Zack Snyder is co-creating a Norse mythology anime series for Netflix with storyboard artist Jay Oliva. This is actually one of two projects that the 300 and Batman V Superman filmmaker is currently working on for the streamer, along with his long-in-development zombie heist thriller Army of the Dead.
Snyder, of course, has pretty much always had an interest in ancient history and world mythology as a filmmaker, going back to his 2007 movie adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 comic book series (a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae). He’s since continued to nod to real-world mythological beings and lore in his movies, especially his DCEU tentpoles Man of Steel, Batman V Superman, and Justice League. Snyder’s films are also quite famous for their heightened aesthetics, so it only makes sense that he would ultimately want to try his hand at a medium that’s especially known for its highly stylized visuals – namely, anime.
According to Variety, Snyder is set to co-create and executive produce an anime based on the world of Norse mythology for Netflix. Oliva, who’s also working on the Manila-based Netflix anime Trese right now, will serve as the showrunner and director, as well as another executive producer.
In addition to his work as a storyboard artist on Snyder’s DCEU films and live-action superhero movies like Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Oliva has directed animated DC Comics adaptations like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 & 2, Batman: Assault on Arkham, and Justice League Dark in the last six to seven years alone. He’s a prolific artist for good reason and otherwise a great catch for Snyder’s Netflix anime. The show itself is part of the streamer’s larger effort to expand its Original anime library and build on its early success in that area (with series like Castlevania) by adapting IPs as varied as Pacific Rim, Magic: The Gathering, and Altered Carbon for its anime collection next.
However that works out for them, Netflix seems happy to be collaborating on things with Snyder right now. The company’s head of anime programming, John Derderian, even released a statement claiming that Snyder’s “innovation in visual storytelling has pushed the industry forward and established him as one of the most distinctive filmmakers of his generation”, and adding that his division is looking forward to making an anime series about Norse mythology in Snyder’s “inimitable style”. Considering that Snyder’s already committed to a second Netflix project before Army of the Dead even starts production, he’s apparently pleased with how things are going, too.
