“It’s a kind of female version of ‘The Wrestler,’ about a midwestern housewife who happens to have a pretty good body, and starts to do some bodybuilding competitions, and then falls down a rabbit hole of steroids and hormones,” Snyder said. “It becomes a contest between fitness and family, and she loses her family because she’s spending all her money on diet supplements and drugs and trainers, and all of that stuff.”

Snyder added that he pitched Adams specifically on the role “because it would be such a hugely hard job just training to the point at which it was believable. And you need someone like Amy who loves the craft to do it.” Related ‘Disenchanted’ Review: Amy Adams Is Stuck in Suburbia in an Adorable (and Unnecessary) Sequel Christian Bale Acted as a ‘Mediator’ Between Amy Adams and David O. Russell on ‘American Hustle’ Set Related Oscars 2023: Best Original Score Predictions Nightmare Film Shoots: The Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from ‘Deliverance’ to ‘Mad Max’ to ‘Avatar 2’
When The Telegraph asked if Snyder’s idea for a female version of “The Wrestler” was related to his experience being shoved out of the superhero genre at Warner Bros., the filmmaker answered, “It’s hard to say what else is left for these films to do. But as a genre, it has a lot going for it. It holds up a mirror to us, it speaks to the best in us, it offers a moral tale in most cases, it has high stakes, it can be multicultural, its stories can feel universal. And it’s pure wish-fulfillment too. I mean, Superman can fly. That alone is incredibly compelling.” Snyder also teased that he is interested in exploring a surprising genre: “Appreciation of the human form is something I really warmed to. I’ve always wanted to make a religious film and a pornographic film, and I’ve never really yet had the chance to do either. Maybe if I could combine the two…” he muses. “Or maybe 300 is that film, in some sense, a little bit. Or at least a primer for what that film could be.” Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” is now streaming on Netflix. Head over to The Telegraph’s website to read Snyder’s interview in its entirety. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.