Snyder, who was instrumental in shaping the early vision of the DCEU with films like Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, expressed a sense of detachment from the creative process on those large-scale projects. He described the nature of big studio productions as inherently commercial, stating, "When you make a film for a big studio, it really is a product, much more than a visual poem. Its raison d'être is totally different."

This perspective comes as Snyder promotes The Last Photograph, a drama presented at the Toronto Film Festival, which he reportedly shot on an independent budget far removed from his superhero epics. This smaller scale, he explained, allowed for an invigorating level of hands-on involvement.

His wife and producing partner, Deborah Snyder, echoed this sentiment, highlighting how the sheer size of DCEU productions limited his direct engagement. "As films became colossal, he was further from the camera," she noted. "You think you have creative freedom, but you lose agility."

Snyder provided a concrete example of this difference in scale and creative agility, comparing his workflow on his latest project to his past blockbusters. He recounted, "On The Last Photograph, I did 72 camera setups on day one. On Justice League, I sometimes only did four." This stark contrast underscores the varying degrees of control and speed directors can achieve on independent versus studio-backed features.

Despite his critical reflections, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Snyder still appears to be processing the end of his DCEU tenure. He admitted to not having watched the new films in James Gunn and Peter Safran's revamped DCU, though he extended his well wishes to their vision. The Last Photograph currently has no announced release date.