It had to happen eventually. Warner Bros. has confirmed that Zack Snyder’s next Superman movie will also feature Batman, with the plot taking inspiration from Frank Miller’s critically-acclaimed graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns. But who will play the new Batman?
[credit provider=”DC Comics” url=”http://dccomics.com”]
This was easily the biggest announcement at Comic-Con 2013 — or arguably any Comic-Con before it. Batman and Superman are finally going to share the big screen together after decades of botched projects and false starts.
The film is slated for release in 2015 and will chiefly comprise of the same creative team that brought us The Man of Steel. Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Superman/Kal-El with Zack Snyder returning to the director’s chair. David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan will take care of writing and executive producing duties, respectively.
Here’s the official announcement from Warner Bros:
On the heels of the worldwide success of “Man of Steel,” director Zack Snyder is bringing together the two greatest Super Heroes of all time—Batman and Superman—for the first time on the big screen. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
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The current hit, “Man of Steel,” has taken in more than $630 million at the worldwide box office to date, and climbing. Along with its star, Henry Cavill, the upcoming film brings back Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.
The new Batman has yet to be cast.
Snyder is co-writing the story with David S. Goyer, who will then pen the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in 2014, with an anticipated release date in Summer 2015.
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Silverman stated, “Zack Snyder is an incredibly talented filmmaker, but beyond that, he’s a fan first and he utterly gets this genre. We could not think of anyone better suited to the task of bringing these iconic Super Heroes to the screen in his own way.” Kroll added, “We are thrilled to be back in business with Zack and his team on this next movie. The success of ‘Man of Steel’ is a wonderful testament to the love and support that both fans and new audiences, worldwide, have for these characters. We are very excited to see what Zack has in store for all of us.”
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Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, noted, “Superman and Batman together on the big screen is a dream come true for DC fans everywhere. All of us at DC Entertainment could not be more excited for Zack’s continuing vision for the DC Universe.”
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Zack Snyder, who made a surprise appearance at Comic-Con today, breaking the news to audiences there, later said, “I’m so excited to begin working again with Henry Cavill in the world we created, and I can’t wait to expand the DC Universe in this next chapter. Let’s face it, it’s beyond mythological to have Superman and our new Batman facing off, since they are the greatest Super Heroes in the world.”
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The new film brings back Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder as producers. This time, Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are serving as executive producers, along with Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan. Thomas offered, “Whilst our ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy is complete, we have every confidence that Zack’s fresh interpretation will take the character in a new and exciting direction. His vision for Superman opened the door to a whole new universe and we can’t wait to see what Zack does with these characters.” The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, and Batman characters created by Bob Kane, published by DC Entertainment
After the colossal success of Marvel’s The Avengers it’s little wonder that DC is keen to bring its two most iconic superheroes together in one movie.
The only missing piece of the puzzle is the casting of Batman.
Apparently, Christian Bale is highly unlikely to return to the role, which means the character will need to be completely reintroduced for the new movie.
During the Comic-Con announcement, Snyder indicated that while the film won’t be a direct adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, it will “help us tell that story”. This suggests a much older Batman in the twilight of his crime-fighting years.
Wait… one more surprise! @ZackSnyder appears on stage and officially confirms a sequel for #ManofSteel!
— Warner Bros Pictures (@wbpictures) July 20, 2013
Director @ZackSnyder unites #Batman and #Superman in one explosive new film. Official press release: http://t.co/YeheKPIE1A #ManofSteel
— Warner Bros Pictures (@wbpictures) July 20, 2013
There you go. Superman and Batman together in next movie. pic.twitter.com/cw6IuRG6TO
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) July 20, 2013
Perhaps they could bring back Michael Keaton? Or maybe they could convince Harrison Ford to get into shape for a grumpier take on the dark knight? Or are these terrible ideas? Let is know who you think should play the role in the comments section below.