Amidst all of the buzz that comes with covering big tent pole blockbusters of the modern film industry, sometimes the human element behind these large projects can be forgotten. That reminder hits quite heavily today as The Hollywood Reporter has published an interview that they conducted with Justice League director Zack Snyder who has now disclosed to the public the unfortunate passing of his 20-year-old daughter Autumn Snyder due to suicide this past March. With this, Snyder has announced that he will be leaving the remainder of post-production on the Justice League film, and that Joss Whedon will fulfill his remaining directorial duties on the project.

In the interview, Snyder mentions that after his daughter’s sudden passing two months ago, he still had plans to continue working on the film, positing “In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it.” Ultimately, the key factor that has changed Snyder’s mind is his desire to focus on the well-being of his family, consisting of his wife Deborah Snyder and their seven children. As Snyder describes, “I know the fans are going to be worried about the movie, but there are seven other kids that need me. In the end, it’s just a movie. It’s a great movie. But it’s just a movie.”

With director Zack Snyder exiting the project, currently in post-production, it has been confirmed that Joss Whedon will oversee the remainder of the film’s directorial work. He is best known as the director of both of The Avengers films and just recently joined the DC Extended Universe film series with the news that he would direct an upcoming Batgirl film. Warner Bros., the studio behind Justice League, has expressed their full support of Snyder’s decision to leave the project to spend time with his family and believe Whedon will be able to finish the work that he started.

We here at Don’t Feed the Gamers would like to express our deepest condolences to the Snyder family. If you or anyone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, please refer to professional guidance, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. For further updates on the Justice League film, such as the latest trailer for the film, stay tuned here to Don’t Feed the Gamers. Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live.