Watchmen

ZACK SNYDER (Director) made his feature film directorial debut with the 2004 hit horror thriller “Dawn of the Dead,” which opened at the top of the weekend box office and brought Snyder widespread critical acclaim for his inspired re-imagining of George Romero’s cult classic. Snyder was then nominated for the prestigious Camera d’Or Prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for his work on the film.

Together with his producing partner and co-president, Deborah Snyder, Zack formed Cruel and Unusual Films which signed a two-year overall production deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, which resulted in the release of Snyder’s widely acclaimed blockbuster, “300,” starring Gerard Butler and Lena Headey. Following “Watchmen,” the next Cruel and Unusual Films productions are “The Last Photograph,” “Guardians of Ga’Hoole” and “Sucker Punch,” the latter two of which Snyder will be directing. Cruel and Unusual Films is also preparing a feature film adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic “The Illustrated Man,” with Snyder set to direct and also produce with Denise Di Novi, Deborah Snyder, and Frank Darabont producing.

Snyder’s feature film success follows years of directing commercials and music videos which have garnered numerous awards including two Clios and a Gold Lion award at Cannes (for his Jeep “Frisbee” spot). British Communication Arts Magazine featured Snyder as one of the most talented commercial directors in that country, and the London advertising community presented him with an award for his impressive body of work.

Snyder attributes his distinctive style, in part, to his early artistic training in London, where he studied painting at the Heatherlies School. He later refined his sensibilities at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he developed the bold, cinematic style of filmmaking that he has become known for today.