Why BATMAN/SUPERMAN Is A Great Way To Officially Kick Off A DC Cinematic Universe

Why BATMAN/SUPERMAN Is A Great Way To Officially Kick Off A DC Cinematic Universe

I, for one, love the idea of a Batman/Superman movie, as it will only help in strengthening a Justice League film. Read on and join me as I discuss why I think that's the case, and offer your own thoughts in the usual place.

Editorial Opinion
By OliverKlossof - Sep 05, 2013 07:09 AM EST
Filed Under: Batman





Ever since the show stopping Comic Con announcement and all the way through the casting of Ben Affleck, geek circles on the net have been abuzz with the sequel to Man of Steel (known only at this point as Batman vs. Superman or vice versa). Everything from who will be the villain(s) to will we see Gotham to will other DC favorites cameo in the film. Some love the decision to finally bring these two titans of the comic book world together on screen while other loathe it as yet another money grab on behalf of DC/Warner Bros. while they attempt to compete in earnest with the runaway freight train of success that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I, for one, love the idea of a Batman/Superman movie, as it will only help in strengthening a Justice League film. Why is that? Quite simply because Batman and Superman are arguably the two most popular superheroes ever and to simply toss them in the mix for the first time on Justice League movie would have been folly. One of the great things about The Avengers was that (with the slight exception of Hawkeye) all of our protagonists got an equal chance to shine. That being said, The Avengers is a team populated with lower first and upper second-string characters of Marvel’s universe. Therefore, individual movies that exposed them to the general public and created sufficient character arc to make The Avengers possible were an absolute necessity. Batman does not require this. One of the main complaints when The Amazing Spider Man and Man of Steel were announced was why the origin story was being re-told and in many ways they are right. Batman’s origin – along with that of Superman, Spider Man, and Hulk – is well known to a vast segment of non-comic book readers and with the recent success of the Dark Knight Trilogy, is something that is still fresh in the publics mind. This makes the idea of booting Batman into the new continuity by means of a Superman film a genius idea. Sure, most people want to see Flash, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern share the screen with Batman and Superman, but had a Justice League film been done without this prior collaboration it can pretty much be guaranteed that it would have been no more than Batman vs. Superman featuring these other metahumans that you may or may not care about. Simply because the filmmakers and the studio are going to err on the side of caution and give the bulk of the screen time to the team-up/showdown that people really came to see. It is so much better give them a whole movie to themselves so that people can get over that initial jolt of seeing them on-screen together. So by the time JL rolls around, the script and film can work to the service of all the heroes, not just the two major players.
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LEVITIKUZ
LEVITIKUZ - 9/5/2013, 8:00 AM
Man of Steel kicked if off though.
kinghulk
kinghulk - 9/5/2013, 9:27 AM
im glad it's being made but i do feel like it is a money grab.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/5/2013, 10:40 AM
Without the backdrop of the Dark Knight films, I see absolutely no way this film can work. The origin story is not just to tell how the character came to be Batman but to introduce you to the character...how he thinks about things, what motivates him, what did he go through to get to that point. Just having a knowledge that Bruce Wayne's parents were killed so he became Batman is not enough despite the fact people know the framework of it. It was the history of Bruce Wayne becoming Batman in Batman Begins that raises the tension in his confrontations with Ras Al Ghul. The Batman/Superman film will have NONE of that nor can it take from the plot devices of other films. It will also not have the time to establish chemistry between Batman and Superman while simultaneously introducing Lex Luthor and presumably fleshing out a relationship between Lois and Clark. This is going to be an epic failure on the part of Warner Brothers.
McNyagano
McNyagano - 9/5/2013, 11:39 AM
Bats vs Supes movie seems rushed to me :/
mcpierce
mcpierce - 9/5/2013, 11:57 AM
Omarvis: Not sure where you're getting your information. Zach Snyder said for a while that MOS was "issue #0" for a DC cinematic universe. Long before it was released, DCE was planning out where they wanted to go with their movie properties.
MatTaylorX
MatTaylorX - 9/5/2013, 12:08 PM
This site is quickly becoming the ''We love DC'' site. Man of Steel wasn't very good and they're rushing with this film. It could be good or bad. Wait and see. It's not out for another 2 years!
Brainiac13
Brainiac13 - 9/5/2013, 12:13 PM
I guess you missed MOS! ;)
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 9/5/2013, 12:20 PM
i know some ppl wud agree n say they would want a solo man of steel sequel FIRST instead of a worlds finest being the sequel to man of steel
but i disagree..yes a superman solo sequel would be best
but i think we have all seen a superman movie enough to know its time for a change...thats why we are getting a worlds finest film
plus i wud rather have n pick a worlds finest film over a superman solo sequel ANY DAY of the week
to see these 2 on the big screen for the first time will be AMAZING!!
just like how bane broke the bat on the big screen
that was AMAZING!!!

with that being said i am excited for this movie and man of steel was def. the START of the DC universe..and zack along with DC said it too..depending on how the film does in the box office WILL determine what to do next with DC...so worlds finest is the next time
after that who knows...although i would love to see a WW film cuz its needed i wudnt be surprise if a JL movie comes after worlds finest..

and just like how zack n warner said depending on man of steel success in the box office will determine whats next for DC...worlds finest will be the same IF done well in the box office it will lead to the NEXT step
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 9/5/2013, 12:24 PM
@Mattaylor

i agree with u
im kind of sick of all these editorials about why i love man of steel or worlds finest should be the next film
or why ben affleck shouldnt be batman
or why nolans verse shouldnt be ...etc

like it gets annoying!
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 9/5/2013, 12:27 PM
some may think its a money grab while some think its just a way and a quicker way to build up a DC universe to get to a JL movie if ever happens
instead of a man of steel solo sequel that wud just keep pushing the JL movie futher back
so i think its just a quicker way to build the universe
supermarioworldE
supermarioworldE - 9/5/2013, 12:39 PM
A Batman/Superman film would be a great way to go, but not at the expense of a MOS sequel. We barely got to know Clark and Lois in the first movie. A sequel could've improved that, but now screen time has to be given in order to make way for Bats.

The funny thing is, no one asked for a batman reboot this quickly in the first place.
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 9/5/2013, 12:41 PM
if they wanted a money grab this movie would of been made a while ago i think
MrReese
MrReese - 9/5/2013, 12:44 PM
I'm o.k with it.It gives Bats a reboot without sorta doing a reboot.I'd say wait like 3-5 yrs 4 a solo Bats film. In the meantime they can focus on WW,Flash & GL movies.
MrReese
MrReese - 9/5/2013, 12:52 PM
+ what I think DC could capitalize on is making Batman/Superman films + JL films(not 2 mention the solos).I mean Marvel hasn't done a crossover between 2 characters...maybe DC can launch that.
Gnyah123
Gnyah123 - 9/5/2013, 12:57 PM
3-5 years is too early for a batman reboot!
yes we are currently getting a reboot of spiderman
but nolans trilogy just ended a year ago
i say AFTER the JL movie if ever made...wait a good 7 years for a batman reboot
FOOM
FOOM - 9/5/2013, 1:39 PM
I laughed when I first heard about a World's Finest film. And then when Ben Affleck was cast as Batman I rolled around the floor in hysterics. But having given it a bit of thought I am now totally hyped for this film. Just hope it really will be epic.
kong
kong - 9/5/2013, 1:43 PM
It could be a great way to officially kick off the DCCU, but Man of Steel already did.
OliverKlossof
OliverKlossof - 9/5/2013, 1:48 PM
Enjoying reading the comments - Yes, I am fully aware that MOS was the jumping off point for the DCCU but since we never got that "Nick Fury - Avengers Initiative" moment it was all just a tepid commitment from Warner's IMO. I suppose I could have picked a better title...
OliverKlossof
OliverKlossof - 9/5/2013, 2:34 PM
@Inhuman - I like your train of thought with that timeline of release dates and the introduction of GL and MM in JL. However, I think that Aquaman is a property that is too damaged in the eyes of the GP (thanks to Entourage and countless other parodies) for it to be worthy of a "phase one" DCCU film.

And, if they really want to kick it up a notch they should make John Stewart GL as opposed to Hal Jordan. Why not have diversity (by having a woman and a minority as two of your major players) be a hallmark of Justice League? It would certainly make them beat Marvel to the punch at something...Black Widow, Falcon, and War Machine are cool but they don't carry the weight of a Wonder Woman or Green Lantern.
ScottMontgomery
ScottMontgomery - 9/5/2013, 2:46 PM
All I know is Daniel Day Lewis for Alfred!
datNAMEtho
datNAMEtho - 9/5/2013, 4:08 PM
I think it's absolutely fantastic they're making a Superman/Batman film!!!! I LOVED MOS and can't wait to see Batfleck in this film! I really hope they name it World's Finest, it's a great title.
113
113 - 9/5/2013, 5:27 PM
100% agreed. Many of us were clamoring for a World's Finest movie BEFORE a Justice League movie because it would give the two most popular/beloved comic characters in the world (and in history)their own movie that concentrates on their rivalry and friendship and Justice League could therefore have the room to breath life into WW, Flash, GL, etc...

I do think WW should get her own solo/origin story. Honestly how many people actually know her origin? I certainly couldn't recite it without some help. And DC should beat Marvel to having a female-lead in a superhero movie, WW is the most popular female comicbook character afterall.

So all DC needs to do to lead up to a 5-member Justice League (Supes, Bats, WW, Flash, GL - JOHN STEWART) is World's Finest and a solo Wonder Woman movie. That's very much doable in 2015 and 2016). Someone better have a WW script floating around Hollywood right now.

So yes, by 2017 we could have a legit Justice League movie that is able to introduce people, and concentrate on Flash and GL and their own friendship, instead of just trying to jumble all these characters together without proper lead-in.
Presence1
Presence1 - 9/5/2013, 7:29 PM
I got my wish of a Worlds Finest film, the only other thing I'm hoping for is a easter egg or maybe even a surprised after credits nod to Wonder Woman
jcfrommars9
jcfrommars9 - 9/5/2013, 7:55 PM
@mantinium

I would debate that DC is off to a better start than Marvel. Man of Steel made more money but also cost much more money to make than Iron Man. The production budget to worldwide gross ratio even now favors the latter. And critically Man of Steel wasn't nearly as well received as Iron Man.

@TheBoss117

I wouldn't mind World's Finest hinting at Justice League with more than just an easter egg. I understand Batman and Superman are the two most popular characters but the others need as much light as possible. Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc. Batman and Superman have had so many movies between them (four in the last seven years alone) that their need to be in the limelight isn't as necessary, new universe or not. There would be no complaints from me if they had introduced The Flash in the Man of Steel sequel instead of Batman.
Tymminator
Tymminator - 9/5/2013, 8:35 PM
I'm really looking forward to this movie. So many ways they can play it out...
ALF9001
ALF9001 - 9/5/2013, 9:07 PM
@mantinium its not that easy
Doppelganger
Doppelganger - 9/5/2013, 9:34 PM
man DC character are so lame. They should just stick to batman movies.
3DWitchHunt
3DWitchHunt - 9/5/2013, 9:50 PM
WF is an awesome way to kick all this off
DC has the advantage of owning the rights to all their characters when it comes to film. WB just needs to take initiative and keep the ball rolling after WF
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 9/5/2013, 11:13 PM
World's Finest could bring in cameos or even easter eggs of other DC characters. I hope fans get a WW film or a Flash film.
JorEllinator
JorEllinator - 9/6/2013, 7:51 AM
@Doppelganger
Oh would you just get lost, learn how to spell "characters" too.
SimpleeComplex
SimpleeComplex - 9/6/2013, 2:54 PM
I feel that this Supes/Bats is also rushed. I think Supes needs a sequel to really establish him as a character because let's face Batman seems to be eclipsing him in popularity. Especially since the Nolan films Bats is now topdog and Superman on film in this century is the "underdog". Going straight to this film will show little development on Superman's part because thus far we've seen a very green, lack of confidence Clark and fast forwarding to a seasoned Superman or even worse, a seasoned Batman "schooling" a developing Superman will further weaken the character. With Bale and Nolan officialy behind us, that means referencing anything done in those films would not make sense since this is a retelling. Therefor an origin of Bruce Wayne would have to be retold( ehhh ). Assuming people know Bruce's origin and past exploits would leave people scratchin heads thinking "ok so if this is the same Batman why does he not look, talk and act like Christian Bale...where is Michael Cane?...etc."
I also think it is way too soon for a new Batman. Bale solidified the role and Affleck has huge shoes to fill. Give Supes a solo sequel and a new bats at least another 5 years.
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