James Gunnis the latest filmmaker to take on Superman after Zack Snyder’s version, but the two filmmakers collaborated long before their respective days in the DC Universe. Just like Gunn is doing now with the beginning of the DCU, Snyder was instrumental in helping shape the earlier take on the cinematic universe withthe now-defunct Snyderverse.
Gunn has nowlaunched his DCU with the release ofSuperman, the first solo Superman movie since Snyder’sMan of Steel. While some fans have sought to put these two filmmakers against each other with theirtonally different takes on Superman, the two are actually quite friendly, going back to their early collaboration on another remake.
The Horror Remake Leaves Netflix At The End Of July
Dawn of the Deadwas the horror remake of theclassic George A. Romero zombie moviereleased in 2004. The remake was directed by Zack Snyder and written by James Gunn, and helped launch both of their respective careers. Now, fans have a limited time to catch it asJuly 31 marks the last dayDawn of the Deadis on Netflix.
Though there was controversy over remaking such a beloved horror movie,Dawn of the Deadended up being a big hit in 2004. It received strong reviews from critics, scoring 77% onRotten Tomatoes. It also became a box office hit, earning over $100 million at the box office on a budget of $26 million (viaBox Office Mojo).
The movie served as the directorial debut for Snyder, allowing him to go on to helm300andWatchmensoon after. Along with writing theScooby-Doomovies, the success ofDawn of the Deadalso helped pull Gunn out of the low-budget B-movie world and become a filmmaker in his own right.
Netflix users should take the opportunity to check outDawn of the Deadwhile they still can, as it remakes a terrific horror thrill ride more than 20 years later. While it was probably impossible to ever match the original,Dawn of the Deadmanages to be faithful to George A. Romero’s version while still being fresh enough on its own.
While we might not have known who they were at the time, the movie features their filmmaking voices working in unison.
It is a lot of fun seeing the ways in which Romero’s vision has been updated for modern times. Coming offthe acclaim for28 Days Later, Dawn of the Deaduses similar fast zombies to increase the terror. There is also plenty of gore, as was typical in horror movies of the 2000s.
Dawn of the Deadis especially fun to look back on as a perfect collaboration between Zack Snyder and James Gunn. While we might not have known who they were at the time, the movie features their filmmaking voices working in unison. Snyder makes a stylish and confident debut while Gunn infuses quirky humor into the brutal violence.
Seeing where these filmmakers went in their careers makes it all the more exciting to look back on this early work. It also makes us hopeful that Snyder and Gunn could work together again sometime in the future.
