Comic-Con is just a few short weeks away so expect a blitz of marketing from “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (God, I still can’t get over how bad of a name that is). Frankly, I was expecting an Entertainment Weekly cover (though that might still be in the works), but instead, since we’ve already had a first look of Ben Affleck in costume as Batman, USA Today had unveiled the first official look at Henry Cavill as Superman (spoiler, he looks a lot like he did in “Man Of Steel”).
As you’d probably expect, since it is a Zack Snyder film after all, the photo of Superman this time is dark, gloomy and gritty; the brooding hero standing in the rain at night (maybe like an old Aerosmith video from the ‘90s) probably with a lot on his mind, wrestling with demons or concerned with what to do with this Batman character (one that Snyder confirms will be road-weary: "it’s cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys"). I’ll assume he’s in Gotham where it rains and is overcast 24/7.
Snyder tells the publication that the new movie is "thicker, denser and more epic than ‘Man of Steel’." And of course, it will feature Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and other characters who will go on to join the “Justice League” movie that Snyder will direct for 2017 (possibly with Jason Momoa playing Aquaman). Most of the “Man Of Steel” cast returns, including Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne, while among the new additions is Jessie Eisenberg as a young Lex Luthor.
Snyder says he was in no hurry to add Batman to the movie and at first thought he was simply making a “Man Of Steel” sequel. "I was in no rush to put Batman in the movie," Snyder explained, "but on the other hand it seemed organic the way our story was unfolding to start to feather him in." Stressing that it’s not necessarily a face-off movie between the two characters, Snyder said note the “v.” in the title of the film rather than “vs.” OK, sure.
It’s not like I’m basing my entire opinion of this movie on two photos, but I will say it’s slightly irksome to see both photos so dark and humorless. I certainly wouldn’t want a light and goofy movie a la Marvel, but man, Snyder seems to take these things soooo seriously. So did Christopher Nolan too, but obviously he’s a much more sophisticated and nuanced filmmaker and those movies were beyond just Dark And Grim 101. "You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it’s Batman and Superman, let’s just be honest," Snyder said "I don’t know how you get bigger than that."
Does that just mean every movie is bigger and bigger and more epic and loud, etc? “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”—still plenty of time to change that name guys!—is due in theaters May 6, 2016, though, since it shares a date with “Captain America 3," one of them will likely move. Full first look photo below. Someone get that hero an umbrella.
