
20	!!Works:
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Films he's directed:]]
25	[[index]]
26	* ''Michael Jordan's Playground'' (docufiction, 1990)
27	* ''Film/{{Dawn of the Dead\|2004}}'' (2004)
28	* ''Film/ThreeHundred'' (2007)
29	* ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' (2009)
30	* ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'' (2010)
31	* ''Film/SuckerPunch'' (2011)
32	* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
33	** ''Film/ManOfSteel'' (2013)
34	** ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' (2016)
35	** ''Film/{{Justice League\|2017}}'' (2017) [[note]]Snyder completed principal photography in October 2016 and worked on the post-production until May 2017, then left. Creator/JossWhedon took over the post-production and significantly reshaped the movie [[ExecutiveMeddling due to studio demands]], cutting out or altering a lot of footage from Snyder's principal photography in the process and adding footage he wrote and directed. While the end result had little to do with what him and writer Creator/ChrisTerrio had intended, Snyder had sole director credit per DGA rules.[[/note]]
36	** ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' (2021) [[note]]Director's Cut with a lot of previously unseen footage and devoid of the Whedon additions, with some new photography made in 2020.[[/note]]
37	* ''Superman 75th Anniversary'' (animated short, 2013) [[note]]Also used for the 80th anniversary in 2018.[[/note]]
38	* ''Film/SnowSteamIron'' (2017, short film)
39	* "[=ArmyVerse=]"[[note]]How he calls that shared universe [[/note]]:
40	** ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' (2021)
41	** ''Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas'' (2024, directed two episodes and co-produced)
42	** ''Planet of the Dead'' (TBA)
43	* ''Film/RebelMoon''
44	** ''Rebel Moon - Part 1: A Child of Fire'' (2023)
45	** ''Rebel Moon - Part 2: The Scargiver'' (2024)
46	** ''Rebel Moon - Part 3'' (TBA)
47	[[/index]]
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Other Works Snyder is credited in:]]
51	* ''Film/ThreeHundredRiseOfAnEmpire'' (2014, co-produced, wrote the script)
52	* Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse:
53	** ''Film/{{Suicide Squad\|2016}}'' (2016, co-produced, directed a scene) [[note]]Directed Creator/EzraMiller in the scene where Flash shows up to stop Captain Boomerang's bank robbery.[[/note]]
54	** ''Film/{{Wonder Woman\|2017}}'' (2017, co-produced, co-wrote the story)
55	** ''Film/{{Aquaman\|2018}}'' (2018, co-produced)
56	** ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' (2020, co-produced)
57	** ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' (2021, executive producer)
58	** ''Film/{{The Flash\|2023}}'' (2023, executive producer)
59	* ''Army of the Dead'':
60	** ''Film/ArmyOfThieves'' (2021, co-produced, co-wrote the story) [[note]]Footage and unused takes from ''Army of the Dead'' are featured at the end.[[/note]]
61	* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' (2022, 365th episode, [[AsHimself voiced himself]])
62	* ''Twilight of the Gods'' (TBA, producer)
63	* ''Until the Last One'' (TBA, producer)
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	!!Tropes in Zack Snyder's works:
67
68	* AdamWesting: He appeared in the 365th episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', voicing a cartoon version of himself who lifts weights and projects the eponymous Teen Titans into the ancient times battle of ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' against Darkseid where they get to kick much ass in his serious and dramatic style (there's an [[ArtShift animation shift]] at this moment, from the ZanyCartoon ''Teen Titans Go!'' style to the more serious style seen aplenty in the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies).
69	* AdrenalineTime: His usage of this in ''300'' popularized it to the point of parody. His usage of this in ''Watchmen'' has all but crowned him as a king of this trope. Interestingly, his usage of this has substantially decreased after ''Sucker Punch''.
70	* {{Animesque}}: Between ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/ManOfSteel'', it's clear that Snyder takes a lot of influence from anime when it comes to the more outlandish and fantastical fight scenes of his films. Besides having the heroines of ''Sucker Punch'' dress up in Japanese schoolgirl uniforms while wielding katanas, Snyder has admitted to being influenced by ''Manga/BirdyTheMighty'', which shows in the destructive battles of ''Man of Steel''.
71	* ArtImitatesArt: He studied art history in school and is a trained painter. He storyboards his own films, which are packed with references to classic art.
72	* AssociatedComposer:
73	** Music/TylerBates has composed the soundtracks of ''Dawn of the Dead'', ''300'', ''Watchmen'' and ''Sucker Punch''.
74	** [[Music/JunkieXL Tom Holkenborg]] started working on his productions with ''Film/ThreeHundredRiseOfAnEmpire''. He was uncredited on ''Man of Steel'' and co-composed the soundtrack of ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' with Music/HansZimmer, who had sole credit for ''Man of Steel''. He then worked on Snyder's version of ''Justice League'' and ''Army of the Dead''.
75	** To a lesser extent but no less effective is Zimmer himself for the two aforementioned movies. He directly asked Zack and Deborah to compose the soundtrack for Creator/MatthiasSchweighofer's ''Film/ArmyOfThieves'' (which is produced by them).
76	* AuteurLicense:
77	** He had full artistic freedom on virtually every film he made from ''300'' to ''Batman v. Superman'', minus some [[ReCut truncated]] theatrical versions here and there. The extremely polarizing reception to ''[=BvS=]'' prompted some Warner Bros. execs to [[ExecutiveMeddling enforce changes]] on the original script of ''Justice League''. They then demanded reshoots, and with Snyder stepping down before these happened, the film was dramatically altered without his input.
78	** He's also known to have granted a generous amount of this to his fellow DCEU directors like Creator/PattyJenkins and Creator/JamesWan and to screenwriter Allan Heinberg. While he had a particular vision for the Amazons and the Atlanteans, he was reportedly very hands-off in regards to how Jenkins/Heinberg and Wan wanted to handle things their way, hence the infamous amounts of BroadStrokes ''Film/{{Wonder Woman\|2017}}'', ''Film/{{Aquaman\|2018}}'' and even moreso ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' take in connecting to his DC films. All of it is with his expressed blessing and Jenkins and Wan had gone out of their way to include some loving nods towards his style in their own films out of gratitude for the creative freedom.
79	** Creator/{{Netflix}}, meanwhile, gave him free reins in the making of ''Army of the Dead'' and for every subsequent project he has in store for them.
80	* AuthorAppeal:
81	** His take on Superman shows him trying to save his adopted mother. Given that Snyder lost his own mother some years before, this may be a personal fantasy for him.
82	** Creator/JohnBoorman's ''Film/{{Excalibur}}'', Snyder's favorite film, will be homaged in some way. It is no surprise that he has expressed interest in adapting the Myth/ArthurianLegend in 2021.
83	** Many of his films also focus on [[ParentalIssues parental relationships]], both positive and negative, and their effects on the protagonists.
84	** Considering his adaptations of ''Watchmen'' and ''The Dark Knight Returns'' (in the form of parts of ''Batman v. Superman'') as well as his adaptation project of ''The Fountainhead'', Snyder appears to have some degree of interest in the works of Creator/AynRand. Rorschach is based on well-known Objectivist Creator/SteveDitko's ''ComicBook/TheQuestion'' while WordOfGod from Creator/FrankMiller has him admit that Rand's work was influential in ''The Dark Knight Returns''. His DCEU heroes however are far from exhibiting such ideology, and his interest in ''The Fountainhead'' stems from the novel's "thesis on the creative process and what it is to create something"[[note]]...and also because it's about [[https://theplaylist.net/the-fountainhead-zack-snyder-20190521/ Architecture and Sex]][[/note]] in his own words.
85	** The human body is put on display in most of his films, not merely as {{Fanservice}} but showcasing a HeroicBuild in action. WorkoutFanservice is on the low end but also uses BulletTime as the characters throw spears, swing hammers or are in a BigHeroicRun. He also keeps himself in excellent shape with exercise equipment nearby, reasoning he can't explain to the actors what he is looking for unless he can perform it himself.
86	* BreakthroughHit: He had success with ''Film/{{Dawn of the Dead\|2004}}'', but ''Film/ThreeHundred'' was the film that made him a big name.
87	* [[invoked]]CareerResurrection: Following the notorious meltdown of the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse after the release of ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' and the questionable handling of ''Justice League'' by Warner Bros. after the loss of his daughter in 2017, Snyder's career saw a rebound in 2021 with ''Army of the Dead'' and his version of ''Justice League'', with both of which ending up among his best-received works. While it is not certain as of yet if he will work with big film studios again, he's working on a myriad of projects for Creator/{{Netflix}}.
88	* TheCharmer: One of his notable non-directing talents is that his naturally passionate and excitable NiceGuy charisma wins over many actors (Ben Affleck admitted he agreed to play Batman mainly because of Snyder's sheer passion for the project despite not totally understanding the outline) and actresses (Amy Adams went so far as to say she'd mop a floor if Snyder told her to) who all praise him as a dream to work with, some of whom demonstrate UndyingLoyalty to him (such as Ray Fisher).
89	* ColorWash: Even back in the ''Dawn of the Dead'' remake, Snyder was playing around with the color palette of his films. A hell of a lot.
90	* [[invoked]]CopiouslyCreditedCreator: He produced, wrote, directed, handled the camera work, and did the cinematography of ''Army of the Dead''.
91	%%* CreatorBreakdown: After his daughter tragically committed suicide during post production of ''Film/{{Justice League\|2017}}'', he decided to step away from the project before reshoots stemming from ExecutiveMeddling were scheduled in UK, wanting to spend more time with his family.
92	* CreatorCameo:
93	** He appears as a soldier/mercenary protecting the evacuation of the Capitol in the opening of ''Dawn of the Dead''.
94	** He was a soldier in Vietnam in ''Watchmen'' during Dr. Manhattan's rampage on the Viet Cong soldiers.
95	** He voiced the traitor Truck in the BadFuture scene of ''Batman v Superman''.
96	** He appeared as a World War I British soldier holding a Lewis Gun in the background of the 1918 photo seen in both ''Batman v Superman'' and ''Film/{{Wonder Woman\|2017}}''.
97	** In ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'', Lois Lane passes by a café near Superman's monument. He can be seen sitting inside said café.
98	* CreatorCouple: Snyder's production company, The Stone Quarry, is co-run by his wife Deborah. She has been involved in the production of every film he has made up to this day (including ''Film/{{Dawn of the Dead\|2004}}'' in which she was uncredited), and they have taken numerous creative decisions together, including casting choices such as Creator/GalGadot to play Franchise/WonderWoman and Creator/JasonMomoa to play ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}.
99	* CreatorRecovery:
100	** After leaving the DCEU after the death of his daughter, Snyder found working on smaller films such as the short ''Film/SnowSteamIron'' to be a cathartic experience.
101	** He considers ''Army of the Dead'' to be a palate cleanser and a fun experience free of the ExecutiveMeddling he had to put up with when making ''Justice League''.
102	** Along with his return to form with ''Army of the Dead'' following the tragedy he and his family endured in 2017 with the loss of his daughter Autumn, his version of ''Justice League'' ended up surprisingly less tragic and more hopeful than ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (which, to be fair, was the intended goal according to screenwriter Creator/ChrisTerrio).
103	* CreatorThumbprint:
104	** Aside from the pretty imagery, slow motion shows up a lot in his films, especially [[HitStop faces being punched]], firearms shooting and [[SlowMotionDrop ammunition cartridge cases flying, falling and bouncing on the ground]].
105	** Visual references to ''Film/{{Excalibur}}'' as well as visual references to [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance]] and classical art (especially works of art that were based on ''Literature/TheBible'').
106	* DarkhorseCasting:
107	** He has the habit of casting then-obscure or lesser-known actors in major parts. Notable examples include Creator/JackieEarleHaley as Rorschach, Creator/GalGadot as Wonder Woman and Creator/RayFisher as Cyborg.
108	** An even more glaring example is audiobook narrator and BitCharacter actor Creator/RayPorter as the voice of ''ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'' in his version of ''Justice League''.
109	** He chose an unknown actor, [[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5427572/ Wayne T. Carr]], to play [[Franchise/GreenLantern John Stewart]] in his version of ''Justice League'' and even filmed his scene in his backyard, but Warner Bros. [[ExecutiveVeto vetoed]] the use of that scene.
110	* [[invoked]]DevelopmentHell: He has stated in March 2021 that the USA are currently "too divided" for his project of adaptation of ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' to see the light of day and that he's in no rush to move forward on it.
111	* [[invoked]]DivorcedInstallment: The story of ''Rebel Moon'' was meant to be set in ''Franchise/StarWars'' until Snyder left the project and retooled it as a standalone movie set within its own universe after partnering with Netflix.
112	* DyeingForYourArt: With all his action movies he keeps in good physical shape himself, keeping a small gym in his office and participated in the same extreme training the actors went through for ''300''. He reasons he needs to be capable of showing the actors and stunt team what he is looking for and can't do that without being on a similar fitness level.
113	* EarnYourHappyEnding: Whenever any of his movies feature a happy ending, or at least a BittersweetEnding, it's earned through much fortitude on the heroes' part.
114	* ExecutiveMeddling:
115	** He left Creator/{{Universal}} for Creator/WarnerBros for this reason after ''Dawn of the Dead''.
116	** He still hasn't released a Director's Cut of ''Sucker Punch'' and has hinted several times that the extended version isn't yet close to his full vision of it. The film's theatrical version was shortened out of studio demands (and that pattern would repeat down the line).
117	** Averted with ''Man of Steel'' and ''Batman v Superman''. Snyder was virtually free of studio interference in the making of those, save for having to reduce the length of the latter for the theatrical release.
118	** Unlike his previous DC films, Snyder was under the scrutiny of some studio executives (a "vocal minority" according to him) when making ''Justice League'' following the negative critical reception to ''Batman v Superman'', having to compromise with executive demands (which, among other things, caused him to scrap the film's original script as well as his intended Superman arc of five films in the DCEU and the [[Creator/HRGiger Giger]]-[=like=] Steppenwolf design he originally wanted to use), and he eventually left in the middle of the film's post-production to spend more time with his family following his daughter's suicide. Creator/JossWhedon took over and proceeded with reshoots, and the film ended up significantly reshaped as the studio wanted. A great number of scenes that Snyder shot during principal photography were either shortened, {{deleted\|scene}}, altered (with ADR and a brighter color grading especially) or reshot to insert Whedon's dialogues, the film was heavily re-edited and Music/JunkieXL (a frequent collaborator of Snyder) was replaced by Music/DannyElfman for the soundtrack. Eventually, a Director's Cut of the film devoid of the Whedon additions was scheduled for release on Creator/HBOMax in 2021, with all the scrapped Snyder footage and missing characters and the Music/JunkieXL soundtrack, plus additional scenes by Snyder and the original design for Steppenwolf.
119	* {{Fanservice}}:
120	** He's quite fond of drawing attention to his actors' impressive physiques, especially the men.
121	** Then you have the StockingFiller outfits of the lead actresses in ''Sucker Punch''.
122	* HeAlsoDid:
123	** One of the first prominent works that he directed was a promotional docufiction about UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, ''Michael Jordan's Playground'', with some fictional sections following a young aspiring basketball player whose inspiration in life is Jordan.
124	** He filmed the [[https://youtu.be/t95J0aZ1Fug Hanukkah]] music video of Creator/EzraMiller and Creator/DanFogler.
125	* HeroicBuild: From the Spartans to Dr. Manhattan, Superman, Batman and Aquaman, expect plenty of beefcake, and shots highlighting it in all its glory in his films. It's all due to Snyder being a fan of Creator/FrankFrazetta's use of the trope and UsefulNotes/{{Bodybuilding}} in TheEighties, and he works out to keep himself in pretty good shape too.
126	* HeroicSacrifice: Self-sacrifice to protect/save others is a pretty recurrent trope in his filmography.
127	* HitStop: His films frequently have at least one face being punched in slow motion and getting appropriately deformed by the impact, or similar effects with shockwaves.
128	* IndividualityIsIllegal: A common theme in Snyder's films is that the antagonists will try to strip away free will. This ranges from [[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 zombie]] [[FIlm/ArmyOfTheDead outbreaks]], [[Film/ThreeHundred enslavement]] [[Film/SuckerPunch through]] [[Film/ManOfSteel establishment]], "[[WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole moonblinking]]" and [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague the Anti-Life Equation]].
129	* MythologyGag: His Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse movies are ''packed'' with visual and narrative references to multiple Creator/DCComics one-shots and runs, and other adaptations of these. A list can be found [[MythologyGag/DCExtendedUniverse here]].
130	* NiceGuy: Despite the cynical and dark worlds he depicts, some of Snyder's movie characters still remain nice guys at the core, such as Superman, the Flash and Nite Owl, even though they have a ''really'' hard time coping with their world. Batman even TookALevelInKindness by the time of his version of ''Justice League''. [[WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole Soren]] and [[Film/ArmyOfTheDead Ludwig Dieter]] count as well.
131	** Snyder himself also counts as people who work with him say he is very friendly and professional. Despite his passion for making movies, he is also a loving family man. He backed out of his involvement on Justice League (his biggest passion project) to be there for his family after a great tragedy.
132	* ObscuredSpecialEffects: Another reason for his dark and gloomy color palettes outside of his AuthorAppeal is the fact that said palettes render the special effects much better. Case in point, the attempts to "brighten" ''Justice League'' after his departure resulted in loads of [[invoked]]SpecialEffectFailure, especially with the bright red sky in the climax.
133	* {{Overcrank}}: Perhaps the filmmaker who's the most associated with slow-motion. His (four-hours long) version of ''Justice League'' alone has ''twenty-four minutes'' worth of slow-motion. Hilariously enough, Zack has claimed to not actually like slow-motion all that much and believes that only a total of "one percent" of his collective filmography uses it, though he also conceded that someone doing analysis could probably claim it's actually "fifty percent".
134	* ParentalIssues: A CreatorThumbprint of his, where almost every film he's done has something to do with parents.
135	** ''Film/{{Dawn of the Dead\|2004}}'' has a survivor who is about to be a father. His devotion to his family [[spoiler:drives him insane as he's faced with his wife and his child's zombification]]. There's also another survivor whose daughter was a victim of the ZombieApocalypse.
136	** ''Film/ThreeHundred'' is about an entire ''society'' where the relationship between child and parent is complicated due to Sparta's goal of having a highly militaristic culture that is the most badass in all the world. At least three characters are shown to be [[WellDoneSonGuy "Well Done Son!" Guys]] who wish to impress their fathers or father figures.
137	** ''Film/SuckerPunch'': Baby Doll is a recently orphaned teenager who is adopted by an abusive and power-hungry uncle.
138	** ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'': Superman had a complicatedly strained relationship with his adoptive father Jonathan Kent, Batman's parents were shot dead ([[DeathByOriginStory duh]]), Wonder Woman feels restricted by her mother Hippolyta and grew unaware that her father is actually Zeus (king of the Gods of Olympus), Aquaman feels abandoned by his mother Atlanna, the Flash's father is in jail and discouraging his obsession with his mother's mysterious death, and Cyborg lost his mother and blames his father for his current condition (and ends up losing him too). Lex Luthor is also rather cross about his father's mistreatment of him.
139	* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Sexual predators in his films are invariably portrayed as loathsome and pathetic creeps who always get a swift and brutal comeuppance. Examples include pedophile Gerald Grice (who gets a meat cleaver bashed in his head by Rorschach), the abuser of Las Vegas zombie outbreak refugees Burt Cummings (who gets sacrificed by Lily "The Coyote" to the zombie horde and gets turned into one of them), a sex pest and a human trafficker (Superman wrecks the former's truck and Batman roughs up the latter before he's ultimately lynched in prison), and the Imperium soldiers (a normally pacifistic Jimmy shoots their leader).
140	* [[invoked]]RealSongThemeTune: He seems to love this (outside of his DCEU films).
141	** ''Film/{{Dawn of the Dead\|2004}}'' has Music/JohnnyCash's "The Man Comes Around".
142	** ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' used Music/BobDylan's 'Desolation Row' as the theme over the credits -- except that Music/MyChemicalRomance covered the rather folksy lyrics as a punk song, which worked surprisingly well. The very memorable title sequence had another Dylan song, though this time his original version -- "Music/TheTimesTheyAreAChangin".
143	** ''Film/SuckerPunch'' opens with a DarkReprise of Music/{{Eurythmics}}' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Creator/EmilyBrowning [[DoItYourselfThemeTune herself]].
144	** ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'''s opening has a reprise of Music/ElvisPresley's "Film/VivaLasVegas" by Music/RichardCheese and Allison Crowe.
145	* ReCut: A number of Snyder's movies had their theatrical cuts shortened, for various reasons.
146	** Happened to ''Dawn of the Dead'', ''Watchmen'', ''Sucker Punch'' and ''Batman v. Superman''. ''Sucker Punch'' has yet to have a "Director's Cut".
147	** ''Justice League'' got chopped up to pieces during the infamous TroubledProduction that followed his departure from the filming. A lot of footage was clearly missing amidst the Joss Whedon additions. Eventually, a fully Snyder Director's Cut of the film was released in 2021 on HBO Max.
148	* RewatchBonus: A number of his films, most notably ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', have elements and hidden messages that only become apparent on a second or third viewing. Or more.
149	* RuleOfSymbolism: He simply ''cannot'' make a movie without some sort of symbolism, one way or another. The parallels to UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} in his representation of Superman are textbook examples. Less obvious references for the non-initiated include the Literature/{{Mahabharata}}, of which he's a fan.
150	* SceneryPorn: Shown most prominent in ''300'', ''Legend of the Guardians'', ''Sucker Punch'', and his DC Extended Universe films.
151	* ShoutOut: Creator/JohnBoorman's ''Film/{{Excalibur}}'', with its striking dreamlike and painterly visuals, was one of the movies which inspired him to become a filmmaker. Thus, homages to Myth/KingArthur and Mordred's MutualKill have shown up in ''300'' and ''Batman v Superman''. There's also the excerpts from Music/RichardWagner's ''[[Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung Götterdämmerung]]'' in ''Army of the Dead'', which were also used in ''Excalibur''.
152	* ShowDontTell: A firm believer in this. His films have a huge emphasis on visual storytelling and crucial plot points, backstory and character motivations are often conveyed without dialogue. The opening credits sequence of ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' is especially praised for getting across decades of information in just a few minutes.
153	* SignatureStyle: Lots of slow motion, dark/gloomy color filters, visual references to works of art, focus on parenting and the positive and negative effects parents can have on children well into adulthood, heavy use of non-visual storytelling with crucial story elements often being conveyed without any dialogue, [[NiceGuy likable lead characters]], extensive use of narration, wide shots and comparatively long takes in action sequences, use of religious symbolism, unconventional casting choices and use of lesser known actors in major roles and lots of [[{{Fanservice}} shots of actors' impressive physiques]].
154	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Varies depending on the project.
155	** ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'', ''Film/ManOfSteel'', ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' (outside of the BadFuture) and maybe even ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' run more on the idealistic end of the scale.
156	** Similar to [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} its source material]], ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' is somewhere in the middle, as its various protagonists have differing conclusions to morality.
157	** ''Film/ThreeHundred'', ''[[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 Dawn of the Dead]]'', ''Film/SuckerPunch'' and ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'' are probably more on the cynical end.
158	* SlowMotionDrop: One of the undisputed kings of this trope, especially with [[SpentShellsShower ammunition cartridge cases]] or artillery shells flying, falling and bouncing on the ground.
159	* SpecialGuest: He appeared in the 365th episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', [[AsHimself voicing]] a [[AdamWesting cartoon version of himself]].
160	* TeasingCreator: He is a prominent user of the social media Vero, and he has shared numerous screenshots and behind-the-scenes photos of his version of ''Justice League'' on it for fans during the two years and a half prior to the announcement of its eventual release on Creator/HBOMax. That teasing was aimed at helping the campaign to get the film released, and needless to say, it succeeded.
161	* TechnicianVsPerformer: Snyder is a Performer through and through. A lot of criticism gear towards his work is often the lack of logic in some characters' actions, blocking, or cinematography ([[Film/SuckerPunch why did the light bulb get destroyed when Baby Doll's sister is the one who got shot?]] The extended cut answers this as she fires two shots, one of which hits the stepfather in the arm and ricochets off the pipe and the other hits the bulb). But it rears right back to people praising those same issues for being unique, remarkable, beautiful as well as effectively emotional.
162	* ThouShaltNotKill: The trope gets deconstructed or even outright averted in some of his works. Most famously, [[Film/ManOfSteel Superman]] and [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Batman]] are put in situations where they can't save innocents unless they kill a villain. Jimmy from ''Film/RebelMoon'' also took a vow of pacifism, which he was forced to break in order to protect his two friends from a barbaric general. Snyder has gone on record stating that to him it feels like these heroes are being handled with kid gloves if you don't put them in scenarios where they [[BatmanGrabsAGun have to choose between their convictions and the greater good]].
163	* UnreliableNarrator:
164	** ''300'': This movie based on the RealLife Battle of Thermopylae is rife with fantastical elements like giant wolves, goat men, and God-Kings. So naturally, the entire film is actually a story being told by a Spartan to pump up an army that is about to face off against a massive Persian enemy.
165	** ''Sucker Punch'': Three levels of reality being juggled by a traumatized girl as she is admitted to an asylum. Despite her status as the protagonist, the girl is not the narrator, who is actually a separate character that also may or may not be an actual real person.
166	** ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'': An InUniverse version where a testifying witness of Superman's supposed heat-vision-fueled rampage turns out to have been lying the whole time. It soon spreads a [[MaliciousSlander nasty spiral of distrust around Superman]], with devastating results.
167	* ViolenceIsDisturbing: While often done is a stylized way, his films generally don't hold back on showing the graphic effects of violence, be it physical harm to the body or general destruction.
168	* WalkingShirtlessScene: If the heroes of Snyder's films have {{Heroic Build}}s, their shirt's gotta come off at least once. Unless they're Spartans, which means they're shirtless ''all the time''.
169	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
170	** He almost directed ''[[Film/SWAT2003 S.W.A.T.]]''
171	** He was also set to directed ''Film/IAmLegend'' at one point, before it went to Creator/FrancisLawrence.

Context Creator / ZackSnyder