James Gunn Wrote One of Zack Snyder’s Best Films Over 20 Years Ago

Remember when the hype about upcoming movies was fun? There was no social media, the internet was based on insider websites run by passionate fans, and all the rest could do was just… wait. Once the film was released, fans flocked to theaters, gave their opinions, and then moved on. It was simple. In those days, concepts like “film Twitter” and superhero movements such as the Snyderverse didn’t exist.

Today, film discourse is making me think of staying away from social media for a few weeks. Starting a few days ago, X (Twitter) was flooded with comments about James Gunn‘s Superman. On one side stood those who enjoyed the film, and their comments included phrases like “cinematic event of the decade” or “the movie that changed my life.” On the other side stood those who couldn’t stand the existence of something different from the Snyderverse and its cast and creators.

From violently deriding the new Superman to saying that the high Rotten Tomatoes score is the product of Warner Bros. paying critics or well-programmed bots, the war on social media has been wild. Their targets include David Corenswet as the new Man of Steel, Gunn’s less serious tone for the story, and the director himself, whose previous record in the superhero field speaks for itself.

What’s even more outrageous about the whole discourse is that this legion of fanatics is accusing Gunn of having poor screenwriting skills, something quite ironic given Gunn’s extensive career as a screenwriter before debuting as a director. While the two Scooby-Doo movies are not the best examples of great scripts, Snyder Bros seem to be ignoring the fact that the filmmaker they’re accusing of ruining the most iconic superhero of all time was the writer of Zack Snyder‘s film debut, the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead.

‘Dawn of the Dead’ Is Zack Snyder’s Remake of the Zombie Classic

James Gunn Wrote the ‘Dawn of the Dead’ Screenplay

2004’s Dawn of the Dead is a remake of the classic by George A. Romero. It follows a group of survivors during a zombie apocalypse who find a shopping mall to be a potential haven. As they lock themselves up, they realize that the inside may be as dangerous as the living dead. The film stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Michael Kelly, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, and Kevin Zegers, among others. It is officially Zack Snyder’s Hollywood debut and reflects Gunn’s love for the horror genre, especially Romero’s seminal zombie film.

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Many would have thought that Dawn of the Dead didn’t do much outside the horror community, but they would be wrong. The film is widely regarded as Snyder’s best movie. In fact, since Rotten Tomatoes has been a topic of conversation following the release of Superman, Dawn of the Dead is the highest-rated film by Zack Snyder, with an audience and critics’ score of 77%.

The War Between Gunn and Snyder Fans

The Snyderverse Army Strikes Again

Warner Bros.

Maybe it’s a “boomer” take, but movies used to be sources of sheer entertainment. They were not the root of conflict, and obnoxious discourse led by toxic fanbases that feel like they own the movie or TV show they’re so passionate about. This isn’t exclusive to fans of the Snyderverse. This hot take is also aimed at those who feel like a certain position, passion, or “celebrity” status allows them to engage in the most outrageous forms of gatekeeping or denigration. If you are a die-hard Superman fan, this shouldn’t give you the power to insult others who don’t like any of the adaptations.

Perhaps it’s best to wait to see Superman. It’s an exciting new start for DC, but the accompanying social media war is hard to ignore. These days, it seems that if you don’t like a movie, people will accuse you of not knowing enough about it. If you like it, people assume you hate the opposite side. Can’t we go to the movies, eat popcorn, and enjoy the film?

Being a cinephile is not about knowing more about how a movie was made, having seen the most films, or even understanding the lore behind the latest blockbuster. It’s about loving movies and accepting that fans will enjoy different things, and toxic arguments after a major release sap the joy out of watching movies. Dawn of the Dead is streaming on Netflix.

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