It’s perhaps one of the oddest (fan-fabricated) rivalries in cinema. For a few years now,\u00a0fans have pitted James Gunn and Zack Snyder against one another. The latter\u00a0famously kickstarted the DCEU in 2013 with Man of Steel, and was meant to oversee the franchise. After Batman v Superman’s poor reception, things went downhill. Aside from a few hits here and there, the universe never quite found its footing. Ultimately, Snyder stepped away from the property, but got to come back to complete his cut of the 2017’s\u00a0Justice League.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His fans were ardent on social media, and following the project’s\u00a0HBO Max release, they clamored for the director to be allowed to finish his vision for\u00a0the DC Universe. That, of course, didn’t happen, and the keys to the DC kingdom were instead given to James Gunn and Peter Safran. Since Gunn’s hiring, Snyder fans have perceived the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer as the “enemy;” the one who blocked Snyder from completing his ambitious take on WBD’s beloved superheroes.\u00a0What is usually forgotten, though, is that the two are actually pretty good friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their relationship dates back to\u00a0their time working together on Dawn of the Dead, the remake of George Romero’s\u00a0eponymous zombie classic, written by Gunn and directed by Snyder. Now, the two filmmakers have come together on Instagram to share a tribute to their memorable collaboration. Zack Snyder (in a post shared with Gunn) posted two behind-the-scenes pictures<\/a> from set, one showing him carrying a baby, and the other one with a tied up individual in a bed. The director captioned the post with: “Proud father moment on Dawn of the Dead (2004) \u2014 written by the one and only [James Gunn]. What a fun time!!”<\/p>\n Note: The post is marked as “Sensitive content,” which means it likely won’t be visible on the embed below. However, it can still be accessed through the link provided above.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gunn also responded to the post in the comments, writing: “Amazing times.”<\/p>\n This isn’t the first time the two have shared their friendship on social media. In February 2025, James Gunn posted a picture<\/a> of himself alongside Snyder, with the caption: “Always a pleasure catching up with my friend Zack Snyder, consummate filmmaker (and a doubly consummate storyteller!)”\u00a0As was to be expected, the image sparked surprise and speculation online. “Could Snyder join the DCU in some capacity?” Ultimately, the post was just… well, a post. Nevertheless, both filmmakers were aware of the effect it\u00a0would have on their respective fandoms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking at a DC Studios press event that same month (via ScreenRant<\/a>), James Gunn stated that the picture came about when both him and Snyder were simply “hanging out.” That sparked the idea in their head to post the image, knowing full well the reaction it would elicit:\u00a0“I was just talking to Zack as a friend, so we were just hanging out and then we’re like, ‘Let’s take a picture together.’ We knew full well what we were doing…\u00a0We thought it was funny. He thought it was funny, I thought it was funny. And that’s it.”<\/p>\n So, there you have it. If it hadn’t been\u00a0clear enough\u00a0before, hopefully this newest post will clear\u00a0it up once and for all: James Gunn and Zack Snyder are friends. There is no rivalry, and they cherish the time they spent collaborating on arguably one of the most beloved horror remakes so far.\u00a0<\/p>\n James Gunn’s next film, Man of Tomorrow, lands in theaters on July 9, 2027. While undated, Zack Snyder’s passion project<\/a>, The Last Photograph film, wrapped principal photography<\/a> in November 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n What did you think about this latest post from Zack Snyder and James Gunn? What’s your favorite film from either\u00a0filmmaker? Let me know in the comments!<\/p>\n
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