First off, this is just my opinion, so please don’t get upset if you don’t like this article, and feel free to disagree.
Now, I am a big Superman and Batman fan, and I am excited that the two of them are finally getting a big, live-action team-up film. I would prefer that Warner Bros. do a solo Man of Steel sequel and a solo Batman reboot before leading up to a World’s Finest film, but the reality is Warner Bros. is going straight into a team-up movie.
Zack Snyder has stated that they are not adapting “The Dark Knight Returns,” only using it to “inform” them, but I think WB should be looking at other Superman/Batman stories for inspiration and information. After all, even though “The Dark Knight Returns” is good for what it is, a nearly-crazed Batman and a Superman that answers to the president are far from the classic versions of the characters, and the graphic novel is not a “first encounter” meeting between Superman and Batman.
I believe WB should be looking at the first story arc Superman/Batman comic series that started in 2003, and the animated film “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” as a source of inspiration. I’m not saying that they should directly adapt it, just use it as a reference for a more classic version of the characters and their friendship. While they don’t always get along, as it should be, they are not completely antagonizing of one another, and they even crack a few jokes. I want the relationship between Superman and Batman to be enjoyable to watch, with witty banter and a legitimate friendship where they treat each other as equals and know each others’ strengths and weaknesses. I do not want their relationship to be some total rivalry where they are always at each others’ throats. I want this film to be more fun than Man of Steel or The Dark Knight, maybe not as humorous as The Avengers, but still really entertaining.
Even though this upcoming film is currently often referred to as “Superman vs. Batman” or “Batman vs. Superman,” I actually do not want Superman and Batman to engage in a physical fight for many reasons. First of all, let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be much of a fight, especially after how powerful Superman was in “Man of Steel.” But more importantly, it is usually not in Superman’s character for him to physically attack a human, and in most “Superman vs. Batman” stories I’ve seen, Superman is either possessed or under some kind of mind control in order for this fight to happen, which is a plot idea I don’t care for. The climatic fight in “The Dark Knight Returns” is an exception, but they still had to greatly change both characters for that fight to occur.
Another reason I’m against a fight is because Zack Snyder and WB put a lot of effort to rejuvenate the “fallen king” and make Superman “cool” again for people who weren’t exactly fans before Man of Steel, and wouldn’t it be a step backwards if a human was a challenge for him? Also, while I am a huge fan of The Avengers, I don’t want every team-up movie to feature the future teammates fighting. I believe most people don’t succumb to blows when they first meet, and I would like to believe level-headed people like Superman and Batman can meet for the first time and not duke it out.
As far as story goes, I think some elements from “Public Enemies” could work well in a movie too. Obviously not a direct adaption because Superman and Batman know each other pretty well in “Public Enemies,” and because the storyline uses a lot of characters that are not yet introduced in DC’s Cinematic Universe.
But, you could use some ideas from that story arc, and here is my idea for the movie’s plot. You could have a powerful businessman like Lex Luthor, who has no trust in Superman, organize a clever anti-superhero campaign after all the destruction caused in Metropolis when he fought General Zod to the death. Then, when a slightly inexperienced Batman accidentally causes some collateral damage when he stops a villain in Gotham, Luthor’s campaign also targets Batman.
This could lead to Luthor reaching out to the government to recruit fan-favorite comic book characters to take down Superman and Batman (IMO Captain Atom, who has been kept secret from the public, because he works for the government and they trust him unlike other super-powered characters; and a mercenary like Deathstroke). And now that they are both being targeted, Superman and Batman form an unlikely friendship to fight off those after them.
I do not have any ideas where the plot would go after that, but I would like this kind of plot more than a story where Superman and Batman are set up to fight each other, only to discover later on that some villain set it up. To me, the latter sounds a little too silly, but that’s just my opinion.
Again, this is just my thoughts on what I want from a World’s Finest movie. Even if the upcoming movie is nothing like this, I am still very excited for it, and I hope it’s every bit as awesome as it should be.