No matter how you feel about Man of Steel, it's tough not to get at least a little curious about seeing Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman finally sharing a live-action movie in 2016. Whether Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewill be an epic experience or a major disappointment has yet to be revealed. Obviously, we won't know for sure until we see it in a theater, but many of us are wondering how the next DC movie will turn out.
While Zack Snyder'sMan of Steel was technically the beginning of DC's cinematic universe, it didn't feel like it was doing too much worldbuilding and it mostly focused on its titular character. Sure, there were some exciting Easter Eggs here and there, but it's looking like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will give Warner Bros. the chance to really expand its new movieverse. Again, only time will tell whether it'll be added to the list of great comic book movies, but there's a few reasons to feel at least a little excited about the upcoming movie.
*Contains Man of Steel spoilers*
Kal-El is now Superman
Man of Steel was mostly about Kal-El discovering who he is and trying to find his place in the world. He's stepped into the costume and overcome his first big challenge -- an obstacle which forced him to choose between his people or the planet he's grown to call home. Now, he's in the role many expected to see in Man of Steel: he's working for the Daily Planet, has a handle on his powers, and, for the most part, is confident in where he stands in the world. We all saw that actor Henry Cavill has the physical presence down, but his dialogue was limited and many scenes consisted of him reflecting -- he was mostly the strong and silent type. Seeing as this movie will have the Man of Steel interacting with the brilliant and scheming Lex Luthor, the tactical and clever Bruce Wayne, and many more, it feels safe to assume we'll see Cavill have more lines as he has debates with these characters. With opinions divided after what went down in Metropolis and characters like Lex taking advantage of that, Superman will need to speak up, and seeing as Argo's writer assisted with the script, it seems fair to assume both Superman and Clark will have more verbal interactions instead of just reflecting and eventually speaking up.
Snyder's handling of action
Sure, people still argue over how the characters acted in the fights, but the way it was all presented was quite awesome. The meshing of practical and CGI worked well in most of the fights and they reeled us into all of the high speed combat and chaos without making it a nauseating experience. If Snyder turned Faora -- a character many moviegoers haven't heard of -- into a standout villain in brawls, we can only imagine what he'll do to prove how formidable the most iconic female hero in comic book history truly is. It doesn't seem likely Wonder Woman will have a significant role or we'll see much of her origin story just yet, but after giving us a look at Gal Gadot in the armor, it's tough to believe they won't give us a sample of how badass the Amazon can be in combat. And considering Snyder called a radio station to talk about how powerful Aquaman is, it seems more than likely the King of Atlantis won't be a pushover, either.
Many Batman fans want to see the Dark Knight humiliate the Man of Steel. Many Superman fans want to see Bruce Wayne hopelessly outclassed in physical combat. Based on the swift teaser at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, it looks like we'll get a melee inspired by Frank Miller'sTHE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and we're thinking it'll give love to both of these characters. After showing off Kal-El's might in Man of Steel, it's clear Bruce will need to rely on some heavy technology and tactics to stand a chance. Meanwhile, knowing Bruce is a human, Superman likely won't go all out and will hold back a good deal. He'll get his hits in and the implication will be there that he could dominate if he wanted to, but odds are they'll both get some time to shine (Bruce's intellect is sure to keep Clark on his toes) and, since Justice League is next, we all know it'll conclude with them as allies -- or at least that's how it seems. Oh, and that brings us to our next point...
Establishing the Justice League and the Bigger Universe
While Marvel Studios spent years establishing each of the characters on the Avengers roster (except for poor ol' Clint Barton), Warner Bros. wants to come out of the gate swinging with its biggest team. Now, it's totally understandable to be concerned about this approach. How can they work in a satisfying plot with Lex Luthor and take steps to form the Justice League? It's a lot to handle, after all. However, it looks like all of these plot points will stem from the tragedy in Metropolis. Humans are not alone and they now know this. A powerful being claims he wants to be their protector and who knows what other kind of threats could travel to Earth? This could cause core characters to step up and react to what occurred in Man of Steel. They may not form the Justice League before the credits begin to role, but if they swiftly introduce who many of these characters are and what makes them unique, that should build enough interest in seeing them grow in the follow-up.
We don't need to see the details about Diana's origin just yet -- just who she is and why she deserves to be in the spotlight. Give us just enough to swat away popular misconceptions and make audiences leave thinking the character is actually quite cool and has potential. Given the fact an Oscar-winner worked on the screenplay (don't worry, that's our next point), it doesn't seem too far-fetched the film could work in a few details about two additional heroes (Wonder Woman, Aquaman) and tease a few others (Cyborg, maybe Flash). Additionally, Luthor's sure to have an extended role in this franchise and there should be plenty of room for this movie to reveal what makes him a challenge for Superman and how he could prove to be a thorn in the Justice League's side down the road... unless Superman snaps his neck after the big battle, of course. Joking, obviously, but in the right hands, doing the basics to introduce two heroes and tease a bigger future for them shouldn't get in the way of a satisfactory plot thread with Luthor. If anything, the emergence of more non-humans should boost his motivation. Fortunately, Batman's origin doesn't need to be retold (although, it wouldn't surprise us if they work it in during some quick exposition) and the film will probably instead focus on what makes this incarnation unique (he's older, more experienced, and, based on SDCC, has more technology).
Argo's writer
Chris Terrio, an Oscar-winning writer, worked on David S. Goyer's screenplay. Considering his previous work, Argo, thrived on dialogue and tension, this gives us some hope about the various character dynamics this movie will introduce. Like we said above, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has a fair amount on its plate (Batman/Superman relationship, Luthor, introducing new heroes), but Terrio's work on Argo really speaks for itself. Yes, Ben Affleck's Argo is a different genre and far more grounded, but the ability to craft organic, intelligent conversations is something this franchise will need to thrive. Spectacle is good and all, but it needs substance, too. Terrio seems to have what it takes to make sure there's heart and compelling material thrown in there. We have a character who needs to be the symbol of hope, two brilliant humans, and a standalone narrative which needs to open the door to a bigger picture. It won't be easy, but having Terrio onboard to rework Goyer's script means it's more than possible that some of the gripes people have with Man of Steel could be addressed and resolved in this follow-up. Even if you liked Man of Steel, this should still be a promising development.
Follow-up to the Metropolis battle
When aliens invade and devastate part of a major city, there should be some profound ramifications. Set photos imply there's a strong emphasis on this and it's a more than fitting way to push Lex Luthor forward and enhance his conflict with the Kryptonian. Not only that, but remaining technology from the battle could lead to Luthor developing new tech and even discovering Superman's weaknesses. Assuming it's handled well enough, this will also give us insight into Superman's actions in the last movie. How has killing Zod impacted him? What does it mean for him as he moves forward as a hero? How do Batman, Wonder Woman, and other heroes feel about how he resolved the conflict with General Zod and his forces? What happened in Metropolis is a big deal and it's good to see they aren't simply moving forward and forgetting about it.
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