Zack Snyder may have launched the DCEU, but he was never going to direct every single installment. Even though his association with Warner Bros. is at an end, his involvement in the development and creation of the shared universe means that he was still credited as an executive producer on recent releases Wonder Woman 1984 and The Suicide Squad.
The same applies to Netflix’s Army of the Dead franchise, with the apocalyptic series expanding already with the release of prequel spinoff Army of Thieves, five months after Snyder’s wildly popular opening salvo. The filmmaker co-wrote the story with Shay Hatten and produces through his Stone Quarry banner, but he handed the directorial reins over to leading man to Matthias Schweighöfer.
In a new interview with CinemaBlend, Snyder explains why he decided Schweighöfer was the ideal candidate to step behind the camera and continue expanding the zombie mythology.
“Well, you know what it was, for me, just seeing him every day, doing the work and being amazing on set, really just kind of crushing. Not only that part, but also the work ethic and being funny. We were a big ensemble cast, and he was always the first one there, knew his lines, knew everything. Like really listening to the blocking and everything. And I was just like, ‘This guy is working hard. He knows what’s up.’ It just made sense to me to say, ‘Okay, you know this character better than anyone. You should run this show’.”
The other and more obvious reason is that Snyder was simply too busy. He’s already developing Army sequel Planet of the Dead and prepping sci-fi blockbuster Rebel Moon, as well as overseeing companion series Lost Vegas and the Norse-inspired anime Twilight of the Gods. There was little chance he’d end up directing Army of Thieves given his jam-packed slate, but Schweighöfer looks to have been a more than acceptable substitute.
