Ben Affleck’s Batman has essentially just help kill off the modern age Superman. Well…killed his momentum anyway. So how has the new caped crusader swooped in like a bat-a-rang and jerked the rug out from under the boy in blue (stealing his thunder in the process)? Read on!
The highly anticipated release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is set to hit the big screen this coming March and Warner Bros. is looking to push The Man of Steel right out of his own sequel. According to Heroic Hollywood, the studio appears dead-set on adding even more Batman footage to the film, thus casting a shadow over American’s favorite shredded superhero. The decision to essentially make Batman the focal point of Superman’s own movie is both puzzling and sad.
It’s no secret that Batman is the engine that drives the DC machine forward, but to punk Superman like this is just a shame. I can’t imagine that Ben Affleck absolutely killed it on set and made a solid actor like Henry Cavill look less of a man. I’m not knocking Affleck, he’s had some pretty decent roles over the years, but Cavill was an absolute beast in Man of Steel . The storyline wasn’t very strong, which is usually the case for superhero movies, but Cavill brought his A-game from start to finish. I just can’t accept this as a valid reason for the decision to dump all over Superman as many news outlets suggest – these guys are professionals and Cavill already showed the world he can play the role.
Aside from the obvious acting debate, I can’t help but wonder if the screenplay is partly to blame. Batman comes packed with loads of awesome vehicles and gadgets, while Superman still shows signs of being a 1930’s creation with his superhuman strength and heightened senses. Perhaps the writers didn’t account for Superman’s lack of new era appeal and simply “went with it” only to be slapped upside the head when post production came. Think about it, Bat’s utility belt and all of its glory versus massive slabs of beef that can move heavy objects. Who sounds more appealing? Either way, you can’t push the main hero aside within his own film. That’s like your older brother getting presents on your birthday – it’s just not right!
The only logical conclusion for me personally is that Warner Bros. is attempting to expand the Batman fan base and prepare the public for the next wave of content that will be produced over the next few years. Affleck is slated to star in a future solo Batman film that will most certainly provide an opportunity for additional sequels. The Batman Arkham video game franchise has been hugely successful and is only going to grow exponentially. Yes, the Arkham series ended this year with Batman: Arkham Knight , but Rocksteady studios will most certainly expand on the success in some form or another. Other Batman-related media is slowly starting to make it’s way to the main stream from Lego sets to toys and apparel. Batman’s gradual rise to the top of DC’s empire is starting to mirror that of Spider-Man’s command of Marvel.
Still, any way you analyze it, pushing Superman out in favor of an already established and growing superhero is just plain wrong. It’s a direct slight to the loyal Superman fans and it’s damaging to the superhero’s established legacy. Yes, Batman is making waves in the 21st century and has been slowly taking command since the Dark Knight hit theatres in 2008. However, forcing him into the faces of audience members at the cost of a respected hero during his own film just feels terrible. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster are collectively rolling in their graves if this rumored change is true.