Zack Snyder is often regarded as one of the most polarizing directors of contemporary cinema; moviegoers either love its unique tone or absolutely abhor it. The creative mind started out as a successful music video director before starting his Hollywood film career with the 2004 remake of George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, and has been a constant cultural force for nearly two decades. His name is synonymous with the various comic book related films he has made, mostly with mixed results. Known for his visionary and thought-provoking style and spectacular presentation, Snyder draws audiences from all over the world despite conflicting opinions.
Famous (or maybe infamous) for his DC movies like Man of Steel and Justice League, Snyder has tackled a host of other movie topics, from Spartan warriors to zombie heists and even an animated tale of guardian angels. One of his many upcoming projects is Rebel Moon, which tells the story of a young woman who must seek the help of warriors from other planets to fight tyrannical armies. The director also recently spawned a zombie franchise from his movie Army of the Deadof Planet of the Dead and the animated series Lost Vegas both in the making. He may be polarizing, but Snyder has established a brand and flair that is clearly his and his alone. Love him or hate him, the director is here to stay. Let’s take a closer look at every Zack Snyder movie so far, ranked.
Updated September 30, 2022: If you love Zack Snyder movies, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated this article with additional content and information.
9/9 Suction Cup (2011)
Fantasy action movie from 2011 sucker punch follows a young girl who is admitted to a mental institution and retreats to an alternate reality to cope while possibly devising an escape plan. This was Snyder’s first project based on an original concept and is described by the director as “Alice in Wonderland with machine guns.” Emily Browning stars as Babydoll, and the film features a female supporting cast, including Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, and Vanessa Hudgens. While the film received largely negative reviews from critics, Snyder did receive some praise for its fantasy sequences and visual effects. From the action film’s lack of success, both with audiences and at the box office, Snyder once commented“I’m always shocked that it was so misunderstood. I always said it was a commentary on sexism and geek culture.”
8/9 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
DC Comics’ most iconic superheroes Batman and Superman battle each other on the silver screen with Snyder’s 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Ben Affleck takes on the role of the brooding and tired Bruce Wayne, while Henry Cavill returns as America’s beloved hero Superman. With an A-list ensemble cast like Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg and Diane Lane, the film should have been a slam dunk to moviegoers and critics alike. But on his release Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received unfavorable reviews despite making a profit at the box office. Criticism was directed at the film’s long running time and overall tone and the attempt to pave the way for Justice League was clumsy and less than effective. Despite such negative response, the film was nominated for numerous awards such as Saturn, Jupiter and Golden Trailer Awards.
7/9 Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010)
Snyder took a detour from live action movies and took over directing for the 2010 animated fantasy Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. When a young owl is kidnapped by the evil owl army, the Pure Ones, he and his friends must find a way to escape by enlisting the help of the legendary guards. With a voice cast including Jim Sturgess, Helen Mirren, and Geoffrey Rush, the film was a box office success, earning praise for its voice acting, tone, and visual effects, but was perhaps too childish to be truly great.
6/9 Justice League (2017)
The sequel to 2017 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DCs Justice League follows Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman as they recruit Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg to save the world from Steppenwolf and his violent army of Parademons. With Jason Mamoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher as newcomers to the DC universe, the film once again served as a springboard for future spin-offs. Even with an impressive cast and charming performances, Snyder’s creation was a blockbuster and again criticized for its pace, plot, and heavy use of CGI, but it’s impossible to fault Snyder for this. Justice League was a difficult time for the director, who had to step down to cope with the loss of his daughter, forcing Joss to finish Whedon. Snyder’s vision was ambitious and admirable, even if it ended up being a swing and a miss with fans, though his re-edited “Snyder Cut” has found some fans despite being four hours long.
5/9 Army of the Dead (2021)
Snyder’s Latest Directing Venture Is the 2021 Netflix Zombie Heist Movie Army of the Dead, starring an ensemble cast consisting of such talent as Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick and Tig Notaro. The streaming platform’s extravaganza revolves around a group of mercenaries who plan a Las Vegas casino heist during a zombie apocalypse. Army of the Dead was praised for its humor and was watched in 74 million households in its first 28 days on Netflix. The zombie action movie started a franchise with the spin-off prequel Army of Thieves released the same year and with an anime style series Lost Vegas in the works. A direct sequel, planet of the dead, is currently being developed.
4/9 300 (2006)
Historical action film from 2007 300 epic depicts King Leonidas as he leads 300 fellow Spartans in battle against the Persian “God-King” Xerxes and his 300,000 soldiers. Based on the 1998 comic book series by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, the film is a fictional retelling of the battle of Thermopylae in the Persian Wars. The historical fantasy takes advantage of Gerard Butler’s talent as Leonidas, as well as Lena Headey, Dominic West, Rodrigo Santoro, and more. Despite receiving baloney for his representation of Persians, 300 was praised for its strong performances, visuals and overall stylistic innovation. Butler’s portrayal helped him gain worldwide recognition and is considered his breakthrough role. The film earned a whopping $456.1 million at the box office and was billed by the Chicago Sun-Times as “the Citizen Kane of cinematic graphic novels.”
3/9 Watchmen (2009)
Based on DC Comics’ limited series of the same name, the 2009 superhero film guards Set in 1985, in an alternate history where former American superheroes investigate the murder of one of their own superheroes during the Cold War. Upon its release, the film received polarized reviews from fans and critics alike. Snyder’s style was praised, but the film’s lack of humor and often convoluted plot was criticized. Famed critic Roger Ebert gave the film a glowing review, saying, “It’s a compelling visceral film — sound, visuals, and characters combined into a decidedly odd visual experience that evokes the feel of a graphic novel.”
2/9 Man of Steel (2013)
The first episode of the DC Extended Universe, 2013 Man of Steel introduces Henry Cavill as Superman and is a reboot of the previous film series. The premise follows Clark Kent as he discovers his alien superpowers and takes on the role of the ultimate protector of humanity. Snyder’s Man of Steel was a theatrical success and, like most of the director’s previous films, received mixed reactions. Critics applauded the action sequences and stunning visuals, but once again questioned the pace and lack of character development. Nevertheless, Snyder’s superhero film received an A audience rating from CinemaScore and his attention to detail, occasional visual poetry and fresh take on the iconic superhero was appreciated.
1/9 Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Arguably Snyder’s most acclaimed and admired project to date is his 2004 feature film debut. Dawn of the Dead. A surprisingly good remake of the beloved 1978 George A. Romero classic, the film is set in an upscale Milwaukee mall where a group of lone survivors have taken refuge during a zombie apocalypse. Snyder wanted to create a reimagining rather than a remake to avoid direct comparison to Romero, although such observations would always be made. He wanted to make his version pure horror and “as serious as a heart attack.” The director’s remake was a hit with moviegoers and critics alike, earning $102.3 million on a $26 million budget. Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead was praised for his acting, production values and overall angst and has a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, his best director to date. It was hailed as a breakthrough in zombie movies and is understandably regarded as Synder’s first and best film.