In fact, Id argue no one but Snyder could have made this film. Wait, wait
put those pitchforks and nooses away. I dont mean that Snyder is the best director in the world or even the most interesting choice for this material. What Im saying is that in the real world of filmmaking, there is nobody out there with the power and pull to have made a film like this, at this level, with the intent of keeping it as true to the source material as he did.
Its kind of a perfect storm situation. Warners was going forward with this and had just made a shit-ton of money on 300, an R-rated comic book adaptation. If Snyder had not made that film or if 300 hadnt been so popular
or if 300 had been watered down to a PG-13
we wouldnt be here today. Snyder never would have gotten offered the movie and even if he had been he never in a million years would have been in the position to strong-arm the studio into making it so long, with an R-rating and true to the tone, spirit and specifics of the comic.