Content warning: this story discusses mental health and suicide.
Zack Snyder’s daughter died by suicide during the making of Justice League, with Joss Whedon coming in to finish the film as Snyder stepped away to be with his family. The director has now discussed the tragedy further, saying he’s proud of his fans who he says helped raise more than $1 million for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the wake of his daughter’s death.
Appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Snyder said the people who call his fans “toxic” should also consider that some also helped save lives with their donations to a mental health charity and for raising awareness for mental health in general. Snyder himself has called some of his fans toxic for their behavior regarding Justice League and fandom in general. He received death threats, for example, and he said he doesn’t condone bad behavior like that, but noted that some fans used their passion to help raise money and awareness to mental health.
“In the case of Justice League, they lined up. They said, ‘There’s a movie out there that we want to see.’ And it’s around a struggle that we had as a family. All of it came together. People are like, ‘The fandom is toxic.’ ‘They were so angry to get the cut.’ Also, people’s lives were saved by the money that those kids raised. Literal lives. Real, tangible lives were saved by that money that those kids that you say were ‘toxic fans,'” he said. “They’re also responsible for the saving of lives. You have to acknowledge it. If you don’t, the legacy they were able to create is dismissed. I won’t. I can’t.”
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention CEO Robert Gebbia previously talked about how the “Release the Snyder Cut” campaign “created a true community of support and their encouraging messages of hope will go a long way toward helping others know they are not alone.” Gebbia added: “We are honored to be part of this movement and are grateful for all they are doing to save lives.”
Despite the money raised, there are numerous reasons why toxic fandom is often brought up in regards to the Snyder Cut. The “Release the Snyder Cut” campaign led to harassment and vitriol on social media aimed at critics and workers at Warner Bros., including former DC Film boss Geoff Johns. The campaign also targeted entertainment journalists who covered the news of the fan campaign to release the Snyder Cut.
Snyder went on to say that he sees his films as being “markers of time” and events, including the death of his daughter.
“I lost my daughter to suicide. I left the movie famously. The thing that I come back to when I look at the movies is that movies are really these markers of time, even though they sort of transcend time, weirdly. They exist beyond the time they were recorded,” he said. “The thing you hope is that in the end, the markers meant something to people.
“Mental health has been a big thing for my wife and I since losing my daughter. We’ve always tried the best we can–but the fans have raised over a million dollars to support AFSP. It’s been cool that movies, these moments, have now in retrospect have a purpose,” he added. “That the fans have gotten this opportunity to join with us and be with us. It’s a huge stigma. Nobody wants to talk about that they’re having trouble. That they’re not OK.”
Snyder said said he’s being more intentional lately to remind people that discussing their mental health struggles can be a good thing to do.
“What we’ve been trying to do lately, as much as we can, is say no, it’s good. It’s OK. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s nothing. It’s real. It’s 100% part of being human. It’s an easy thing to say, ‘Oh, it’s just stress, I’m good, I’m not depressed. I’m fine.’ And it’s an easy thing to just try to muscle through,” he said. “It’s my hope as a family that movies, and our connection to the fans and that cause has been really deep.”
Snyder also shared a story of his own mental health struggles when he was making 2009’s Watchmen.
“What I was going through, on that day, when we filmed it–what I was struggling with, what I was trying to deal with. That’s real. That’s hard stuff. That was just life being lumpy for us. Trying to make a movie. Living in Canada. Being away from the kids. All that struggle,” he said.
If you’re struggling with mental health, you can called the 988 Lifeline to receive 24/7 support on a free and confidential basis. More crisis resources are available here.
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