A now-deleted Reddit post by a Snyderverse fan urging sabotage of the upcoming Superman film has prompted a direct response from DC Studios co-head and director James Gunn.
The post, which appeared briefly on the r/SnyderCut subreddit, called on SnyderVerse supporters to disrupt the film’s opening through coordinated spoilers, negative reviews, and manipulation of ticketing systems. James Gunn dismissed the Snyderverse campaign, expressing confidence in the film’s reception and downplaying the influence of the small group behind the effort.
James Gunn responds to a Snyder fan urging people to spoil and review bomb #Superman
“I think we will survive. I’m not sure the eight people that listen to that guy are going to impact the course of events” pic.twitter.com/WIKXWSwyXJ
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) June 16, 2025
“lol I think we’ll survive,” Gunn wrote on Threads. “I’m not sure the eight people that listen to that guy (I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it’s a guy) are going to impact the course of events.”
James Gunn attends the European Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3” in Disneyland Paris on April 22, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney)
The attempted sabotage—widely circulated before its removal—comes as Superman prepares to launch a new era for DC Studios under Gunn and producer Peter Safran. The effort reflects ongoing dissatisfaction from a small segment of fans still advocating for the return of the SnyderVerse, a term referring to the failed cinematic continuity established by filmmaker Zack Snyder.
The Sabotage Plan
The original post, titled “Stand up and fight for Snyderverse on July 11,” outlined a three-part strategy aimed at undercutting the film’s opening weekend performance.
“Fight for our Snyderverse on the imposter Superman release day,” the post said before going through its plan…
A Snyderverse fan’s plan to sabotage James Gunn’s Superman – r/Snydercut
“Post spoilers everywhere,” the post’s author said. People are less likely to see or enjoy the movie if it’s already spoiled. Leave bad rating [sic] on review sites. We know for sure gunbots [sic] will post fake positive reviews so we must let people know the truth and balance the bias out with realistic scores. Reserve tickets online but don’t complete the purchase. By selecting and reserving tickets, it gets taken out of the pool for a period of time which means this has a chance of stopping gunnbots from buying tickets.”
Yes, they planned to inconvenience Superman fans 15 minutes at a time… Not to mention the logic of “realistic” reviews from people who didn’t even see the movie…
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: (L-R) Sean Gunn and James Gunn attend the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 World Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 27, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)
The post concluded with the message “Gun fired the first shot and killed the Snyderverse and here is our chance to take the fight back to him.”
Hashtags included #RestoreTheSnyderVerse and #IfWeCantHaveOurSupermanNoOneCan.
Immediate Removal and Fan Rejection
Moderators of the r/SnyderCut subreddit quickly removed the post, citing community guidelines. While the subreddit has historically been a hub for fans of Zack Snyder’s DC films, multiple users emphasized that the sabotage plan did not represent the broader community.
Rahcel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in Superman – YouTube, DC
One user commented, “Important to be aware this post was shut down from the mods of that sub immediately.” Another added, “Many Snyder fans including myself don’t support this kind of behavior,” signaling that most fans oppose attempts to harm DC projects, even if they disagree with the studio’s creative direction.
The SnyderVerse Left DC in Shambles
While Zack Snyder’s fanbase remains vocal online, the actual performance of his DC films tells a very different story.
The SnyderVerse era—spanning from Man of Steel in 2013 through to The Flash in 2023—delivered inconsistent box office returns, fractured storytelling, and ultimately forced Warner Bros. to reboot its entire cinematic universe.
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was supposed to continue the momentum started in Man of Steel and launch DC’s shared universe with a bang. Instead, it drew criticism for its bleak tone and disjointed plot.
Despite the unprecedented team-up of Batman and Superman, the film only grossed $873 million worldwide—far below expectations given the $250–300 million production cost and the marquee value of its leads. Critics were harsh, with the film holding a 29% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score that steadily declined over time.
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros.
Then came Justice League, a film marred by behind-the-scenes turmoil. Snyder exited midway through production following a family tragedy, and Joss Whedon was brought in to complete the movie—reshaping its tone and cutting its runtime significantly. The final product flopped, bringing in just $657 million globally, which didn’t come close to recouping its $300+ million production and marketing budget.
In 2021, Warner Bros. attempted a course correction by funding Zack Snyder’s Justice League for HBO Max at an additional cost of roughly $70 million.
While it was a trending topic online, it failed to translate into substantial subscriber growth or sustained viewership. According to Samba TV, the film was watched by just 1.8 million households in its first five days—a fraction of what other blockbusters achieved on streaming. It didn’t break into Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming programs the week of its release, and internal reports indicated it failed to move the needle for HBO Max as hoped. There was no significant long-term gain in subscriptions, and the film quickly disappeared from the platform’s marketing rotation.
Eara Miller as The Flash in The Flash – YouTube, DC
Meanwhile, films that followed—like The Flash, Black Adam, and Wonder Woman 1984—all carried connections to the SnyderVerse and continued the downward trend. The Flash, which featured Snyder-era characters and was heavily marketed as a multiverse spectacle, grossed only $270 million globally on a reported $200 million budget. Black Adam, starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson and capped by the surprise return of Henry Cavill’s Superman, failed to meet studio profit targets.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 13: Zack Snyder attends the Netflix Premiere of Zack Snyder’s REBEL MOON – Part One: A Child of Fire at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 13, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
By the end of 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery officially closed the door on the SnyderVerse. The inconsistent tone, poor returns, and polarizing fan reception had left the DC brand fractured and fatigued. Gunn and Safran were brought in to unify the next chapter of the franchise—one built not on hashtags or nostalgia, but a clean slate.
Gunn’s Response and Superman’s Momentum
The flippant James Gunn response on Threads suggests he views the Snyderverse campaign as inconsequential.
Despite the attempted interference, early box office projections for Superman appear strong.
Superman fighting an unknown enemy in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
“If ticket sales at my theater for July 8th are any indicator, then you have nothing to worry about,” one Threads user assured.
It should also be noted that James Gunn has shown public support for Zack Snyder and the Snyderverse in the past.
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
The film features David Corenswet in his debut as Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The ensemble also includes Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), and Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner). Superman will mark the first full-length feature in the new DC cinematic universe following the conclusion of the previous continuity.
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