Justice League star Ray Fisher says he won't participate 'in any production' involving DC Films head
It would appear that actor Ray Fisher's time as Cyborg for DC Films is coming to an end.
The Justice League star seemed to suggest he's stepping down from the role of the half-machine, half-human superhero in a new tweet about DC Films President Walter Hamada, who was the subject of a recent New York Times piece detailing future plans for Warner Bros. slate of DC Comics-inspired movies and shows.
Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
Fisher previously alleged misconduct by executives at the studio, including Hamada, as well as director Joss Whedon amid the making of the 2017 blockbuster, prompting an investigation into the matter by parent company WarnerMedia. On Wednesday, Fisher tweeted, "Walter Hamada is the most dangerous kind of enabler. His lies, and WB PR's failed Sept 4th hit-piece, sought to undermine the very real issues of the Justice League investigation. I will not participate in any production associated with him."
A rep for Warner Bros. declined to comment. A rep for Fisher did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
Walter Hamada is the most dangerous kind of enabler.
His lies, and WB PR’s failed Sept 4th hit-piece, sought to undermine the very real issues of the Justice League investigation.
I will not participate in any production associated with him.
A>Ehttps://t.co/07OJ74PJra— Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) December 30, 2020
Fisher will appear in Zack Snyder's upcoming four-hour director's cut of Justice League that will be released on HBO Max. He was supposed to return for the upcoming Flash movie, directed by It's Andy Muschietti, but that seems like it now won't happen.
In an October interview with Forbes, Fisher spoke about his disappointment in Hamada regarding the WarnerMedia investigation into his claims. The actor had alleged Whedon exhibited "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable" behavior during the making of Justice League, including an allegation that Whedon tried to digitally alter the skin tone of an actor of color in the movie. Whedon denied the claim through his rep. Fisher also claimed that then-DC Films President Geoff Johns and producer Jon Berg allowed the behavior to persist. Hamada took over as DC Films president in 2018 and did not oversee the production of Justice League.
"Walter Hamada chose to insert himself into this situation by trying to throw Joss Whedon and Jon Berg under the bus to protect Geoff Johns," Fisher told Forbes. "He has a long-standing work relationship with Johns and an even longer one with Toby [Emmerich] from their time together at New Line." (New Line is a subsidiary of Warner Bros.) "Emmerich made Hamada the president of DC Films and Johns is providing content for Hamada to produce. It stands to reason that he would have a vested interest in trying to protect both of them."
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. did not comment on the Forbes interview, but the studio released a statement in July of this year that denied Fisher's claims about Hamada.
"In July, Ray Fisher's representatives asked DC Films President Walter Hamada to talk to Mr. Fisher about his concerns during the production of Justice League," the statement reads. "The two had previously spoken when Mr. Hamada asked him to reprise his role as Cyborg in Warner Bros.' upcoming Flash movie, together with other members of the Justice League. In their July conversation, Mr. Fisher recounted disagreements he'd had with the film's creative team regarding his portrayal of Cyborg, and complained that his suggested script revisions were not adopted. Mr. Hamada explained that creative differences are a normal part of the production process, and that a film's writer/director ultimately has to be in charge of these matters. Notably, Mr. Hamada also told Mr. Fisher that he would elevate his concerns to WarnerMedia so they could conduct an investigation."
"At no time did Mr. Hamada ever 'throw anyone under the bus,' as Mr. Fisher has falsely claimed, or render any judgments about the Justice League production, in which Mr. Hamada had no involvement, since filming occurred before Mr. Hamada was elevated to his current position," the statement continues. "While Mr. Fisher never alleged any actionable misconduct against him, WarnerMedia nonetheless initiated an investigation into the concerns he'd raised about his character's portrayal. Still not satisfied, Mr. Fisher insisted that WarnerMedia hire an independent third-party investigator. This investigator has attempted multiple times to meet with Mr. Fisher to discuss his concerns but, to date, Mr. Fisher has declined to speak to the investigator. Warner Bros. remains committed to accountability and to the well-being of every cast and crew member on each of its productions. It also remains committed to investigating any specific and credible allegation of misconduct, which thus far Mr. Fisher has failed to provide."
WarnerMedia released another statement on Dec. 11 that announced the conclusion of their investigation and that "remedial action" had been taken. No further specifics were revealed at the time, though Whedon departed his planned HBO series The Nevers, citing exhaustion and his personal wellbeing.
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