It won’t be long now until one of the most anticipated events in DC cinematic history – yes, there's only about two months to go until Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice lands in theaters and sets two of DC’s most respected heroes against each other.
Now Iron Man, Captain America, and all the rest of the Avengers might be heavyweight champs at the box office these days, but new competition is definitely headed their way – and it’s not Thor’s twisted brother, Loki. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are about to take on each other, as well as a group of misfit bad guys. Warner Brothers is finally getting serious about building its own comic book universe for audiences to get lost in, and the buzz is building! Projected to have huge payoffs through a series of films, there is little doubt that the appeal is going to wear off any time soon.
Director, Zack Snyder, takes the helm on Batman v Superman (in theaters March 25) after years of Marvel Studios owning the superhero world. Snyder is bringing together Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman for the first time on film. Later this year, things will get a little more crazy with David Ayer’s Suicide Squad (out August 5), which touts an anti-hero ensemble that would make even the most solid of superheroes just a little squeamish. To whet your cinematic whistles: Will Smith will take on the assassin, Deadshot, while the beautiful, Margot Robbie, will play maniac madwoman, Harley Quinn, and everyone’s fave crazed super villain, the Joker, who was shaped in the past by greats like Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger, will be refreshed by Oscar winner, Jared Leto.
Jared Leto in a still from the Suicide Squad trailer, 2016
One of the things Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has in its arsenal is the involvement of composer, Hans Zimmer, who has previously scored Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. Zimmer’s involvement promises to lend some dark, orchestral familiarity to Snyder’s film. In order to update the music, Zimmer collaborated with Junkie XL (the bandleader behind Mad Max: Fury Road) on the upcoming superhero movie.“Electric”, “bombastic”, “loud and epic” have all been used to describe the first tracks, available for listen online now.
But one of the biggest things — both literally and figuratively — to grace the blogosphere after the most recent trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was Doomsday, the mutant evildoer who looks to be in a rather weighty battle against Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman near the trailer’s end. As comic book fans are sure to know, Doomsday, is a genetically-engineered, Kryptonian project gone horribly wrong. The monster is a highly-aggressive, mutated super-soldier who kills Superman in the famous Superman: Doomsday story. It’s unclear how Snyder plans on connecting Doomsday to the Justice League movies, though some speculate it very well could take DC and Superman back to Krypton. It’s gotten many fans voicing confusion as to why Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. have chosen to reveal Doomsday so soon, but Snyder says he’s got good reason for showing the character so early, and suggests a bigger connection to the Justice League franchise. Time will tell…
Doomsday, still from Batman v Superman trailer, 2016 Warner Bros.
Striving not to be outdone by the big things Marvel is doing, Snyder’s plans for the DC Universe are ambitious, especially given how untested some of these characters are on the big screen. Thanks to set photos, quick glimpses of the Dark Knight in trailers, and a look at Affleck’s IMDB, we know that Batman is making a cameo in Suicide Squad, of which the actor calls his Batman “burnt out” and in the midst of an “existential crisis.”
Although Batman v Superman promises that the pair will come to blows, it is inevitable the two will be forced to team up somehow to combat their mutual enemy: Lex Luthor (at least him...maybe more!). But they won’t have to do it alone, as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman is set to make her DC debut in the film! Gadot is currently filming the Wonder Woman solo film with director Patty Jenkins. Snyder has suggested that she’s a powerful female superhero who needs to be given momentum.
One thing's for sure: audiences are excited and curious for this release. If you can't wait for more, check out Larry's interview with Man of Steel alumn, Michael Shannon, giving some clues to what we might see in this sure fire blockbuster!
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25, followed by Suicide Squad on August 5, Wonder Woman on June 23, 2017 and Justice League: Part One on November 17, 2017.
Still from Batman v Superman trailer, Warner Bros. 2016
-Brandon Davis, News Assistant on Larry King's PoliticKING
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
