Fans and critics of director Zack Snyder can likely agree that the filmmaker has a distinct style that permeates his work. Now, theJustice Leaguedirector has taken that signature style and applied it toThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
After months of fans campaigning for Warner Bros. to release Snyder’s cut ofJustice League, which was dramatically retooled following his departure during the post-production phase, the studio relented and invested millions into allowing the director to complete his vision for the DC film. At roughly four hours long and arguably darker than the theatrical cut,Zack Snyder’sJustice Leaguewas roasted by Colbert, but now the director himself is in on the joke.
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The latest Colbert sketch opens with Snyder explaining that he is always looking to grow as an artist and immediately accepted the chance to direct an episode ofThe Late Show, jokingly saying that he’d mistaken the program forThe Late Late Show with James Corden, famous for its Carpool Karaoke segment. From there, Snyder places Colbert in an entirely green screen set to create aLate Nightset unlike any before it. Although Colbert is a seasoned talk show host, Snyder offers the comedian some acting tips, urging him to tap into his angry side and imagine a hoard of zombies heading his way, not unlikethose seen inArmy of the Dead. Colbert admits that he’s a far cry from traditional Snyder movie leads like Henry Cavill or Jason Momoa, but his director’s attempts to get theLate Showhost into top shape fall hilariously short.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Snyder project without a slow-mo sequence, but a talk show hardly provides the fast-paced action that would require a scene to be slowed down. To resolve this issue, Snyder throws a knife towards Colbert while the host is in the midst of a monologue, resulting in a scene that is reminiscent of the first meeting between Ezra Miller’s The Flash andBen Affleck’s Batman inJustice League. WithArmy of the Deadbeing on top of everyone’s mind, Snyder also managed to have Colbert be attacked by an undead version of Jon Batiste, the bandleader and musical director onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
These moments are just a few of the references to Snyder’s work seen in the sketch. Other highlights include a conversation between Colbert andJared Leto’s Jokerduring a comedian version of Justice League’s Knightmare sequence, as well as a moment where we see just how far Snyder will go to get the Late Show host’s to seal of approval.
Although bothJustice Leagueand his directing trademarks have often been a lightning rod for his critics, watching Snyder poke fun at his ‘dark’ and ‘gritty’ sensibilities shows that the filmmaker isn’t afraid to have a laugh at himself. If nothing else, it probably shows just how confident Snyder can be with his own filmmaking style even if it’s criticized by some, and considering the success ofArmy of the Dead, perhaps he has every reason to be.
