Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicecame as the surprise announcement ofComic-Con2013, and it’s ridden a wild wave of rumor and speculation ever since. For the past two years, we’ve heard every possible scenario for the movie. We’ve been told a number of different stories. And we know that there is still a surprise or two left to be had when it finally opens in March 2016. We’re still almost a year away from release. And when it comes right down to it, there is still quite a bit that we don’t know. But after two years of hustle and bustle, there’s quite a bit that we do, especially with the release of the latest trailer atComic-Con. This is all of it that you should know!
First, most of the attention placed onBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicepoints to it being more of aBatman moviethan a Superman movie. Though, Superman will get his fare share of screen time. The latest trailer teases that both superheroes will get equal screen time. Though, Poor Kal-El has been pushed to the side of the screen by his far more popular counterpart, with most of the attention focused on whatBen Affleckis doing as the caped crusader. When Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced, most believed that we were getting a straight-upMan of Steel2. And there is a huge faction of fans who still want that to happen. But with twoJustice Leaguemovies on the way, and a number of otherDC Comicssolo movies lined up for the next five years, Clark Kent won’t be able to have the screen to himself until at least 2021. And by that time, between DC, Marvel, The Transformers, the Universal Monsters and a number of other shared universes currently in the works, a movie devoted to one sole superhero is going to feel incredibly old fashion. By 2021, a standalone Superman movie is going to also feel nostalgic, and it might be just what audiences want in six years. But for now, their getting a mega-epic with tons of characters.
On the other hand, Warner Bros. is planning aUntitled Batman Rebootthat will arrive before the end of this decade.Ben Affleckis set to direct, with DC Comics' Geoff Johns co-writing the script alongside the actor. The film will beBen Affleck’s next directorial effort after he finishesLive by Night, which Warner Bros. has set for release on August 16, 2025. Nothing is known about the story, or how it will fit into the DC Cinematic Universe.Ben Affleckis also set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne inJustice League Part 1andJustice League Part 2. And while we know the actor is going to show up inSuicide Squad, which is evident in that film’s first teaser trailer, it hasn’t been ruled out that he’ll pop up in any of the other crossovers or spinoffs planned in the next couple of years.
9The Legacy
Both Batman and Superman are two of the longest running and most popular superheroes on the planet. And they have dominated popular culture in all forms of media since their inception. From the black and white serials of the golden age of Hollywood to a very popular weekly TV series, The Man of Steel has been a part of visual entertainment since the creation of projected light. But it wasn’t until 1978, with directorRichard Donner’sSuperman, that we believed a man could truly fly.Christopher Reevecaptured our hearts as Kal-El, and it was hard to imagine anyone being able to retain that magic. After four movies that slowly dwindled in quality and creative energy, Superman was shelved from the big screen. He flourished on the small screen though, with bothSmallvilleandLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.Tom WellingandDean Cainboth proved to be popular successors of the cape.
It wasn’t until 2006 that Warner Bros. decided to dust off their Kryptonite and throw Superman back on the big screen.Bryan Singer, who kick-started the superhero revolution with his 2000 blockbusterX-Men, was tasked with resurrected Superman. And while it wasn’t a failure, it didn’t strike much interest in the hearts of new fans and the younger demographic whom the movie was targeted at. It was an almost direct sequel to the originalSuperman movies, right down to the fact thatBrandon Routhwas channelingChristopher Reevein an eerie performance that, while great, seemed very redundant. PoorBrandon Routhonly got to play Superman once in a film that is basically Superman 5. It wasn’t until 17 years later that DC, Warner Bros., and directorZack Snyderfound a way to rejuvenate the franchise and make it resonate with today’s audiences. For the most part, they succeeded, even though the film has its problems and its critics. There is no denying thatHenry Cavillmakes for a great Superman. He has all the qualities that fans love about the Superhero. Wholesome, yet he brings a mysterious edge to the Alien. And in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he’ll get to show a side of Superman that we’ve never really seen on the big or small screen before. And while Batman my be getting all the attention now, fans will surely walk away from this next adventure with a different view of the titular hero.
A true human tragedy like 9/11 has nothing on what happens in the third act ofMan of Steel. If this had actually happened, Superman would have probably been destroyed by the governments of the world. Fighting a foe from his home planet, he demolishes an entire city and kills an untold number of innocent bystanders. When we first see him return in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we know that he is hated by a large portion of the population. He is ostracized, even though he can do nothing but good for humanity. He is vilified even further by a young entrepreneur who truly believed a man like Kal-El is bad for business. We know that the first act of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will set up an epic fight between the two superheros of the title. This Super man in the tights and cape must be destroyed. And Batman, a vigilante who has been living in the shadows, is the only man who can do that. But where does Kal-El’s story go from there? We know that Lex Luthor will be his main point of interest, as the villain is targeted for a nice peaceful stay in jail. But what is the rest of this story? We know that Superman and Batman eventually come to some sort of agreement. And we know that Superman leads the charge in setting upJustice League. The specifics of that will only start to fall into place over the next few months. And we won’t know what the climax of this film holds until we hear about the first advanced screenings. The end ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceis still very much a mystery. But what else do we know about that mystery?
The announcement that Ben Affleck is the new Batman was followed by a lion’s roar of fan reverb that has ridden a tidal wave of disgust, admiration, adulation, praise, all the way back to anger and disgust. The first teaser trailer did little to curb that. We don’t really get to see Bruce Wayne. And while he looks fine in his awesome new bat suit, we’re still not sure what Ben Affleck has planned as a performer. What we do know is that this is a Batman who lingers on the edge of retirement. He is old, tired and angry. It is believed, yet never confirmed, that he is responsible for the death of Robin (at the hands of the Joker), whose costume he keeps in the Batcave as a shrine. The new trailer shows Robin’s costume, covered in The Joker’s taunting graffiti, hanging where Bruce can always see it, and be reminded of the tragedy. He no longer lives in Wayne Manor, instead residing in a small guest house that overlooks the Gotham skyline, not far from the Wayne Mortuary where his parents are buried. He fights crime from the comforts of his living room, using drone technology to do his dirty work. He also carries a big machine gun when needed, and he’s quickly approaching his 50s. As we’ve seen in recent set video, he doesn’t mind going outside and getting dirty, riding on the top of sports cars to catch a villain, or branding them with his Bat logo. He is still very active. And he has a major beef with Superman. As we see in the latest trailer, Superman, in his fight with Zod, is directly responsible for the destruction of a Wayne building and the death of people inside it. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Bruce Wayne is looking to donate some of his money to cleaning up the damage done to Metropolis. It’s believed that this brings him in contact with Lex Luthor. An agreement is made, and Batman is tasked with taking down the man of steel and getting him off the streets. And he gets to do it wearing armor laced with Kryptonite. That’s a pretty solid set up for Batman’s return afterChristopher NolanandChristian Balemade their epic and legendary Dark Knight trilogy. Right now, audiences know the first half of Batman’s story. The second half of his story is much like Superman’s. Something brings them together to fight a force bigger than themselves. That threat has not yet been revealed. But it will certainly be gargantuan in size. And will work in setting up The Justice League. And it definitely involves Lex Luthor. the big question is, will this lead into anew Batman movie?
6Wonder Woman
Has there been a single bit of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice casting that hasn’t been met with cynicism or disgust by a large portion of the DC Comics fan base? WhenGal Gadotwas announced as Princess Diana of Themyscira, most thought she was too skinny to do the role justice. But she has since bulked up for all the heavy lifting that comes with being Wonder Woman. This will be the first timeWonder Womanwill be seen on the big screen, with a standalone adventure planned for 2017. Warner Bros. and DC have gotten quite a lot of milage out of their initial reveal of the actress in costume at last year’sComic Con, and this year we caught four different glimpses of her in the trailer, both in and out of her traditional outfit. She uses her iconic brackets to cause a major explosion, and is seen fighting Superman. Other than that quick tease, though, we don’t get to see much more. Apparently, the 30 year oldGal Gadotwill be portraying a Wonder Woman who is very old. There will be photos of the character in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that date back hundreds of years, with the standalone movie said to be a prequel. How Batman and Superman are introduced to her is still anyone’s guess. Though it has been hinted at that she will participated in the gigantic end battle. This has been teased in leaked promo and concept art. There has also been word that Diana’s American boyfriend Steve Trevor may appear, while she may also be romantically tied to Bruce Wayne. We have seen nothing official that confirms this. Other reports say she only has a cameo. And we know at one point she shows up in a cape.
5Lex Luthor
When it comes to the main characters in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, perhaps we know the most aboutJesse Eisenberg’sLex Luthor. We know he will be bald at some point, though the newest trailer only shows him with hair. He has also been described as a captain of industry, a young self-made businessman who comes from new money. He hates the extraterrestrial known as Superman, and wants to eradicate him. It is both speculated and rumored that he is the catalyst who sets the Batman/Superman fight in motion, recruiting vigilante Bruce Wayne to end this outer space menace responsible for doing so much damage to Metropolis. We know this won’t be a silly take on the character, and is far removed from whatGene Hackmandid in the original 1978Superman. In fact, this portrayal of Luther won’t be like anything we’ve ever seen before. Director Zack Snyder described the character as someone having a deep internal struggle with himself. He believes and says what is on his mind. While we hadn’t seenJesse Eisenbergin action as Lex Luthor, that all changed with theComic Con 2015trailer, which shows quite a bit of the villain teaming up with an unnamed Senator played byHolly Hunter. He is certainly a bit wacky. He also has a huge chuck of Kryptonite he keeps in a collectors case. Along with the dead body of Zod, just as rumors had hinted. But what is his real place in this story? That, we don’t quite know yet.
4Aquaman, Flash and The Justice League
As evident from the official title Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we know that this next DC Comics movie, which is not a ‘direct’ sequel toMan of Steel, sets up the ensemble superhero group known asJustice League, which will lead into 2017’sJustice League Part 1and 2018’sJustice League Part 2. The main characters will appear at the very end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Along with Wonder Woman, they includeJason Momoa’sAquaman,Ezra Miller’sThe FlashandRay Fisher’sCyborg, all of whom are getting their own solo movies leading into 2020. Green Lantern, who has not yet been cast, will not likely feature in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, instead showing up towards the end ofJustice League Part 1.Wonder Woman’s role in the movie has been called an ‘extended cameo’, while Aquaman likely only has two very short scenes, one of which shows him in a containment cell. Before showing up in the last scene,Ezra Miller’s Flash is said to only get a very quick|cameo, appearing as a speeding streak. While all of these super heroes will have a presence in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, expect it to be a very small one.
3The Joker
We know thatJared Letois giving it his all, appearing as The Joker in 2016’sSuicide Squad. But there is alot of evidencethat we will see him on the big screen first in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The villain is rumored to have killed Robin, whose superhero tights hang in memoriam inside the Batcave. Once a rumor, this was proven true in the latest trailer, which showed the suit covered in yellow spray paint, taunting The Batman. Earlier this year,Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne and a stuntman wearing a Batman suit showed up on the Toronto set ofSuicide Squadfor an epic car chase, which gets shown in theSuicide Squadtrailer. But some still believe that this is actually a flashback that will be used in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, notSuicide Squad, to help set up Batman as a character, and reveal some of his tragic and tormented backstory. It isn’t expected to be a very long scene, and will show Joker killing Jason Todd, a.k.a. Robin, in homage to the iconic 1988 comic A Death in the Family. In the mythology set up by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Joker is said to be the only one to ever come face to face with the vigilante. The storyline inSuicide Squadis said to take place immediately afterMan of Steeland just before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While none of this has been confirmed, it is clear that in building the bigger DC Cinematic Universe, The Joker’s relationship with Batman will be what ties both of their 2016 releases together.
2Gotham and Metropolis Are Neighboring Cities
At Comic-Con, directorZack Snyderrevealed that he is breaking a major rule from the comic books in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And that’s having Superman’s Metropolis right up next to Batman’s Gotham City. There has never been a concrete proximity between the two burgs in the comics. Sometimes the cities are within driving distance of one another. Other times they are said to be 100s of miles apart. Here, they will essential be twin cities, and are compared to Bay Area’s San Francisco and Oakland. This works in setting up Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Metropolis, and explains why he’s so upset at Superman. As we see in the new trailer, one of Bruce’s buildings falls during the climactic end fight inMan of Steel, killing a number of his employees and perhaps a relative or two. Metropolis will represent the wealthy elite, with Gotham housing the poor, setting up an interesting dynamic that is reflected back in the two superheroes and the socio-economic landscape in which they fight for justice.
1The Epic Title Fight
As teased in the first trailer, and further explored in the more recent Comic-Con trailer, Bruce Wayne and Kal-El will suit up to fight in the drizzly streets of Metropolis for the epicBatman Vs Supermanfight hinted at in the title. The brawl takes place almost an hour into the movie, marking the halfway point. And it promises to be one of the most epic fights every witnessed in a superhero movie up until this point. Which is probably daunting in light of some of the fights already witnessed inMarvel’s The Avengersand it’s sequelAvengers: Age of Ultron. StarHenry Cavillhas teased that the two heroes will avoid a direct conflict, but that seems unlikely for a lot of reasons. Especially the fact that the trailer shows them beating the heck out of each other. We don’t know who wins the fight, but Superman is the odds on favorite, unless Batman pulls out some sort of secret weapon (Kyrptonite spear, anyone?) It is believed that the arrival of Doomsday is what stops the pair from squabbling, but that is only speculation and rumor at this point, with nothing confirmed by anyone involved in the production or the recent trailer. It is believed that the President has sent Superman to stop Batman from using his dark and deadly methods in cleaning up Gotham City, while Lex Luthor has recruited Batman to put an end to Kal-El’s earth-damaging attempts to save humanity. And though director Zack Snyder has often said that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is based on Frank Miller’s seminalDark Knight Returns, this fight will be very different from anything seen in the comic books.
That what you should know abut Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Keep checking as we’ll be updating this as more interesting and exciting information gets released. A whole ton of images and photos is expected fromComic Con 2015. We’ll have everything for you, so check back often!
