Zack Snyder

Most young boys outgrow their superhero fascination early on in life. Despite years of study, world travel and professional experiences, writer-director Zack Snyder can’t shake that side of himself. Perhaps his alter-ego began hiding during those late-night cram sessions at London’s Heatherlies School, peeking out every so often while Snyder studied at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design or directed award-winning commercials in exotic locales. Or maybe the little boy in Snyder reemerged after having six kids of his own. Whatever the case, Snyder has finally unleashed his inner child on the perfect outlet: Writing and directing movies about the things he loves most!

In 2004, Snyder’s directorial debut, Dawn of the Dead, impressed critics expecting little more than a cliched, profit-seeking remake of the George Romero classic. His next undertaking, a screen version of Frank Miller‘s graphic novel 300 (which was released on March 9th), also seemed an impossible feat, but the buzz surrounding the movie is enough to silence skeptics (if not deafen them).

300, which tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, between the Spartans and the Persians, calls for a lot of action. But dialogue? “The way that he structures the prose is as important as the drawings to me,” Snyder says of Miller’s source material. “I wanted to think of a way to preserve and honor his prose, as well as his imagery in the film.” Looks like it’s mission accomplished: Gerard Butler, star of 300, says he could fill “six volumes about [Snyder] and his talent.”

Next up for Snyder? An adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel Watchmen. Sounds like a job for a true moviemaking superhero.