Zack Snyder Confirmed As Director Of 'Justice League'

The intense rivalry between funny-book juggernauts DC Comics and Marvel Comics is about to heat up further, with the official announcement of Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) as the director for DC's long-rumoured Justice League film.

Currently hard at work on making fanboy wet dreams come to life with his eagerly awaited sequel to Man of Steel, tentatively titled Superman vs Batman*, Snyder was always going to be a shoe-in for the Justice League director's chair, with early online commentary long speculating that Superman vs Batman itself would essentially serve as a backdoor introduction to the larger League.

However, speculation soon turned to opinionated debate (what else?) in the wake of this morning's statement from Warner Bros.' president of worldwide production, Greg Silverman.

““It will be a further expansion of this universe,” Silverman told The Wall Street Journal. “Superman vs Batman will lead into Justice League.”

The Hollywood Reporter has apparently confirmed the films will shoot back-to-back, estimating a 2017 release date for Justice League, which would fit with Superman vs Batman's tipped 2016 release.

Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot are expected to star as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in both films, and with former Teen Titan Cyborg receiving a notable push to the big time both in print and in DC's line of original animated movies, it stands to reason that he'll be almost a certainty among the core team, helping Wonder Woman bring a little bit of much-needed “not a white guy” diversity to the ranks of DC's flagship team.

Now, all they need to do is cast Idris Elba as Green Lantern John Stewart, and things will be looking up, up and away.

*NOTE: Even the tentative title of the film is causing headaches. Historically, the film has been cited as Batman vs. Superman, based on… well, nothing, really. Superman vs. Batman, however, with the ordering as phrased by WB's Greg Silverman, does at least have precedent in the comic series Superman/Batman, as well as its animated film adaptations.