The ongoing clash between Warner Brothers and actor Ray Fisher has been in the ebb and flow of conflict over the past year, yet Fisher has refused to stand down and continues to speak on the studio's attitudes and behaviors towards him.
Fisher, who had made his first appearance as Victor "Cyborg" Stone in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), has been vocal about the treatment from DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. throughout his time working under their franchise. Though Fisher made his debut in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Fisher's character was intended to take center stage in Justice League (2017). Co-director of the 2017 team-up, Zack Snyder, agreed with Fisher when it came to placing Cyborg at the film's heart, but the version that was screened theatrically was contradictory to those intentions.
"Zack and I always considered Cyborg's story to be the heart of the movie," screenwriter Chris Terrio said to The Hollywood Reporter "He has the most pronounced character arc of any of the heroes," beginning from a place of despair and ending with a feeling that "he is whole and that he is loved." And Terrio says he and Snyder took the portrayal of the first Black superhero in the DC film universe "very seriously," adding, "With a white writer and white director, we both thought having the perspective of an actor of color was really important. And Ray is really good with story and character, so he became a partner in creating Victor."
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) restored Snyder's true vision behind the collaborative comic book movie, omitting any direction from co-director Joss Whedon, solely focusing on Snyder's original, four-hour cut. Fisher alleges that the first release of the cut was intended to minimize his efforts and impact on the film, and he is much more involved in the movie's second, extended-release. In May 2020, Fisher prompted an investigation of Warner Bros. and DC, publicizing his concerns with the studio and those who worked within it. Fisher released a series of Tweets regarding on-set misconduct and then had taken to Twitter again, adding that Geoff Johns had "threatened his career."
The actor also notes that there was a larger cover-up at the studio, which included DC president Walter Hamada's attempt to cover for former DC executive Geoff Johns. The Hollywood Reporter details Fisher's statement about Johns threatening his career, where Johns asked Fisher if he wanted to make "a bad name for [himself] in the business." This was interpreted as threatening language by Fisher.
The actor insists that there was a campaign to smear his name; meanwhile, WarnerMedia had announced that they have concluded the investigation on December 11, 2020. It is also to be noted that he will no longer be starring in The Flash (2022), and though there is no direct correlation between the investigation and Fisher's disbandment from future DCEU projects, Fisher's career is far from over. "I don't believe some of these people are fit for positions of leadership," Fisher said and assures that he is not looking for anyone to be fired. "I don't want [anyone] excommunicated from Hollywood, but I don't think they should be in charge of the hiring and firing of other people." Fisher, who knows that he won't win his battle, is satisfied with shining light with greater issues at hand. "If I can't get accountability," he says, "at least I can make people aware of who they're dealing with."
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