As the title of the film would suggest, Zack Snyder’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will involve Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Kal-El (Henry Cavill) coming to blows in the wake of Superman’s very public arrival in Man of Steel‘s Battle of Metropolis (which was the focus of the teaser trailer). However, concrete details about the projects have been few and far between, with die hard fans and casual moviegoers having to rely on the ever-churning rumor mill for any information about the highly-anticipated event.
The inclusion of Kryptonite and/or the villainous Doomsday being in Batman V Superman are among the many rumors currently surrounding Snyder’s upcoming comic book adaptation. However, we now have a somewhat clearer picture on what to expect from the film. That’s because an official plot synopsis has been revealed, on the eve of the Las Vegas Licensing Expo (where the movie will have a noteworthy presence).
The synopsis (first picked up by Collider) is admittedly not the most descriptive breakdown you could hope for, but it does provide the broad strokes that the script (co-written by David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio) will use:
Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
This does help separate fact from fiction in regards to the plethora of rumors that have popped up since the film was announced close to two years ago. Based on this synopsis, it sounds like Batman serves as the aggressor and initiates the conflict between him and Superman (disproving past rumors that Kal-El will attack the Caped Crusader at the behest of Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg)). It’s not really surprising this is the case, especially considering Alfred’s (Jeremy Irons) monologue in the teaser about how the feeling of powerlessness can turn good men cruel. After seeing the actions of Superman, one can only imagine what must have gone through Bruce Wayne’s mind.
What fans will spend most of their time debating is the “new threat” that pops up and most likely forces the two titular superheroes to reconsider their feud and form an alliance. We know that Superman’s arch nemesis Luthor will have a role to play in the proceedings, but the persisting belief is that he will not be working alone. Though the synopsis doesn’t actually come out and say it, the wording of it certainly lends credence to the Doomsday theories, as that evildoer definitely fits the profile of a “greater danger.” Luthor can do a lot of damage with his massive intellect, but he alone isn’t much of a match for the Justice League members.
A notable absence from the plot description is Wonder Woman, who will be making her big screen debut in this movie. With the crux of the storyline being Batman and Superman trying to settle their differences in ideologies, some have been wondering exactly how Princess Diana will fit in to the narrative. While other DC heroes (like Aquaman) are expected to make cameo appearances, it looks like Wonder Woman will have a somewhat meaty role in Dawn of Justice, considering actress Gal Gadot has talked about the “intense” training regiment she underwent to prepare for the part. For now, at least, Warner Bros. is keeping her arc under lock and key.
As we progress through the summer, this may serve as just the beginning of a heavy Batman V Superman marketing push. With Marvel Studios sitting next month’s San Diego Comic-Con out, the door is open for WB/DC to make a big splash with footage from their impending releases and other major reveals. Perhaps we’ll learn more in Hall H, but right now, this synopsis will have to do. Let the next round of speculating begin!
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will be in theaters on March 25th, 2016; Suicide Squad on August 5th, 2016; Wonder Woman – June 23rd, 2017; Justice League – November 17th, 2017; The Flash – March 23rd, 2018; Aquaman – July 27th, 2018; Shazam – April 5th, 2019; Justice League 2 – June 14th, 2019; Cyborg – April 3rd, 2020; Green Lantern – June 19th, 2020.
The inclusion of Kryptonite and/or the villainous Doomsday being in Batman V Superman are among the many rumors currently surrounding Snyder’s upcoming comic book adaptation. However, we now have a somewhat clearer picture on what to expect from the film. That’s because an official plot synopsis has been revealed, on the eve of the Las Vegas Licensing Expo (where the movie will have a noteworthy presence).
The synopsis (first picked up by Collider) is admittedly not the most descriptive breakdown you could hope for, but it does provide the broad strokes that the script (co-written by David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio) will use:
Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
This does help separate fact from fiction in regards to the plethora of rumors that have popped up since the film was announced close to two years ago. Based on this synopsis, it sounds like Batman serves as the aggressor and initiates the conflict between him and Superman (disproving past rumors that Kal-El will attack the Caped Crusader at the behest of Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg)). It’s not really surprising this is the case, especially considering Alfred’s (Jeremy Irons) monologue in the teaser about how the feeling of powerlessness can turn good men cruel. After seeing the actions of Superman, one can only imagine what must have gone through Bruce Wayne’s mind.
What fans will spend most of their time debating is the “new threat” that pops up and most likely forces the two titular superheroes to reconsider their feud and form an alliance. We know that Superman’s arch nemesis Luthor will have a role to play in the proceedings, but the persisting belief is that he will not be working alone. Though the synopsis doesn’t actually come out and say it, the wording of it certainly lends credence to the Doomsday theories, as that evildoer definitely fits the profile of a “greater danger.” Luthor can do a lot of damage with his massive intellect, but he alone isn’t much of a match for the Justice League members.
A notable absence from the plot description is Wonder Woman, who will be making her big screen debut in this movie. With the crux of the storyline being Batman and Superman trying to settle their differences in ideologies, some have been wondering exactly how Princess Diana will fit in to the narrative. While other DC heroes (like Aquaman) are expected to make cameo appearances, it looks like Wonder Woman will have a somewhat meaty role in Dawn of Justice, considering actress Gal Gadot has talked about the “intense” training regiment she underwent to prepare for the part. For now, at least, Warner Bros. is keeping her arc under lock and key.
As we progress through the summer, this may serve as just the beginning of a heavy Batman V Superman marketing push. With Marvel Studios sitting next month’s San Diego Comic-Con out, the door is open for WB/DC to make a big splash with footage from their impending releases and other major reveals. Perhaps we’ll learn more in Hall H, but right now, this synopsis will have to do. Let the next round of speculating begin!
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will be in theaters on March 25th, 2016; Suicide Squad on August 5th, 2016; Wonder Woman – June 23rd, 2017; Justice League – November 17th, 2017; The Flash – March 23rd, 2018; Aquaman – July 27th, 2018; Shazam – April 5th, 2019; Justice League 2 – June 14th, 2019; Cyborg – April 3rd, 2020; Green Lantern – June 19th, 2020.