Justice League star Ben Affleck has nothing but kind words to say about the film’s dynamic duo of directors, Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon, explaining how the film showcases each helmer’s greatest strengths.


Justice League is the followup to Snyder’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, as Batman and Wonder Woman must assemble a team of heroes to take on the alien warlord Steppenwolf, who’s come to conquer Earth and secure the elusive Mother Boxes in the wake of Superman’s death. Following the poor critical reception to Batman V Superman, Warner Bros. aimed for Justice League to be less dour, and feature more earnestness and humor, in the vein of this summer’s triumphant Wonder Woman. Following the end of principal photography, Snyder and the studio agreed the film needed additional work, and they enlisted Avengers director Joss Whedon to work on the script. When Snyder’s daughter tragically passed away, he chose to depart the production and hand directing duties over to Whedon.


There’s been much speculation over whether the two directors’ decidedly different styles can mesh in a single movie. In a new interview with EW, Ben Affleck says it not only worked, it made the movie better:


“Zack sought out Joss, and wanted him to be the guy to finish the movie when he wasn’t able to. They definitely worked together to do something kind of special. I think they were very complementary. Zack’s so good with the mythic, gothic, heavy serious stuff, and Joss is so good with tone, and comedy, and making superheroes seem kind of real and relatable.”


Affleck’s take on the film is the best case scenario many fans were hoping for when it was announced Whedon was taking over for Snyder. Snyder is known for his unparalleled visual palette, while his movies are often criticized for their relative lack of humor. Conversely, Whedon has never been a particularly visually dazzling director, but he’s one of the most celebrated dialogue writers in modern Hollywood history; his work on Buffy The Vampire Slayer quite literally changed the way a generation spoke.


The stakes for Justice League are high. Warner Bros. is hoping they’ve cracked the code on their DC films after Wonder Woman’s unqualified success. Early word on Justice League is mostly positive, though not quite on the level of Wonder Woman’s glowing reactions. The film’s critic review embargo lifts next week, at which point it should become clearer if Snyder and Whedon really do blend together as naturally as Affleck suggests.