After Zack Snyder’s Netflix hit, Army of the Dead, here are the stories and myths Snyder needs to adapt next. These stories will have to wait until Snyder is finished with the current projects on his slate, which include the Army of the Dead animated series spinoff, the sci-fi movie Rebel Moon, a retelling of the King Arthur myth set in the Old West, and a potential adaptation of Ayn Rand’s 1943 novel, The Fountainhead. Rand’s novel will be a bit of a digression from Snyder’s usual bombastic stories. Moreover, it will only be the second book he has adapted following Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole in 2010.
Interestingly, Army of the Dead is one of the few Zack Snyder films that is not based on some sort of pre-existing IP. Instead, it is based solely on a story conceived by Snyder. This would be easy to overlook, considering it looks and feels exactly like the sort of story Snyder has crafted his reputation around. In fact, comic books and graphic novels have served as the source of inspiration for the majority of his films. The remainder of his filmography includes his remake of Dawn of the Dead and multiple DC comic book adaptations. Even the film the arguably truly launched his career, 300, is an adaptation of a graphic novel. All things considered, Zack Snyder’s filmography is relatively short, and he’s managed to establish a career around his highly stylized and unique brand of filmmaking.
It’s this highly stylized filmmaking that makes Snyder the ideal candidate to adapt graphic novel-based properties. He has an amazing ability to create moments within his films that feel as if comic book panels are coming to life on screen. These scenes are the result of Snyder’s work with slow motion, framing, and the ability to direct epic action sequences. With this distinct style in mind, there are several stories ripe for Snyder to turn into his next big blockbuster. While many comic book stories deserve their moment on the big screen, there are also those which seem uniquely suited for Snyder’s gritty hyper-realistic approach.
Wanted
Some may recall the 2008 film, Wanted, which starred Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. Though it was based on Mark Millar’s comic, it, unfortunately, strayed far from its source material. The film did maintain the core concept of the comic, but failed to capture the scale of the series. The original miniseries by Millar was about a nobody who learns he is the heir to a supervillain society that secretly rules the world. The protagonist trains as a costumed assassin and takes his place as a feared supervillain, choosing to a somebody rather than a nobody. Some have considered Wanted to be a retrospective on villains in the comic book genre, in the same way Watchmen reflected on what it meant to be a hero. Therefore, it would make a perfect bookend to Snyder’s Watchmen adaptation.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The second comic book series that deserves a Zack Snyder adaptation is Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Though a film of the same name starring Sean Connery was released in 2003, the loosely adapted film failed to capitalize on Moore’s popular work. It currently sits with a measly 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. For those unfamiliar with the story, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen features a secret task force of famous literary characters, including Captain Nemo, the Invisible Man, Allan Quartermain, Mina Harker, and Dr. Jekyll. Together they must save London from Moriarty, the famous Sherlock Holmes villain. It would be perfect for Snyder as it’s essentially a literary version of Justice League. It’s not hard to imagine Snyder crafting an epic trilogy and diving into the rich backstory of the various characters.
The Titanomachy
The Titanomachy represents a vital part of Greek mythology and yet many may be unfamiliar with the legendary event. This Greek myth tells the story of the ancient war between the Titans, the old gods, and the Olympians led by Zeus. It was during this 10-year war that Zeus received his famous thunderbolts and overthrew his Titan father Cronus with the help of his siblings. Though many Greek myths have been adapted, this remains a relatively untouched source of inspiration. Moreover, Snyder has a history of using Greek mythology and history, as represented in his innovative adaptation of 300 and the use of the gods in Justice League, which features several gods facing off against a young Darkseid. Just imagine an entire film based on sequences like that epic battle.
The Story of Theseus
With Zack Snyder’s affection for Greek mythology clear, the story of Theseus is another myth that needs a Snyder adaptation. Similar in some ways to the story of Hercules, it tells the tale of Theseus, the son of Poseidon, and his attempt to claim his right as heir to the throne of Athens. Along his way, Theseus is confronted by great obstacles and must defeat the legendary Minotaur in his labyrinth. Comparable to previous films like Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans, which featured the demi-god Perseus, Theseus’ story would have all the makings of blockbuster action-adventure. Snyder is perfectly suited for an adaptation of this scale. Additionally, it would allow him to play with the themes of identity, loss, and perseverance, which frequently appear in his movies.
Neverwhere
Written by Neil Gaiman in 1996, the Neverwhere novelization expanded the scope of Gaiman’s story, which aired as a mini-series on BBC. It follows protagonist Richard Mayhew, who finds himself accidentally falling into the dark, magical realm of London Below after helping an injured girl, named Door. Once in this parallel world, Richard must find his way home as he defends Door from assassins who wish her dead, along the way discovering a world invisible to those who don’t take the time to acknowledge it. Neil Gaiman’s fantasy adventure has been a novel, a BBC limited series, and a graphic novel but has not yet received a proper film adaptation. Consequently, this dark and thrilling novel would be an excellent choice for Zack Snyder to adapt as it comes with rich characters and a hyper-realistic world with the opportunity for unique action sequences.
Zack Snyder’s passion for epic tales and creating large-scale films makes him the perfect person to adapt these iconic stories. Any of these choices would be a natural fit for the auteur director. Not only do they all involve pre-existing IP, which seems to be Snyder’s preference, but they all also involve a wealth of backstory and lore from which to pull. Zack Snyder may be a divisive filmmaker, but one can’t dispute the fact that his distinct type of filmmaking has its moments. Consequently, these stories would likely be complemented by his unique style, and that’s why they’re the ones that need a Zack Snyder adaptation next.
