Were Zack Snyder's films a profitable venture for Warner Bros.?

Here's a detailed breakdown of the performance of all eight films:

300 (2007)

Watchmen (2009)

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010)

Sucker Punch (2011)

Man of Steel (2013)

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Justice League (2017)

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) - Did not have a theatrical release.

*Note:

Does not include marketing, distribution, and advertising costs, and all figures include box office and domestic video sales (as per

The Numbers

).

Based on these figures, we can draw several conclusions regarding the financial success of the Snyder films. Applying the widely accepted notion that a movie must earn double its production budget to break even, we can confidently state that 300, Man of Steel, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice proved to be highly lucrative ventures for Warner Bros.

Watchmen, though it underperformed at the box office, managed to achieve moderate success on the backs of its domestic video sales, nearly matching its box office revenue. Therefore, only Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Sucker Punch, Justice League, and Zack Snyder's Justice League failed to turn a profit.

Diving deeper, Justice League was expected to break even at $750 million, but it fell slightly short, grossing $730.6 million. However, it's crucial to consider a couple of significant factors. While Zack Snyder was credited as the sole director, the film underwent extensive reshoots under Joss Whedon's direction.

Hence, Justice League cannot be entirely labeled as a Zack Snyder film. Additionally, the director's cut, Zack Snyder's Justice League, did not receive a theatrical release due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, it garnered praise for being vastly superior to the 2017 version of the film.

Keeping this in perspective, it's evident that the only Snyder movies that incurred losses for Warner Bros. are Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole and Sucker Punch, which confirms Silverman's statement.

Admittedly, Zack Snyder's relationship with Warner Bros. has been a complex affair, but one undeniable fact remains: Snyder proved to be an immensely profitable director for Warner Bros. throughout his nearly two-decade tenure with the studio.