Snyder Cut producer ‘cannot wait’ to see Superman revamp: ‘Representation is important’

There’s a new Superman reboot flying into Hollywood, one produced by super-producer J.J. Abrams and written by acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates. The project quickly fired up excitement over reports that it may finally feature the big-screen debut of a Black Superman, and now it’s got another big champion in its corner — someone who knows a thing or two about working in the DC extended universe: Deborah Snyder, producer of the newly released Zack Snyder’s Justice League, out on HBO Max.

Speaking with SYFY WIRE, Snyder says she’s eagerly anticipating what the creative team might have in store for the Man of Steel.

“I think it's really interesting. I cannot wait to see what they're cooking up,” she tells us. “We are big fans of J.J.'s, so I always like to see what he's doing.”

Snyder is familiar with taking on an iconic character and franchise: With husband Zack Snyder, they rebooted Superman back in 2013 for Man of Steel, with Zack at the helm as director and Henry Cavill donning Superman’s cape. Cavill’s version of the character would go on to headline three other films: 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2017’s Justice League, and the new HBO Max Justice League release, more popularly dubbed the “Snyder Cut,” which completely restores Zack’s original vision for the film before he initially exited the project.

Although details remain scant about Coates and Abrams’ redux of Superman, fans are abuzz over the prospect that the film may tell a story through the lens of the Black experience. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, the film “is being set up as a Black Superman story.”

It’s a prospect that Snyder says is essential to the kinds of stories that need to be told within the DC Universe. 

“I think that's amazing,” she explains. "I think what's great about the DCU is that there also are amazing Black characters, like Cyborg, and I think we need to be telling more of these stories. Representation is important, and always has been for us. So, I think it's about time. Listen, I love Henry [Cavill], but I think there's other stories to be told as well.”

In what’s been welcome news for fans, Cyborg’s storyline (the character is played by Ray Fisher) has been amply expanded in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, providing a rich backstory and emotional narrative arc to the famed DC superhero. Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which plays out as a four-hour movie split into six chapters, is streaming now on HBO Max.

No word yet on when the new Superman reboot is expected to hit screens.