Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
Expected: March 25th, 2016
Character synopsis: Batman is a millionaire orphan who became a vigilante, while Superman is an alien from the planet Krypton, adopted by farming couple Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Origins: As a child – named Bruce Wayne – Batman witnessed the brutal, senseless murder of his parents during a street robbery. Deeply traumatized, Wayne inherited his parents’ fortune (and butler, Alfred), and grew up to head Wayne Enterprises while leading a double life as The Dark Knight – a superhero for Gotham City.
Superman was born Kal-El on the planet Krypton to parents Jor-El and Lara. Aware that Krypton was doomed, Jor-El and Lara dispatched the infant Kal-El into space inside a small spacecraft. It crashed in rural America, and was stumbled upon by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who found Kal-El, adopted him, and named him Clark. As he grows, he discovers his superpowers and the Kents teach him how to use them responsibly, and for the good of others – while still protecting his secret identity. As an adult, Clark goes to work at The Daily Planet in Metropolis, where he befriends Lois Lane and editor Perry White.
Powers: Batman has no superpowers, but compensates by being a highly skilled detective, with in-depth scientific knowledge and remarkable athletic abilities. He is well-trained in martial arts, and possesses an incredibly high pain threshold as well as an arsenal of weaponry – courtesy of his family’s business empire.
In contrast, it is generally accepted that Superman’s Kryptonian heritage means he can derive a range of super powers from Earth’s yellow sun. He possesses super strength, invulnerability (except where Kryptonite is concerned), super speed, super vision, super hearing, super intelligence, super breath, and the ability to fly.
Greatest Enemies: Individually, they have many well-known enemies. In Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, however, they will clearly be battling each other – the suggestion being that Batman sees Superman and his god-like powers as a threat, particularly after the destruction and chaos created during the events of Man Of Steel.
Casting: Batman has previously been played by Lewis Wilson, Robert Lowery, Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale. When Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice was announced, Bale quickly stipulated that he would not be returning to the role, and the rumour mill began to turn. The casting of Ben Affleck caused a huge online backlash but, with such a long production schedule, the voices of dissent seem to be relenting.
Superman has previously been played by Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Dean Cain, Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh, among others. When filmmakers sought to reboot the character on film, many names were bandied about in connection with a variety of projects. From Nicholas Cage and Wentworth Miller, to Joe Manganiello – it was not until 2011 that Henry Cavill was confirmed in the role for Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel, returning to face Batman here.
Being a lead-in to Justice League movies, Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. Whether Ezra Miller will appear as The Flash remains to be seen.
History and future: We have never before seen these two iconic characters battle each other in live-action cinema – which makes Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice a historic project. While previous film versions of these two characters have focused solely on the character’s own stories, we are about to witness them clash, then join forces with other heroes for the first time on the big screen. The cultural significance of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, and the two-part Justice League films that will follow, cannot be overstated – and will almost certainly bring us to solo Superman and Batman films featuring beloved characters that are drastically altered in the eyes of billions.
– Sarah Myles