Close to a decade into Marvel’s extended cinematic universe, we’re conditioned to want our favorite heroes to share the screen, just as in comics. DC has made little apology of taking a different approach, and while both Arrow and Flash stars alike have chimed in on being overlooked to join the big-screen Justice League, Zack Snyder now explains that the CW Flash just wouldn’t fit the DCEU’s tone.

First, a disclaimer: Snyder’s words in no way reflect any kind of aspersion on Warner Bros.’ TV branches of the DC universe, while actors like Grant Gustin and Stephen Amell express nothing but adoration for their big-screen counterparts, amid the understanding that merging the two would severely complicate writing and scheduling.

That said, when asked why Batman v. Superman and subsequent sequels opted to place Ezra Miller in the role of a new Flash, rather than incorporate Grant Gustin’s Scarlet Speedster , Snyder told The Daily News that the CW Flash’s upbeat tone had something to do with it:

I just don’t think it was a good fit … I’m very strict with this universe and I just don’t see a version where … that (tone is) not our world.

That isn’t necessarily going to sit well with fans on the TV side, though Snyder at least lavished praise on the CW adaptation, acknowledging the potential for both to exist in a shared space:

Even if Grant Gustin is my favorite guy in the world and he’s very good, we made a commitment to the multi-verse (idea), so it’s just not a thing that’s possible.

In earnest, we’d all love to see Grant Gustin sharing a scene with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, just as well as fans would lose their minds over DCEU events and characters making their way onto The CW, though it’s worth acknowledging that The Flash would suffer severely to require Grant Gustin away shooting for long stretches. Moreover, both film and TV would need to cater to one another’s whims, a feat even Marvel hasn’t truly managed in at least three co-existing series.

We needn’t give up on the dream of seeing all these heroes united one day, though we shouldn’t necessarily pile on Snyder for his films’ apparent aversion to fun, either.

In the meantime, Batman v. Superman will debut this coming Friday, while Flash will race back to the small screen a bit sooner by Tuesday’s “Trajectory.”