'Zack Snyder's Justice League's' Ray Fisher Drops All & Gal Gadot v Joss Whedon?
Recently, Ray Fisher (who played Victor Stone/Cyborg in Justice League) interviewed with The Hollywood Reporter about behind-the-scenes problems with director Joss Whedon in 2017 on the set of Justice League reshoots. This is a major issue that he was stating on social media as far back as June 2020, regarding racial tensions and a possible cover-up when investigations were conducted with Fisher and others through parent company WarnerMedia.
"WarnerMedia has previously said that "remedial action" was taken as a result of its investigation but has not elaborated. A spokesperson tells THR that for privacy and legal reasons, 'our policy is to not publicly disclose the findings or the results of an investigation.'
Katherine Forrest, a former federal judge who conducted the WarnerMedia probe, tells THR in a statement that in interviews with more than 80 witnesses, she found 'no credible support for claims of racial animus' or racial 'insensitivity.' A WarnerMedia spokesperson notes that the company 'made extraordinary effort to accommodate Mr. Fisher's concerns about the investigation and to ensure its fullness and fairness' and has 'complete confidence in the investigation process and [Forrest's] conclusions.'"
The report, to which Fisher alluded via social media post back in March, includes a conversation between former DC Films President Jon Berg and Warner Bros. studio head, Toby Emmerich. It involves a witness claiming that the two executives had concerns over having “an angry black man” as the focal point of the Justice League film. But once Whedon came aboard for the reshoots, Fisher’s concern about representation with the Cyborg character was dismissed even though Whedon ask for input from the cast.
Another conflict that further escalated the issues was the phrase “Booyah,” a popular catchphrase for Cyborg in the 2003 Teen Titans animated series, even though Cyborg never used the phrase in the comics or the script written by screenwriter Chris Terrio. The studio wanted original director Zack Snyder to use it in principal photography, but he refused. Later on, with the reshoots, the line was brought up again.
"'This is one of the most expensive movies Warners has ever made,' Berg said, according to Fisher. 'What if the CEO of AT&T has a son or daughter, and that son or daughter wants Cyborg to say 'booyah' in the movie and we don't have a take of that? I could lose my job.' Fisher responded that he knew if he filmed the line, it would end up in the movie. And he expressed skepticism that the film's fate rested on Cyborg saying 'booyah.'
But he shot the take. As he arrived on set, he says, Whedon stretched out his arms and said a line from Hamlet in a mocking tone: 'Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you.' Fisher replied, 'Joss — don't. I'm not in the mood.' As he left the set after saying just that one phrase for the cameras, he says, Whedon called out, 'Nice work, Ray.'"
Fisher declined to speak on behalf of his co-stars, including Jason Momoa (Aquaman), who expressed anger at Warner Bros. for releasing a “fake” story to the press regarding involvement in a Frosty the Snowman feature film in order to distract from the issue between Fisher and WarnerMedia. Also, The Hollywood Reporter expanded a story involving an issue between Whedon and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) from December 2020, when the latter took her problems with the former to the higher-ups at Warner, accusing Whedon of trying to sabotage her career.
"The biggest clash, sources say, came when Whedon pushed Gadot to record lines she didn’t like, threatened to harm Gadot’s career and disparaged Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. While Fisher declines to discuss any of what transpired with Gadot, a witness on the production who later spoke to investigators says that after one clash, 'Joss was bragging that he’s had it out with Gal. He told her he’s the writer and she’s going to shut up and say the lines and he can make her look incredibly stupid in this movie.'"
Gadot has released a statement regarding the controversy.
"'I had my issues with [Whedon] and Warner Bros handled it in a timely manner,'
Specifically, 'a knowledgeable source says Gadot had multiple concerns with the revised version of the film, including 'issues about her character being more aggressive than her character in Wonder Woman. She wanted to make the character flow from one movie to the next,' the report said on Monday. 'The biggest clash, sources say, came when Whedon pushed Gadot to record lines she didn't like, threatened to harm Gadot's career and disparaged Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins."
Source(s): The Hollywood Reporter, ComicBook.com