Zack Snyder's Stone Quarry Productions Signs First-Look Deal With Netflix
Zack Snyder is setting up shop at Netflix. After the (perceived) streaming success of his recent zombie heist film Army of the Dead, Zack Snyder, his wife and producing partner Deborah Snyder, and fellow executive Wesley Coller have signed a first-look deal with Netflix for their production company, The Stone Quarry Productions. That means it's very likely that you'll be seeing more Snyder content popping up on the streamer – and soon.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Stone Quarry Productions has signed a two-year first-look deal with Netflix. "My goal and hope are to bring as much quality content as I can and do it on a giant scale," Snyder told THR, hyping his plans for "big projects and big movies."
This move should not come as much of a surprise if you've been paying attention to Snyder's career trajectory. After establishing himself as an exciting up-and-comer in the world of genre filmmaking and fostering a long and prosperous relationship with his home studio of Warner Bros., the director ended up clashing with WB over some of his work in the DC Extended Universe, including Justice League, which he ultimately reworked into an HBO Max project called Zack Snyder's Justice League. But while that project seemed to set up a couple of potential sequels and/or spin-offs, WB has been adamant that they're out of the Zack Snyder business and those sequels will not happen.
Meanwhile, Snyder moved over to Netflix to make Army of the Dead, which, according to the streamer's opaque accounting, has evidently become one of the most popular original films in Netflix's history. A Snyder-produced prequel film and anime spin-off are already in the works there, and earlier this month, Snyder also signed a deal to make Rebel Moon for Netflix, an original science fiction property that's a reworked version of a Star Wars pitch he once made. His first-look deal with WB ended in 2019, and Deborah says one of the key reasons they chose to go with Netflix is because they had formed "a partnership that was based on mutual respect" there.
Future Projects
"Netflix has given us a lot of freedom," Deborah said. "But they've also embraced the idea of trying new things and not necessary waiting for a success before moving ahead." One of the things that's already in development is an Army of the Dead sequel that Snyder would presumably direct; he's co-writing the script with Shay Hatten, who co-wrote the original. Plus, Rebel Moon "is also envisioned as something that can launch sequels and series," THR says; Zack previously referred to it as "a massive IP and a universe that can be built out."
Plus, Snyder is developing a project that will serve as the feature directorial debut for Damon Caro, who has served as a second unit director and stunt coordinator on several Zack Snyder movies. This seems to be following in the footsteps of the Russo Brothers, who helped give their second-unit guy Sam Hargreave his first shot at the big time by directing the Chris Hemsworth-starring Extraction.
So be sure to keep your eyes peeled, because you'll be seeing a lot more Snyder cuts coming to Netflix in the years ahead.