No matter how divided audiences might be about his latest film, The Last Photograph, the debate will pale in comparison to the golden era of Snyder fandom and his handling of the DC Extended Universe.

Beginning with Man of Steel and ending with his own cut of Justice League, his time with Batman and Superman, whether loved or loathed, was exactly what he was aiming for, and a far cry from the bright and snappier world we got with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Looking back, though, Snyder revealed in an interview that perhaps that’s the kind of route he should’ve taken with his time in the DCEU, after all.

“[Marvel is] like an amusement park ride, right? The ups, the drops, the kind of cruising part, and then another drop. At the end, you’re like, ‘Wow, that was crazy, that was awesome,'” Snyder told The Hollywood Reporter. “I had no interest in that. And you know, maybe that was a mistake. But I don’t think that way. I can’t do that. I’d rather just kind of talk about the mythology of them. And maybe that’s not as fun,” the director added.

There’s no doubt the biggest issue with the fan-labeled Snyderverse was its dark, overly intense tone, which for some bogged the films down a little. Now, though, there’s been a tonal shift in movies like Superman and shows like Lanterns as part of the James Gunn-shaped DCU Chapter One. And while it’s proven popular with some, it still hasn’t been without its hiccups (sorry, Supergirl).

For now, we can just be grateful that Snyder did his best in one of the world’s most beloved comic book universes, and certainly left his mark on the genre, whether you like it or not.

If you need to catch up, here’s how to watch the DC movies in order, and our ranking of the best Zack Snyder movies.