While promoting the digital release of Zack Snyder's Justice League, director Zack Snyder shared a post on social media that features a quote popularized by Benito Mussolini.

Posted on Vero, the image shows the Justice League emblem embossed on a film reel container. In orange lettering overlaid on the image, the quote reads, "If I advance follow me; if I retreat kill me; if I die avenge me." The words were originally an order given by Henri de la Rochejaquelein, a general in the Catholic and Royal Army during the French Revolution. Today, the quote is more well known as being a battle cry of Mussolini, the fascist Italian dictator who fought on the side of the Axis alongside Germany in World War Two.

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Comments on Snyder's post speculate that the quote is a reference to the future of the SnyderVerse, which DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee said will not continue as part of DC's film strategy. The news of Snyder's vision for the DC Extended Universe ending comes on the heels of revelations about the #ReleasetheSnyderCut campaign being partially driven by bots. The exposé that broke the story also described how Snyder allegedly hired digital firms to boost online support for 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, his second DCEU project.

Zack Snyder Controversy

Snyder's creative differences with Warner Bros. and DC executives is well-documented, including his friction with producers Geoff Johns and John Bergs. Controversy also manifested online due to a vocal segment of Snyder's fan base -- some whom may have been fake accounts -- directing hostile social media attacks against a number of WarnerMedia employees perceived as being unsupportive of the Snyder Cut. The director also drew criticism for refusing to denounce the more belligerent voices behind the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement.

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Snyder was instrumental in developing the DCEU, beginning with directing Man of Steel (2013) and following up with Batman v Superman. While working on Justice League (2017), Snyder suffered a family tragedy and left the project in the hands of Joss Whedon. The film was met with a largely negative reception and was later marred by controversy surrounding Whedon's allegedly abusive behavior during filming. Soon after, the viral campaign to complete and release the "Snyder Cut" took off, and Snyder returned to complete his version of Justice League, which was released on HBO Max in 2021.

Zack Snyder's Justice League is available now on digital and streaming through HBO Max.

Source: Vero, via The Direct