I went to see Supergirl earlier this week, and contrary to what you may have heard from some haters, it’s a fun ride. It’s not exactly The Dark Knight or even Iron Man 1, but it’s a nice time at the movies. It’s got some enjoyable action sequences, a lot of laughs, good performances from likeable co-stars Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa in particular, and most importantly for this article, a breezy little runtime of one hour and forty-seven minutes.

To be clear, I’m not here to advocate that one hour and forty-seven minutes is a scientifically proven perfect runtime for every movie. It’s not. It’s not even the perfect runtime for every superhero movie. What I am here to zealously advocate for, however, is a movie being the right length for its tone, subject matter and the story it’s trying to tell. That’s not something every so-called event film gets, and it’s something DC, in particular, has often struggled with.

The History Of DC Runtimes

Here are the runtimes for every major, non-animated DC release since Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy concluded. Supergirl (1 hour, 47 minutes), Superman (2 hours, 9 minutes), Joker 2 (2 hours, 18 minutes), Aquaman 2 (2 hours, 4 minutes), Blue Beetle (2 hours, 7 minutes), The Flash (2 hours, 24 minutes), Shazam 2 (2 hours, 10 minutes), Black Adam (2 hours, 5 minutes), The Batman (2 hours, 56 minutes), The Suicide Squad (2 hours, 12 minutes), The Snyder Cut (4 hours, 2 minutes), Wonder Woman 1984 (2 hours, 31 minutes), Birds Of Prey (1 hour, 49 minutes), Joker 1 (2 hours, 2 minutes), Shazam 1 (2 hours, 12 minutes) Aquaman 1 (2 hours, 23 minutes), Justice League (2 hours), Wonder Woman (2 hours, 21 minutes), the other Suicide Squad (2 hours, 3 minutes), Batman V Superman (2 hours, 31 minutes) and Man Of Steel (2 hours, 23 minutes).

There are definitely some bangers on the above list. Joker 1 is obviously great. The Batman, Wonder Woman 1 and several others are also strong movies. Quite a few more are pretty solid, but so many others are flat out just not that enjoyable to watch because they drag and get boring. Wonder Woman 1984 has a fun little throwback vibe for a little while, but it does not even come close to sustaining that over more than two and a half hours. I swear Man Of Steel features like ten or fifteen entire minutes of characters being thrown into different buildings. At least a half dozen of these movies are a slog to get through, but they may have been a lot more enjoyable if they cut 20 or 30 minutes out.

It’s wild that only two of the movies on the above list are under two hours. I’m definitely not arguing that Supergirl and Birds Of Prey are the best two films on the list. Birds Of Prey has some issues, and Supergirl is definitely not as good as at least the first three titles I mentioned. That being said, they’re more enjoyable than a lot of the stuff on the list because they get in and they get out. They don’t need more time to stretch out the story; so, they leave the extra bits on the cutting room floor. They were edited with a sense of pace and purpose in mind.

A Movie Should Be As Long As It Needs To Be

Maybe it’s because movie tickets have gotten really expensive. Maybe it’s because there’s more to watch at home via streaming services than ever before. Maybe it’s because our expectations have just collectively changed. Whatever the reason, there’s this prevailing idea right now that only certain movies are worth seeing in theaters, and if we actually go see those in theaters, we better get enough value for our money. The thing is, though, the value that’s most important to everyone is the movie being good or at least fun to watch.

And the thing about good movies is that there’s no inherent correct runtime. Each individual movie should be as long as the movie needs to be, which is sometimes under ninety minutes and sometimes three hours. That might sound stupidly obvious, but a lot of so-called event films, and especially superhero films, get stuck on this idea that they need to be long so they’ll feel epic and important. But not every superhero movie necessarily needs to feel epic. Some of them need to be honest that the stakes just aren’t that high.

For every assemble-the-team-style narrative like in Avengers 1 or creatively artsy and well-made prestige piece like Batman Begins, there are a half dozen that just want to provide a nice escape. They’re just trying to tell a relatively basic story, hit us with a couple of big action moments, offer a few laughs and send us on our way. Those movies in particular need to have a runtime that’s proportional to their momentum. If they can maintain the energy, excitement and laughs for two hours, then they should be two hours. If they start running out of steam after an hour and a half, then they should trim the fat.

I’ve probably been to the movies close to a thousand times in my life, and I’ve never watched a bad movie and thought, well, at least it was really long, so I got my money’s worth. Has anyone ever thought that in the history of going to the movies? The point of watching a movie is to be entertained, and everyone on Earth and Krypton would rather watch good content for an hour and forty-five minutes than bad content for two and a half hours. Shoutout to Supergirl for remembering that.

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The last son of Krypton had the honor (and curse?) of being the first superhero to spawn a franchise of blockbusters back in the ‘70s with Christopher Reeves’ portrayal. Superman movies have remained a staple in Hollywood over the years, but not without some growing pains. Even as a mustachioed Henry Cavill joined Zack Snyder to reveal the upcoming exciting return of the Man of Steel for the filmmaker’s long-awaited version of Justice League coming to HBO Max, Warner Bros is technically at a stand still with Kal-El.

There have been a ton of Superman projects that were in the works at one time but never made it far enough into production. What's surprising is the amount of esteemed filmmakers that have been at the center of these scrapped projects on the hero in the past 30 years. Let's go through them:

Jonathan Lemkin’s Superman Reborn

Back in the early ‘90s after The Death of Superman comic book crossover event made waves, Warner Bros was shopping for a comeback for the superhero. The studio purchased the storyline from DC and hired Jonathan Lemkin (Devil’s Advocate, Lethal Weapon 4) to write a script. Lemkin came up with a storyline that involved Superman losing a massive fight with Doomsday. Just as he reaches his death, his life force goes through Lois Lane and she ends up being impregnated with his child through virgin birth. Yes. This was an actual Superman script.

Lois’ child quickly grows into an adult in the matter of a few weeks as a resurrected Superman who finishes the job for Sups. Warner Bros reportedly passed on the script because it had too many similarities with Bruce’s arc in Batman Forever, according to The Greatest Sci-fi Movies Never Made. Hey I don’t see it, but there you have it, that's the story of why Superman Reborn never got past the script process.

Kevin Smith And Tim Burton’s Superman Lives with Nicolas Cage

Script-writing duties were then placed into the hands of Kevin Smith, who had broken out with Clerks and Mallrats at the time. His film called Superman Lives also included Doomsday, but under the orders of Brainiac and Lex Luthor. The villains outsmart Superman by blocking the Sun (the source of his powers) from him. But he is then resurrected by the Eradicator, a Kryptonian robot, and becomes sheathed in a robotic suit to take down Brainiac.

Following his work on the Batman movies, Tim Burton was hired to direct the script and Nicolas Cage came on board to play Superman. Smith had originally thought up Ben Affleck for the role and some other frequent collaborators in key roles such as Michael Rooker as Lex Luthor and Jason Mewes as Brainiac. Big names such as Kevin Spacey, Sandra Bullock and Chris Rock were ultimately approached, but it was later put on hold for being too expensive. Burton moved on to Sleepy Hollow and its since become one of the most famous movies that never happened.

Wolfgang Peterson’s Batman vs. Superman

Wolfgang Peterson, the director of Das Boot and Outbreak was once attached to making a previous Batman vs. Superman team-up film in 2001 based off an idea from Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker. The pitch followed a newly divorced Superman and a newlywed Batman, who has lost Robin, Alfred and Gordan and hung up his cape. When the Joker murders his new wife, Bruce blames his best man Sups for heartbreak and a rivalry forms.

It was set to shoot in 2003 ahead of its summer 2004 release date before Warner Bros changed their minds and decided to focus on independent Batman and Superman projects. Wolfgang Petersen revealed that Christian Bale was in the running for Superman to MTV back in 2010. One writer Akiva Goldsman decided to add a fun Easter Egg in I Am Legend for the cancelled film: a poster of the logo (peek the above image).

J.J. Abrams and Brett Ratner’s Superman: Flyby

Before he did Star Trek or Star Wars and even before LOST, J.J. Abrams almost wrote a Superman movie. Back in 2002, Abrams was hired to write a new origin movie for Clark Kent following his early success with Armageddon, Felicity and Alias. At first his script was put on hold for the Batman vs. Superman script, but once he turned in a rewrite then the former was placed on hold. Rush Hour director Brett Ratner was hired to direct, Christopher Reeve was put on as a consultant and actors including Paul Walker, Brendan Fraser and Jude Law were considered.

The script kept Krypton standing after Kal-El’s journey to Earth. It centered on Jor-El’s evil brother Kata-Zor who sends Jor-El to prison and launches his son to Earth. Once Superman becomes popular on the planet, Kata-Zor and three of his partners venture to Earth to defeat him. Clark dies and finds himself with his dad Jor-El in Kryptonian heaven (who committed suicide in prison). Superman somehow gets resurrected and goes back to Earth to finish the job. Over the years, some awesome storyboards have been revealed about the project that never was. Ratner left due to casting difficulties and Charlie’s Angels’ director McG came on board before Bryan Singer was replaced to make 2006’s Superman Returns.

Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns 2 with Brandon Routh

Superman Returns made some money for Warner Bros, but not enough for the studio to pursue the planned 2009 sequel Superman Returns 2: The Man of Steel. Months before the release of Superman Returns, the sequel was announced with the core cast set to return and Bryan Singer back as director. The movie was expected to finally bring Brainiac to the big screen and introduce Metallo.

Singer instead went on to make Valkyrie instead and plans for Christopher Nolan’s Man of Steel reboot began to take shape. Brandon Routh never got to reprise his version of Kal-El in another movie, but the actor did recently resume the role in Arrowverse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event in 2019 alongside Smallville’s Tom Welling.

George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal with D.J. Cotrona

Another especially high-profile Superman project that never happened is George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal. The movie to be directed by the Mad Max: Fury Road filmmaker was also in development following Superman Returns and would have offered a fresh new take on the superhero genre. D.J. Cotrona was hired to play Superman, Armie Hammer was to be Batman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Adam Brody as Flash, Common as Green Lantern, Hugh Keays-Byrne as Martian Manhunter, Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord and Teresa Palmer would play Talia Al Ghul.

Cotrona described it as “allegorical, like a story of Greek Gods” and Brody thinks it would have “been a classic.” This movie fell through the cracks due to ill timing. Warner Bros wanted more work to be done on the script just as the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike was in effect. Oddly enough, Cotrona and Brody both suited up in the third act of Shazam! As adult superhero versions of Billy Batson’s adopted brothers.

Man of Steel 2?

It took seven years between Superman Returns and Man of Steel, but many would agree it was worth the wait. Henry Cavill was an incredible choice for the role and Zack Snyder’s vision for the character was an exciting one. In 2014, a sequel was announced to be in the works (with the potential of George Miller helming even a possibility). It was reported that Man of Steel was part of a three-film arc until plans to bring Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League took priority over another standalone flick.

Back in 2018, it was rumored that Henry Cavill was done with the DC universe and other comic book projects were being moved ahead of another Man of Steel movie. In late 2019, Cavill assured fans that he has “not given up the role” and updated the status of the hero’s future as “you’ll see”. The actor does have a packed schedule between The Witcher and an upcoming Sherlock Holmes film, but perhaps the character will find regained interest with 2021’s release of Snyder Cut?

It's been no easy journey for Superman movies. What do you think? If you could save on Man of Steel project, which one would you like to see? Vote in our poll below.

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It’s been about four years since Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice released. It was a dark, brooding take of a rivalry between the two titular heroes, who came to blows due to their inherent distrust for another and Lex Luthor's machinations fueling that flame. Needless to say that not everyone was on board with the dark interpretation.

Still, this vision for a dark Batman and Superman movie goes much further back to 2001. At the time, Akiva Goldsman was tasked to write a Batman Vs. Superman movie that would have starred Colin Farrell and Jude Law. Believe it or not, it sounds like it could have been darker than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Here’s what Goldsman told Collider:

Of course, Akiva Goldsman's dark vision for Batman's future never took off. While his vision for this Batman and Superman movie sound dark, he also was the writer of Batman & Robin, and he thought that movie was dark at one point. He has since apologized for Batman & Robin being so bad.

Akiva Goldsman’s Batman Vs. Superman movie would have had Wolfgang Peterson at the helm, not Joel Schumacher, which makes you wonder if he would have taken it down a darker road with Goldsman's script in hand. At the time, WB had every intention to move forward with the project and wanted a 2004 release, but somewhere along the way, the studio dropped it and decided to back Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins instead.

Batman movies that have failed to leave the Batcave are surprisingly not all that uncommon. Joel Schumacher tried to take on Batman once more with Batman Unchained, which could have seen Nicholas Cage playing The Scarecrow. Alex Kurtzman tried to pitch WB a light Batman movie, not realizing the studio wanted a darker tone and turned to Christopher Nolan's interpretation instead. And more recently, Ben Affleck was set to write and direct his own standalone Batman movie before stepping away.

Now Matt Reeves is at the helm for The Batman, which is well into production. Ironically, Colin Ferrell, who was set to play Batman in Akiva Goldsman’s Batman Vs. Superman, is now playing The Penguin in The Batman. And no surprise here, Colin Ferrell read The Batman script and said it was dark, while also calling his scenes "tasty."

The idea of a Batman/Superman movie has been around so long that it was even made into an Easter Egg gag in the Will Smith action movie I Am Legend - the film jokingly dated for release only after the Earth had been devastated by an apocalyptic plague. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait for the end of the world to finally see the movie, as Zack Snyder will be delivering Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016.

The project was first announced all the way back in summer 2013 at San Diego Comic Con, and in the time since then we’ve seen a seemingly endless stream of news, rumors, and even some footage pop up online. The good news is that we’ve been closely following all of it, and have collected all of the need-to-know info in this handy guide. How will Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice be affected by its predecessor, Man of Steel? When is the movie coming out in theaters? Who is directing? Who will star? Find all of the answers to those questions and more below, but first let's watch the latest trailer!

So what's really going on in the film? Read on to find out everything there is to know about Batman v Superman.

The Story

Warner Bros. released an official plot synopsis for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and watching the footage we’ve seen so far, one can at least kind of pick up on what this movie is putting down. It seems that the world of the growing DC Cinematic Universe has labeled Superman (Henry Cavill) a controversial figure after the events seen in Man of Steel, and while there are many in the world who see him as a superhero, there are many others who view him as an extreme threat. Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (Ben Affleck) falls into the latter category, having been at ground zero during Supes’ big climactic battle with General Zod and lost people during the catastrophe. As a result, he uses his incredible resources to do what he can to try and stop the perceived alien menace.

Zack Snyder & David Goyer

Given that Man of Steel made more than $660 million worldwide, there was very little chance that director Zack Snyder and screenwriter David Goyer wouldn’t return for the sequel, and that assumption was proven true when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced at Comic-Con 2013 with Snyder directing and working with Goyer to develop the story. While Goyer wrote the original drafts of the screenplay, eventually Academy Award winning Argo screenwriter Chris Terrio picked up the pen. Production wrapped up in 2014, and the finished product is scheduled hit theaters on March 26, 2016. (Much earlier than we originally thought.) What's more, Snyder is also now officially attached to direct the upcoming Justice League movie, into which it’s expected Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will directly lead.

Superman

Following in the footsteps of Marvel Studios and starting to build a larger cinematic universe, Warner Bros. is making Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice both to introduce a new take on the Caped Crusader and to build on what has already been established with the Man of Tomorrow. As mentioned, Henry Cavill will be returning to play Clark Kent/Superman, and is expected that his arc will find him continuing to learn how to live up to his destiny, while also trying to find his place on Earth. The hero will definitely have to deal with the fact that Man of Steel had him not only killing his enemy, General Zod, but also leveling half of Metropolis in the battle beforehand. Going by the footage we’ve seen, it doesn’t look like he’s extremely uncomfortable with either his deification or the incredible amount of hate for him swelling in society – though it does seem like he has some kind of grudge against the "bat vigilante."

Batman

It only took about a month after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced for Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. to find the actor they wanted to play the Dark Knight - and the name they officially landed on was Ben Affleck. As had been assumed beforehand, the casting confirmed that the new version of the Caped Crusader would be a veteran hero, and he has been described as "tired and weary and seasoned." The look of the new Batsuit looks like it was ripped right off the pages of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns (a strong influence on all of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), and it would seem that the character’s attitude matches the aesthetic. It’s been rumored that this version of Batman has actually already gotten rid of crime in Gotham City and has basically taken the place over, but there is no evidence to currently support that claim. What we do know is that he was deeply affected by Superman’s actions in Metropolis, and has a desire for revenge.

The Batmobile

Directors Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher brought us Batmobiles full of flash and style, and Christopher Nolan made one that was essentially a tank, but for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, director Zack Snyder has found a design that basically splits the difference between those two styles. Pictured above is the brand new model, which was released after months of teasing. Some have objected to the presence of a giant gun turret on the front, given Batman’s rules against killing and general unwillingness to handle firearms, but we don’t currently know if it carries a lethal payload. Regardless, we can’t wait to see this thing tearing through the streets of Gotham and, perhaps, Metropolis. We've recently learned some of the specs of the new Batmobile, and it is an impressive ride to be sure. It’s fully armored, equipped with anti-ballistics devices, is stealth capable, and weighs a whopping 7000 pounds. Oh yeah, it also has a top speed of 205 mph.

Wonder Woman

Despite what the title of the movie may suggest, Batman and Superman won’t be the only legendary DC Comics superheroes that wind up being in this Man of Steel sequel. Gadot, who screen-tested for the part "in November 2013, has been cast as Princess Diana of Themyscira. The actress reportedly beat out both Olga Kurylenko, Elodie Yung for the part. It’s currently unclear how she will fit into the film. Word is that Gadot is contracted to appear in three movies for Warner Bros. The first is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the second is a Justice League movie, and the third is a Wonder Woman solo film.

Producer Charles Roven has confirmed that Wonder Woman is a demi-god, that she's a "goddess," and her father is Zeus. So that clears up some of the speculation regarding where she comes from in Snyder's film. In addition to being the daughter of Zeus, we’ve also learned that she will be hundreds of years old by the time the action of Batman v Superman begins.

Robin

Fans haven't necessarily been clamoring to see The Boy Wonder on screen - but ever since director Christopher Nolan sidestepped Batman's sidekick in his Bat-trilogy, we've been curious as to whether Robin ever would show up on screen again. There have been rumors suggesting that that Sucker Punch alum Jena Malone, who visited Snyder's Michigan set, now sports the red hairdo of one Carrie Kelley, the version of Robin from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns - but that has not yet been confirmed. What we do know is that this version of Batman has at least had a Robin before. Featured in the San Diego Comic-Con 2015 trailer is the costume of the famous sidekick, which is spray-painted with what appears to be an ominous message from Jared Leto’s Joker.

Aquaman

Much like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Flash, Aquaman was a founding member of the Justice League when the team was first introduced in 1960, and DC and Warner Bros. seem to be continuing that legacy by having the aquatic hero be a part of the first live-action feature version of the group. We first started hearing whispers about a big screen version of Aquaman during summer 2014 when it was reported that Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa had landed the role and would be making a cameo appearance in Batman v Superman. The actor spent months deflecting questions about it, but the role was finally confirmed in October 2014. It’s unclear what his part in Zack Snyder’s next film will be, but he will appear in the badass costume that you see above. Not only do we know that the King of Atlantis will be getting his own movie, in addition to this one and the Justice League films, Furious 7 director James Wan has landed the job directing his impending solo adventure.

Cyborg

Set to be played by stage actor Ray Fisher, Victor Stone a.k.a. Cyborg is yet another DC Comics hero who will be making his live-action debut in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While we can’t be certain about his exact role in the movie, or even within the larger cinematic universe being built, one can predict that the character will be adapted from the recent New 52 line of comics that saw the character transform from being a star high school football player into a half-machine superhero following an explosion at his father’s lab. Cyborg’s role is expected to be rather small in the Man of Steel sequel, but he will likely be a big part of Justice League and has his own solo movie coming in 2020.

The Flash

When Warner Bros. announced their DC Cinematic Universe slate through 2020 back in fall 2014, it came with the reveal that the studio had hired Ezra Miller to play the big screen version of Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash – with the character getting his own solo movie in 2018. However, what role The Flash may play in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice remains a mystery. It has been 100 percent confirmed that Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Cyborg will be in the Zack Snyder movie, but it has not yet been said if we can expect to see any of the Scarlet Speedster in action. At the latest the character will be making his big screen live-action debut in his own 2018 solo movie- which it appears will be directed by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Lex Luthor

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice obviously has tremendous deal of hero power working in its favor, but you didn’t really think it would be leaving out the supervillains, did you? Enter Lex Luthor. Warner Bros. has confirmed that the bald-headed master criminal will be in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and what’s more he will be played by none other than Social Network star Jesse Eisenberg. This is the first time on the big screen that we have seen Superman and Lex portrayed as the same age, so this should definitely make for an interesting match-up. We don’t quite know what to expect in terms of how this adaptation will be similar or different from the many different incarnations of the character we've seen over the years (Eisenberg apparently isn’t reading the comics to prepare for his role), but some set photos have suggested that he will be a rich, sociopathic maniac who plays with people’s minds just for fun. In the footage we’ve seen he certainly comes across as a serious manipulator, as there’s some suggestion that he has both a senator and Superman wrapped around his finger. It should be a fascinating performance.

Lois Lane

You didn’t really think that the follow-up to Man of Steel would only be bringing back Superman, did you? In the studio press release that was sent around first announcing the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice at San Diego Comic-Con 2013, it was confirmed that the 2016 title will also feature the return of Amy Adams as Lois Lane, the smart, witty reporter who both met and fell in love with Clark Kent/Superman in the last movie. The new film will further explore the relationship between Clark and Lois, and the footage has shown us that she is standing by the Kryptonian even as the public debates whether or not he should be allowed to exist.

Alfred Pennyworth

With the end of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight movies comes the need to recast all of the important side characters in the Bat-centric sphere of the DC Universe, and while we’re still waiting to hear if the DC Cinematic Universe will have a new version of Commissioner Gordon, at the very least we know who will be playing Batman’s ever-loyal butler and guardian, Alfred Pennyworth. Announced the same day as Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons boarded Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to pall around with Ben Affleck in the Batcave. We can’t say at this point how this new incarnation will differ from the previous big screen versions played by Michael Gough and Michael Caine, but the trailers have suggested that he’s not big on the idea of Batman confronting Superman.

Doomsday

Dawn of Justice is already a movie that is full of familiar DC heroes and villains, but the rumor is that one more evil doer may be at this particular party: Doomsday. While Lex Luthor will reportedly serves as the brains, rumors making the rounds state that Doomsday, who you may remember killed Superman in the comics back in the 1990s, will apparently serve as the muscle. The creation of an alien scientist, designed as the perfect weapon, Doomsday is certainly a physical force to be reckoned with, and with the official synopsis mentioning a new threat that puts all of humanity in the crosshairs, he certainly fits that bill. It’s also possible that this fresh danger could lead to Batman and Superman setting aside their differences in order to serve the greater good. As vicious as their clash will be, it seems unlikely that either will ultimately be killed off, and this is one workaround. We don't know for sure that he's involved, but it is looking more and more likely.

The Batwing

Bruce Wayne has nearly unlimited access to money and consequently has all of those badass crime fighting toys we’ve always been jealous of. So of course the Batmobile isn’t going to be his only means of transportation. We caught a quick glimpse of the Batwing in the first Dawn of Justice trailer, and some concept art showed off an even better picture. Given that Superman can fly, it stands to reason that Bats is going to need a vehicle that will allow him to follow the Kryptonian should he decide to take to the skies. We’ve seen the armaments in action, thanks to previewed footage, but you have to assume this will also be a fast, well-armored, maneuverable craft in order to contend with Kal-El’s abilities. And just to be on the safe side, should Superman get his hands on the Batwing, Bruce has probably installed some powerful defenses, or at least a couple of backdoor escape hatches.

Blockbusters are malleable things. Often, several hands get to touch a script, as is the case with the Man Of Steel Sequel that recently was given a touch-up by Argo screenwriter Chris Terrio. The fact that Terrio may be finished with his draft of the script may not spell the end of development. Entire films have been written on sets, on lunch breaks or even in the middle of shooting. Reportedly, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation was written in long-hand while in the bath. That’s not true at all, but the fact that you had to think about it suggests the myriad of ways that screenwriters ply their craft.

Amy Adams, an Oscar nominated actress who is excellent this year in both Her and American Hustle, just happens to be very low on the totem in regards to DC’s big team-up movie. She’ll be returning as intrepid reporter Lois Lane, and she told Jimmy Kimmel (via Comic Book Movie) that she has indeed read the script and that it will be filming soon. What this does confirm is that Adams is at least in the loop, and that Lois will be a major player in… the current draft of the script. Terrio was re-writing David S. Goyer’s script, and it’s very likely Terrio could himself be re-written. Terrio may be Ben Affleck’s guy, but if Chris Nolan stops by and says he wants to contribute some material, they are not gonna say no.

This film is being described as a Superman movie through and through (which could ALSO change), which suggests that the still-blossoming relationship between Lois and Clark will be a priority for the film, much moreso than the arrival of Batman in Metropolis. Adams is a peerless actress amongst her generation, and it would be terrible to see her vanish within the noise and clutter of a superhero mash-up. It is worth remembering that Margot Kidder requested her career-defining role in the Superman films be trimmed for the third and fourth films. We’d hate to see the WB put Adams in that position as well. You want to give her the best material possible, and that’s sort of impossible while Superman is looking for things to punch.

The Man Of Steel sequel, which Adams claims is "filming soon," stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa, all of whom will be punching things. It also includes Adams and Oscar-nominated actors Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne, all of whom deserve some juicy material, none of whom deserve to be just standing around, watching superpowered people punch each other endlessly. Hopefully Terrio, Warner Bros., and whomever is responsible for the next credited or uncredited re-write, knows that.

When Ben Affleck agreed to star as Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, he stepped into some extremely large shoes to fill. Not only is the comic book superhero one of the most iconic characters of all time, over the years we’ve seen many interpretations that Affleck’s version will undoubtedly end up being compared to. But while we hope that this new take on the character won’t be anything like what we previously saw from actors like George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Adam West, there are two very specific performances that the new star should be looking to as he prepares for the role.

For the scenes where Affleck needs to throw on the cowl and the cape, it’s in Michael Keaton’s direction that he should be looking. Not to take anything away from Bale – who was certainly great whenever he put on the costume – but Keaton’s version of the character in Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns are the two best versions of the caped crusader that we’ve seen on the big screen. While not as physically dominating as the character in the Dark Knight trilogy, Keaton’s Batman was stealthy, intimidating, and knew exactly how and when to use all of his wonderful toys (not to mention that he used a voice with the perfect amount of grumble). Hopefully Snyder won’t feel inclined to return to the days of rubber suits, but if Affleck wants to know how to play the man in the mask he should start studying Keaton’s performance immediately.

It’s when the cowl and the cape comes off, however, that Affleck can learn from Bale. While Burton never really grasped who Bruce Wayne is supposed to be, interpreting him as an introverted, nobody millionaire, Christopher Nolan’s movies really brought this extremely important half of the character to life. Rather than having him awkwardly sit at the end of a long table during a dinner date or being referred to as as “some guy named Wayne,” Bale’s Bruce convinces the world that he’s not the Dark Knight by living an outlandish playboy lifestyle that has him driving ridiculously expensive cars, throwing lavish birthday parties, and absconding to Asia with a bunch of world class ballerinas. He fully embraced the “Prince of Gotham” moniker and, in turn, made Batman a more well-rounded character.

Of course, this is only a baseline. If Affleck, Snyder and Goyer really want this new version of Batman to be successful they’ll not only have to learn from what’s worked in the past, but also do their part to try and reinvent the character (within reason, obviously). This will be the first time that we’ve ever seen Batman and Superman interact in a live-action film, and that relationship opens all kinds of doors in terms of approaching the superhero in new ways and highlighting aspects of his personality that we don’t necessarily get to see that often. It’s all about trying to find a balance between the old and the new, and if the team behind the Batman vs. Superman movie can find it we will be in for a treat come 2015.

As a life-long comic book and film geek with few artistic skills, I’ve always been a big advocate of fan art. It’s one thing to really enjoy something, but completely different for it to inspire a person to be creative and invent something of their own. For whatever reason, superhero movies tend to be a great source of this inspiration, artists from all around the globe illustrating their best ideas through posters and trailers, and the upcoming Batman vs. Superman film from director Zack Snyder is proving no exception.

Ever since the project was announced at San Diego Comic-Con last month fans have been imagining what it will be like to see The Dark Knight and the Man of Steel go head-to-head on the big screen, and that excitement has generated some very cool fan artwork. I’ve searched the internet for the best examples of Batman vs. Superman poster designs around, and below you will find ten that I think are the cream of the crop. Check it out!

First up for you we actually have a twin set of posters. Created by DeviantArt user blaze465 (but discovered on a Batman vs. Superman fan page on Facebook), this design titles the film World’s Finest and each one gives the superheroes their own time in the spotlight while also delivering an Old West showdown kind of feeling.

Unlike most of the posters on this list, this design by JoshMC on FanArtExhibit forgoes putting Superman and Batman together in the same image and instead goes with something much more simple. I like the integrated superhero symbol - which admittedly is different than the one that Warner Bros. debuted at Comic-Con in July – but my favorite part of this piece is the cool dark red coloration and the use of fire that references the complete destruction seen at the end of Man of Steel.

One thing that I love about the use of the phrase “You are not alone” in Man of Steel is that it can be seen as both a message of hope as well as a serious threat. This design from DeviantArt user RandomFilmaOnline offers a third, awesome translation. To Batman, General Zod’s broadcast is confirmation that there are more superheroes in the world outside of just the Caped Crusader.

I will admit that just about all of my appreciation for this design from Reddit user jamce stems from the fan casting of Jon Hamm as Batman, which would be perfect if the studio really is looking for an older actor for the part as has been rumored. After all, if a fan is going to create what they think is the perfect poster for Batman vs. Superman, why not give it a dream cast as well?

Fan casting is also what inspired this poster from Facebook, but this design stands out simply because it is one of the only ones I found that attempted something other than Photoshoping Batman and Superman together. At this point we don’t actually know if the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor, is going to appear in the movie, but if he does it’s not too hard to see them cast an actor like Mark Strong in the part and eventually put out a character poster that looks a lot like this.

Yes, I’ll admit that this poster from DeviantArt’s dDsign borrows pretty heavily from the advertising campaign for The Dark Knight, but that doesn’t stop it from being a really cool design. Substituting Bruce Wayne for Batman, hiding Superman in silhouette, and using the cracked glass to form the bat symbol, this works really well as a teaser image and does a good job of artfully suggesting a less than friendly relationship between the two heroes.

Like the last poster, this piece from DeviantArt user robcheskord3442 also has Bruce Wayne doing some reflecting (get it?), but also does a good job of incorporating the movie’s rumored plot. Some have speculated that the movie will have Batman going after Superman because of all of the damage the latter did in Metropolis, and this design definitely feeds off of that idea. Plus, if you look closely enough you’ll see that Wayne is actually staring at a flying Superman through the window, which is cool and subtle.

Batman got his own solo poster, so it’s only fair that Superman would get one too. Created by DeviantArt’s ToHeavenOrHell, what I like about this one is the fact that you actually have to look hard before you realize that the Man of Steel isn’t alone in the image. Blending in with the cityscape in the background is a swarm of bats making up the bat symbol, a la the opening of Batman Begins. It also reminds me of the first poster for The Dark Knight Rises, which is definitely a good thing.

There isn’t anything that striking layout-wise in this poster from artist AndrewMJBaker at DeviantArt, but what I can appreciate about it is the idea of radically changing up Batman’s armor (borrowing a design from the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us). The folks behind the film have been adamant about the new movie being set in a different universe from Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, so why not take full advantage of that by making the character look completely different? The version seen here almost makes the costume look like it is partially out of metal, which wouldn’t be the worst place to start with the new version.

The Man of Steel poster featuring Superman soaring into the sky was one of my favorites for the movie, but this design found over at ComicBookMovie puts a cool dark spin on it. Including the LexCorp building is a nice little Easter Egg, but my favorite part of this one is how the Batman symbol is almost invisible unless you’re explicitly looking for it. In fact, I like it so much that I’ll leave you to try and find it.

When Warner Bros. sent out their official press release confirming what Zack Snyder had announced at Comic-Con-- that Superman and Batman would be facing off in a 2015 movie-- they were still referring to the film as a Man of Steel sequel. Since it's directed by Snyder and stars Henry Cavill and is written by David S. Goyer, it's certainly got enough of the Man of Steel creative team behind it to qualify… but come on. Everybody is going to go into this movie talking about it as Superman vs. Batman… or Batman vs. Superman… or both? Warner Bros. knows that, but they seem to be as confused about the order as we are.

At a different Comic-Con panel on Saturday, celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Superman (via ComicBook.com), Goyer acknowledged that the next film would be uniting Superman and Batman, and that they're already gotten the pre-production gears rolling. Agreeing on a title, though, has been a bit trickier:

ComicBook.com did a little bit of digging around Internet domain registrations and found what you might expect-- Warner Bros. has snagged both BatmanvsSuperman.com and SupermanvsBatman.com, although the former redirects to the Warner Bros. landing page, while the latter sends you to the DC Comics homepage for Superman. It gets really weird when you add "movie" to the end of either URL. Go to BatmanvsSupermanMovie.com and you wind up back at the WB homepage. Try the reverse, and you get to the Facebook page of Mexican stand-up comic Fran Hevia. ComicBook.com says that one is registered to WB, but they might have to send a lot of threatening e-mails to Fran Hevia first.

Does it matter which name come first in the lineup? Of course it doesn't. And as Pajiba points out, titles with "vs." in them tend to ring up memories of crappy direct-to-DVD efforts or Asylum films that air on SyFy. Do you really want the expensive new DC Comics film to remind you of Mega Python vs. Gatoroid? I know DC doesn't.

The most relevant thing in all this title confusion for fans might be the complete avoidance of The World's Finest, the comics arc that featured both Batman and Superman and ran for a solid 40 years. The minute the Bat-Supes logo showed up onstage fans were immediately thinking of The World's Finest, but so far the only comic inspiration that Snyder and Goyer have copped to is Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns, which finds Batman as a middle-aged retiree who still takes the time to beat up Superman. They're not adapting that, or World's Finest for that matter, apparently preferring just to slap the names of their two biggest characters into the title and call it a day. If it reminds you of a cheap SyFy horror movie, well, their $200 million opening weekend will probably help them get over it.

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