The DC Universe Movie That Makes The Most Sense For Zack Snyder To Direct

People who keep tabs on various DC movie adaptations have probably seen that viral photo of James Gunn and Zack Snyder, aka the current architect of the new DC Universe and the old DC Extended Universe mastermind, respectively. It’s easy to start wondering why this meeting happened. Was Gunn picking Snyder’s brain for some intel on his visions for the DCEU (R.I.P.) and what, exactly, he feels went wrong? Did the two simply want to talk about the industry in more general terms? Or merely reminisce about “Dawn of the Dead” (2004), which Snyder directed and Gunn penned? Gunn’s post on X, previously known as Twitter, certainly kept things vague enough to warrant speculation:

Always a pleasure catching up with my friend @ZackSnyder, consummate filmmaker (and a doubly consummate storyteller!) pic.twitter.com/kkl1qZtNup

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 20, 2025

In reality, this was simply the two filmmakers trolling fans a little. During a special DC presentation attended by /Film’s Bill Bria on February 21, 2025, Gunn revealed that the photo was simply a fun byproduct of him and Snyder catching up socially:

“I was just talking to Zack as a friend. We were just hanging out and then we were like, ‘Let’s take a picture together.’ We knew full well what we were doing [laughs].”

But what if we assume that this statement from Gunn is actually careful misdirection, and the two were talking DCU shop after all? Which project could Snyder theoretically helm in Gunn’s new, far more brightly-hued take on the DC Comics mythos? As it happens, there is a very particular DCU movie in development that would fit Snyder’s grimdark-leaning filmmaking sensibilities to a tee. That project is none other than “The Authority,” and in many ways, Snyder would be a frighteningly good fit as its director.

Even without a shred of solid evidence save for one selfie that James Gunn explicitly stated was taken in jest, it makes a surprising amount of sense to start wondering if Zack Snyder might be the right man to handle course correction on “The Authority.” For one, it does need correcting. As Gunn stated in the February 21 presentation, “The Authority” has encountered some surprising turbulence:

“‘[‘The Authority’ has] been the one that’s been the hardest. Both because of the shifting overall story and because of getting it right in a world with ‘The Boys.’ And a world with all the things that ‘The Authority’ influenced that came out after it. And also having a lot of characters that we’ve fallen in love with, that we’ve already filmed and have that we want to continue their stories and see them meet each other. And so I will admittedly say it’s a little bit more on the back burner right now. Sorry to you.”

Gunn name-dropping “The Boys” is apt. In the comics, the Authority is a somewhat dysfunctional team that actively lords over the non-powered world, which obviously bears similarities to the Prime Video show’s primary supergroup, the inept but dangerous Seven (even though the Authority is more powerful and considerably more altruistic). What’s more, their vibe is usually fairly dark, and their villains tend to be planetary-scale threats or invincible deviants. Read that sentence after watching the colorful trailer for Gunn’s DC Universe movie “Superman” (2025) and you can see why those characters might have difficulty fitting in. However, read it after watching “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” and it’s a whole different story.

Zack Snyder’s very particular, very recognizable movie-making style brought Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ borderline unfilmable “Watchmen” to the big screen in 2009, and his DCEU super-team work is well documented. As such, his distinctive aesthetics and deep pool of experience might be just the ticket to bring “The Authority” to life in a way that gives the super-team a recognizable identity that doesn’t make you half expect Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) from “The Boys” to turn up and start slinging insults at them. Apart from bringing his recognizable filmmaking identity to the table, Snyder would also likely benefit from James Gunn — whose storyteller sensibilities should no doubt complement Snyder’s approach — and his DC Studios co-head Peter Safran supervising the project.

Along with being the potential solution to Gunn’s “The Authority” puzzle, Snyder could become a rare unifying force among the notoriously vocal and acrimonious world of DC movie fandom. He’s still held in high regard by a large contingent of fans who miss the dark-hued DCEU days, so news of Snyder’s return in the DC movie business would no doubt be of the internet-breaking variety — and Gunn and Safran would likely want to play it as close to the chest as possible while things are being hashed out.

Again, none of this is to say that Snyder is actually in talks to helm “The Authority” or any other DCU venture. Still, even though we may very well never see his take on this particular group, it’s worth remembering that “The Authority” is Gunn’s passion project in the new DC Universe … and recruiting Snyder’s steady hand to steer the ship would make all sorts of sense.