5 Things Which Need To Be Included In The R-Rated Ultimate Cut Of BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
The release of the R-Rated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice "Ultimate Cut" is right around the corner, and what you'll find here are the essential (and most likely) things which need to be included.
After all, director Zack Snyder definitely delivered with the various extended cuts of Watchmen, and with so much footage from Batman v Superman ending up on the cutting room floor, there has to be enough material there to completely transform this divisive release into something very different.
So, with all of that in mind, what you'll find here is a look at the five things which are most essential for the Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman to be truly amazing. From deleted scenes which were rumoured but mysteriously vanished to the addition of certain things you would only expect to see in an R-Rated movie, these being included could very well elevate the movie into greatness...
5. Steppenwolf? Darkseid? The Justice League Big Bad
For reasons unknown, Warner Bros. revealed a deleted scene from Batman v Superman shortly after the movie's release which depicted Lex Luthor communicating with a mysterious looking demonic figure who has since been identified (unofficially) as Steppenwolf, the rumoured big bad of next year's Justice League movie.
Zack Snyder has previously said this Ultimate Cut would drop some more hints about that impending release, and some clarification on who Lex has been commuicating with, how he managed that, and what ramifications it's going to have is essential. While Darkseid is no doubt being saved for Justice League, some more hints about his existence would be nice, as would an explanation in regards to what significance those three Mother Boxes have. This may seem like I'm asking a lot, but seeing as Snyder shot a four hour plus movie, chances are that the answers are in there somewhere.
4. More Lex Luthor (And A Little Bit Of Bizarro)
I know many of you would rather shave your own heads than see more of Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor, but bear with me here. It would be great for this Ultimate Cut to show us some of Luthor's failed experiments, one of whom could possibly be a character who it was rumoured would show up a couple of months before the movie was released. I'm talking about Bizarro, and the sight of a series of failed Superman clones all piled up in the bowels of LexCorp would make for a very disturbing piece of imagery.
In fact, it's the R-Rating which could allow this version to go a little overboard with showing off the horrors Luthor has been attempting to create behind closed doors before he got his hands on the remains of General Zod. As divisive as this take on the classic comic book villain has been, there's no denying that he could be redeemed somewhat if this movie were to delve into what a complete lunatic he is.
3. Extra Blood And Violence
We saw Superman sporting what looked like a bloody mouth in one of the TV spots for Batman v Superman, but the MPAA's strict guidelines meant things couldn't get any more extreme than that in the theatrical cut of the movie. However, this R-Rated version will give Snyder the chance to bring in more of the stylised violence he used so well in the likes of 300 and Watchmen, and may very well make all the difference to both the battle between the two titular heroes and the Dark Knight's brutal war on crime.
The addition of blood makes things feel more realistic and brutal, and you need only look at something like the fight between Ozymandias and The Comedian at the beginning of Watchmen for proof of that. The addition of blood won't necessarily "save" Batman v Superman from its other issues, but it could make it a lot more enjoyable for fans of a little crimson in their comic book movies.
2. The Batman Drops An F-Bomb
This may seem kind of silly, but bear with me. In all of the screenings of Batman v Superman I went to, his "Oh, shit!" moment got a great reception, and it would be just as much fun to see him drop a "f**k" in this R-Rated cut. Of course, we know from the X-Men movies that the word can be used sparingly in a PG-13 release, but due to the other rating pushing elements of the original theatrical cut, this definitely feels like something which might have been saved for the Ultimate Edition.
Besides, it's not like this is unheard of in the comic books; in Frank Miller and Jim Lee's All-Star Batman, the character is as foul mouthed as you would expect a hard nosed vigilante to be! Ultimately, this won't make a massive difference to Batman v Superman, but you have to admit that it might make for a nice addition, especially if it's handled in a humorous and fun way (the latter being something critics said this movie was sorely lacking).
1. The Joker
It would be a major selling point, while seeing the Clown Prince of Crime brutally attacking Jason Todd (who could easily be concealed in shadow) or gunning down Batgirl (played by Jena Malone) is something comic book fans have been waiting to see in live-action for years now. If these scenes do exist, the regular version of the movie would have more than likely use implied violence for them, this R-Rated cut could really go all out showing how evil the villain is by upping the violence and making these moments count.
What do you most want to see in the Ultimate Cut of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? As always, share your thoughts in the usual place.