Things aren’t going so well for Zack Snyder. It was recently reported that Netflix had canceled the filmmaker’s animated series, Twilight of the Gods, which follows a mortal king and a shield-maiden who find themselves in a battle with fading gods. Earlier in the year, it was also reported that the streaming service had pulled the plug on the director’s Army of the Dead franchise due to the unsatisfactory performance of the previous films. On top of that, the future of Rebel Moon remains unclear, with the director himself stating that he is waiting to see what happens.
Snyder, who took the world by storm in the 2000s with the movies 300 and Watchmen, is still struggling to get back to the heights he set for himself. His post-2010s career has been a hit-and-miss affair, but his fans have remained mostly loyal, defending the director from all sorts of criticism. But despite the love, Snyder must be frustrated about the frequent gestation failures of his planned projects. He sure could benefit from some consistency like other popular auteurs.
Here are 5 notable canceled Zack Snyder movies.
5
‘300: Blood and Ashes’
Following 300‘s massive success, Zack Snyder was keen on doing a sequel. The filmmaker first wrote the script as a story about Xerxes’ origin, tracking his metamorphosis from a mortal Persian prince into a self-declared “god-king.” However, by 2020, Snyder had completely rewritten the script to be about a gay love story between Alexander the Great and his second-in-command, Hephaestion.
Warner Bros. reportedly rejected the script because it had wandered too far from the 300 franchise. However, Snyder figures the studio simply didn’t like him because of the Justice League fallout and the Snyder Cut saga. “They’re not huge fans of mine. It is what it is,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. In December 2023, Zack and his wife, Deborah Snyder, regained full rights to the script, allowing them to shop elsewhere. There have been no signs of another major studio picking it up, but it remains a possibility.
The world doesn’t need another installment of 300, but it needs a proper Alexander the Great movie. Such a legendary historical figure deserves an expertly crafted big-budget production, and Oliver Stone’s 2004 picture wasn’t good enough. Now is a great time to make such a picture, as Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 proved that there is still a strong appetite for sword and sandal tales. Will Snyder get an offer from another studio? We just have to wait and see.
4
‘The Fountainhead’
In 2018, it was announced that Zack Snyder was adapting The Fountainhead, a 1943 novel by Russian-born American author Ayn Rand. Like the book, the film would be about Howard Roark, an intransigent young architect who refuses to abide by conventional industry standards, resulting in clashes with higher figures that are unwilling to accept creativity.
Snyder was extremely enthusiastic about the project, telling Vanity Fair that the story hit closer to home because architecture’s uncompromising vision wasn’t too different from filmmaking. Sadly, despite having written a screenplay, he was forced to put the project on hold, arguing that the politically charged themes would make it controversial in the current climate. In 2024, he revealed that he had pitched it to Netflix as a series, but the streaming giant passed.
A major missed opportunity? Sure, it is. Not for any studios or streaming giants, but for Snyder himself. The Fountainhead would have presented the filmmaker with the perfect chance to prove that he was a true auteur, not just a CGI expert. Drama films either bring out the best or the worst in a director and actor, and given how extreme he tends to be, Snyder would have either ended up with an Oscar or a Razzie.
3
‘Wolverine’
Having ruled the ‘90s via animation, the X-Men had also proven to be a big deal in the 2000s via the Fox live-action films. As expected, Wolverine had once again emerged as the standout character, so the studio began making plans for a solo movie. Snyder was one of the directors approached, and he went on to pitch an R-rated film with an unknown plot. However, the project stalled and eventually shifted to other hands.
According to ScreenRant, two factors prevented a Zack Snyder Wolverine movie from happening: scheduling conflicts and studio fears. The filmmaker was in demand in the 2000s, so getting him wasn’t as easy as the studio would have wished. This wasn’t ideal, considering that Fox wanted the X-Men movies to come thick and fast. In addition to that, the studio was worried about the box office potential of an R-rated movie.
Today, it’s clear that the fears weren’t justified. James Mangold made an R-rated Wolverine movie (Logan) several years later, and it was extremely well-received, grossing $619 million. The big question remains whether Snyder would have made a perfect movie (script-wise). His recent superhero failures trigger more doubt than confidence, but considering that he was in his best form at the time, he likely would have come up with a decent thing.
2
‘Planet of the Dead’
In May 2021, Zack Snyder revealed that he and screenwriter Shay Hatten had developed a story for an Army of the Dead sequel film titled Planet of the Dead. The director explained that the plot would pick up from the events teased at the end of the previous film, with Omari Hardwick’s character, Vanderohe, becoming the new alpha zombie, and a major outbreak happening when he arrives in Mexico. The project was confirmed later in the year when Snyder signed a first-look deal with Netflix.
The franchise expansion was meant to stretch beyond this particular sequel. Snyder had also announced additional spin-off projects, including one revolving around Rolph. Interestingly, in August 2024, it was announced that all future projects in the franchise have been shelved.
No one who sheds tears for Planet of the Dead should be judged. Judging from all the reports, we would have been in for a groundbreaking zombie movie. Per Games Radar, there were plans for the sequel to feature a time loop. Add the great cinematography that’s always guaranteed for pictures set in Mexico, and the result would have been something magical. The first film was well-reviewed, proving that Snyder had a perfect understanding of the genre, so it’s a shame he wasn’t allowed to continue.
Heavy Metal — a five-part animated anthology — was a hit in the ‘80s, and in 2000, a sequel was released. Plans were then made for a third film with segments directed by Guillermo del Toro, David Fincher, James Cameron, Gore Verbinski, and Zack Snyder.
A Collider report from 2010 states that the new film was meant to be a 3D reboot. This made more sense than a direct follow-up since the second installment had been panned by critics, only managing an 8% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Something drastic needed to be done for such a beloved franchise, and so the big guns were brought in. Snyder would later deliver a major blow, stating that most of the players involved weren’t really interested in pushing forward.
Plenty of great anthology movies exist, yet they remain unknown to the casual moviegoer. Wild Tales is a great example of a movie everyone needs to see, yet not many people have. One can thus understand the hesitation by studios to make such films. Still, a Heavy Metal reboot featuring all of these big names would have been fun. Hopefully, it gets revived someday.
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