“All you have to do is hurt the dog”: Zack Snyder Deleted One Twisted James Gunn Scene from Dawn of the Dead That Would’ve Left Viewers Bawling

Zack Snyder's Twisted Idea Would Have Psychologically Disturbed His Viewers

“All you have to do is hurt the dog”: Zack Snyder Deleted One Twisted James Gunn Scene from Dawn of the Dead That Would’ve Left Viewers Bawling

SUMMARY

  • Zack Snyder's versatile portfolio as a director includes some assorted titles across horror, sci-fi and action.
  • The director's unique vision was apparent in his debut, the remake of the 1978 horror Dawn of the Dead.
  • While his quirky remake offered a fresh perspective, Snyder initially wanted to feature a scene which featured a dog getting hurt.
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Zack Snyder is one of the most talented actors of this generation and has had the vision to create some of the incredible films in sci-fi, action, and even horror. His hyper-aggressive visual style is like a wonder to watch. As a storyteller, he can stir different emotions. While Snyder’s work can make the audience fall in love with his films, he has often created movies that seem to be lacking in some ways

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A still from Dawn of the Dead
A still from Dawn of the Dead

Although Snyder’s work in DCEU was somewhat disappointing, James Gunn took over the DC Studios and replaced his work. While many people do not know Zack Snyder and James Gunn had worked together before, and he shared how he had come up with a twisted idea to make his viewers go nuts for his 2004 film. 

Also Read: Christopher Nolan Is Not the Only Hollywood Legend Who Has Called Zack Snyder’s Box Office Flop an Absolute Masterpiece

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Zack Snyder Came Up With a Twisted Scene To Petrify His Viewers

Zack Snyder and James Gunn had collaborated back in 2004 to remake George A Romero’s horror film, Dawn of the Dead. The film marked Snyder’s directorial debut and right from the start, he had some twisted ideas, making it a worthy remake of the 1978 film. While the original is an evergreen watch, the remake is a must-watch as it’s full of gory action.

James Gunn and Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead (2004)

In the Dawn of the Dead DVD commentary via Fortress of Solitude, the Justice League director shared that Gunn’s script was more different and he came up with a scene that would have destroyed the audience emotionally, that is, by hurting a man’s best friend.

“Everyone knows that if you want to destroy your audience emotionally, all you have to do is [hurt] the dog.”

However, Snyder felt the scene was unnecessary, and how lack of involvement of characters made them scrap the idea. Moreover, the crew could not afford the dog actors to get immensely injured, just because the film wanted to feature the most brutal dog combat.

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Also Read: Marvel Fans Will Never Forgive Robert Downey Jr. for a Tom Holland Disaster Despite it Becoming 7th Highest Grossing Movie of the Year

Zack Snyder Shares How He Felt During His Darkest Time

While Zack Snyder was mourning the loss of his daughter, Warner Bros. took advantage of the situation as they took liberty in altering the Justice League. The studio hired Joss Whedon, who instilled his own creative vision in the film. Hence, the 2017 film received mixed reviews and the project failed to connect with die-hard fans who had been anticipating Snyder’s version.

A still from Justice League
A still from Justice League

During an exclusive interview with Wired, Zack Snyder opened up about his emotions what he felt during that phase, and how he did not find any solace while working. 

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“Yeah, during postproduction, and I found no solace in the work. The life I created for myself was of no comfort to this other experience. You know, if we’re honest with ourselves, in what we pursue, we hope that pursuit will have some catharsis for us in the struggles that we have in our lives. And I just think that was the darkest time, because I felt like I turned to the thing that I love and it turned its back on me as well.”

Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman In Zack Snyder’s Justice League Has A Gory Fight Sequence
Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman In Zack Snyder’s Justice League Has A Gory Fight Sequence

However, when the director released Snyder’s Cut, it gave him the peace he was looking for, as ardent DCEU fans loved his vision and were delighted to see his vision. As a result, his version of the film took the world by storm, becoming a global phenomenon.

Also Read: “You couldn’t jump out off the plane”: Avengers: Endgame Deleted Scene Brutally Roasts Chris Evans’ Captain America For a Silly Battle Tactic

Dawn of the Dead can be rented on AppleTV.

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Written by Tushar Auddy

Articles Published: 871

Tushar Auddy, Content Writer. He has been in the entertainment industry for 3 years and is always on the lookout for a captivating story. He is a student of Linguistics and currently pursuing his Master's degree in the same field. He has a passion for literature that runs deep and loves nothing more than getting lost in a novel for hours on end. When he isn't reading, you'll find him capturing the beauty of language.