Patty Jenkins wants the "world to wrap their arms around" Zack Snyder and his wife Deborah.

Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder

The 51-year-old filmmaker recently stepped down from 'Justice League' to grieve for his late daughter Autumn, who died by suicide in March, and 'Wonder Woman' director Patty has urged everyone to send love to Zach and producer Deborah.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she said: "It touches my heart. It's been difficult, all of us knowing this news for a long time and knowing that the world didn't. Zack is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life. I want the world to wrap their arms around him and embrace him, he and Debbie."

Producer Charles Roven added: "He's a great guy. The events were very sad and obviously we all understand the choice he needed to make. It was great that the response from the fans was very warm."

'Justice League' is currently in post-production and while Zack and Deborah initially thought returning to work was a good idea, they have now decided they both need to take time off.

Zack previously explained: "In my mind, I thought it was a cathartic thing to go back to work, to just bury myself and see if that was the way through it. The demands of this job are pretty intense. It is all-consuming. And in the last two months, I've come to the realisation ... I've decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me. They are all having a hard time. I'm having a hard time ...

"Here's the thing, I never planned to make this public. I thought it would just be in the family, a private matter, our private sorrow that we would deal with. When it became obvious that I need to take a break, I knew there would be narratives created on the internet. They'll do what they do. The truth is ... I'm past caring about that kind of thing now."

Snyder - who directed the flick - has now handed the reigns over to Joss Whedon, who will "adhere to the style and tone and the template that Zack set".

Warner Bros. Pictures president Toby Emmerich added: "What they are going through is unimaginable, and my heart - our hearts - go out to them ...

"The directing is minimal and it has to adhere to the style and tone and the template that Zack set. We're not introducing any new characters. It's the same characters in some new scenes. He's handing the baton to Joss, but the course has really been set by Zack. I still believe that despite this tragedy, we'll still end up with a great movie."

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