It's safe to say that Zack Snyder's dark, gloomy approach to Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice were not everyone's cup of tea. It bled over to Suicide Squad which critics and fans were mostly split on, but it was clear that everyone was ready for the lighter tone that Wonder Woman offered. With some extensive and expensive reshoots taking place on Justice League now, under the guidance of Joss Whedon who took over for a grieving Snyder, it has led to a palpable change in perception. Fans are excited about the movie again, and for obvious reasons Warner Bros. wants to keep it that way.
According to Mashable, Whedon is going to be "a major part" of DC Films going forward, and presumably that means a lot more than just his Batgirl movie. Meanwhile, Zack Snyder and his wife Deborah will be moving to the background, taking less of a creative role as the franchise grows. They'll still get producing credits on Justice League, while Zack will at least get a co-credit mention. They may retain exec-producer credits on other projects, too, but that isn't clear right now.
Warner Bros. denies the claim, stating the Snyders "remain an important part of the Warner Bros. family and are actively involved in several upcoming DC pictures". To me that sounds like corporate speak for "Yeah, they'll be around but not really."
It's also been suggested that Suicide Squad director David Ayer may not be coming back, too. Gotham City Sirens was noticeably absent during Warner Bros.' Hall H panel at Comic-Con when they listed the upcoming roster of films. Then again so was Man of Steel 2 and Cyborg, which we've heard are in the works. So it could mean nothing.
While I continue to think Snyder's talent can be useful to DC Films, it's hard to argue with putting the ball in Whedon's court. This is the guy who shepherded the Marvel Cinematic Universe through two highly successful Avengers movies, and he's got all of the fanboy cred any director could ever need. Pair him up with Matt Reeves, James Wan, and Patty Jenkins, and the future already looks like a very different, much brighter, place for the DC Universe.
