Filmmaker Kevin Smith says he received first-hand information regarding Josh Whedon's unprofessional behavior during the filming of 2017's Justice League from crew members he met on the sets of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.
"Remember when I went to the Skywalker set, some people had worked on... both versions of Solo and both versions of Justice League," Smith explained on Fatman Beyond. "The special effects guy said that there was, like, a fair amount of trashing of... Zack's version of the movie on set by Joss. Again, this is what a special effects guy who worked on both versions of the movie told me. And that [Whedon] would cut down, dismiss and be negative about Zack's version, which he had seen, and all these people had made together without [Whedon] and stuff. And so the guy that said that it was kind of uncomfortable on set because, like, the people that he was talking to about not liking that version of the movie were all people that had made that version of the movie. So that, I think, is probably the 'unprofessional' thing, like, you don't do that. Especially if you came in to you know, help out during a bad moment in the director's life."
While Smith's anecdote adds further fuel to the growing controversy regarding Fisher's accusations against Whedon of "gross" and "abusive" behavior on the sets of Justice League, the filmmaker cautioned against jumping to conclusions by adding, "But that's hearsay - that ain't fucking fact or news. That's just what somebody told me - but it does kind of line up with this."
As of now, Whedon has not responded to the accusations by Fisher or any other party regarding his behavior on the sets of Justice League. The rest of the lead cast of the film has also remained silent on the matter so far, although Fisher has found support among the stunt crew and Karen Bryson, who played Victor Stone/Cyborg's mother.
Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Zack Snyder's Justice League will premiere exclusively on HBO Max in early-to-mid-2021.