Superhero film auteur Zack Snyder has decided to pass on completing the upcoming blockbuster "Justice League" due to a personal tragedy.

Snyder's daughter Autumn died by suicide at age 20 in March 2017. The news was kept under wraps and the filming of "Justice League" was put on hold for several weeks to give the Snyder family time to process and mourn their loss.

The 51 year-old director known for visually-striking comic book adaptations "300", "Man of Steel" and "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" attempted to dive back into work on producing the Warner Bros. superhero epic, but found the work taxing on him personally.

"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," said Snyder in an interview Monday with The Hollywood Reporter. "... I've decided to take a step back from the movie to be with my family, be with my kids, who really need me."

In a case of real-life super friends, Snyder passed on directing duties to Joss Whedon. Whedon, who created "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and helmed two film installments of competing superhero franchise "Marvel's The Avengers" is to complete filming and any reshoots necessary into post-production.

Whedon, who had reportedly had a falling out with Marvel and blockbuster superhero films at large after the lukewarm reception of 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" had signed on to direct a "Batgirl" film for Warner Bros. earlier this year. "Justice League" is still set to be released in theaters on Nov. 17, 2017.