"I want you to remember, Clark…in all the years to come…in your most private moments…I want you to remember…my hand…at your throat…I want…you to remember…the one man who beat you," says a bloodied and battered Batman to Superman at the end of
The Dark Knight Returns, which was quoted at today's Warner Bros. Comic Con panel. With that, the Superman and Batman logos appeared together on Hall H's big screen, not so subtlety setting the stage for the follow-up to
Man of Steel.
It looks like Henry Cavill will not be flying solo in the 2015 sequel to this summer's dark Superman reboot. Warner Bros. has plans for Batman to join him, and likely oppose him, on the big screen which will expand the cinematic DC Universe and test the waters ultimately for the studio's
Justice League.
At the conclusion of this afternoon's WB / Legendary Pictures Comic-Con panel, Zack Snyder confirmed the heavily rumored
World's Finest team-up of DC's two biggest heroes (following reports of the expected news scooped earlier today by the
LA Times' Hero Complex and
The Hollywood Reporter). Henry Cavill will once again fly as the Man of Steel, but Christian Bale has repeatedly
gone on the record as having hung up the cowl and cape for good as Batman with 2012's
The Dark Knight Rises.
“It’s official that we are going to make another Superman movie," Zack Snyder told the crowd."I’ve poured through the DC universe for a way to tell this thing.” Snyder the brought
Man Of Steel actor Henry Lennix on stage who quoted Batman from none other than Frank Miller's iconic 1986 graphic novel
The Dark Knight Returns, which saw the two heroes go head-to-head in a bloody battle.
The team-up angle looks to be the studio's solution for re-introducing Batman to moviegoers instead of a full-fledged solo reboot, allowing the now familiar face of Cavill to anchor the next actor cast as the Caped Crusader. Referencing
The Dark Knight Returns as source material is certainly a way to really drive interest for the target fan base, and may deliver unexpected conflict to those not in the know.
Although reported by Hero Complex earlier in the day and was NOT confirmed, WB is rumored to also have the Flash on the film slate fast track for 2016, followed by the long-awaited
Justice League big screen adventure in 2017.
As for
MOS 2, Zack Snyder will return as director with a script by David S. Goyer, as
previously announced.
Man of Steel and
The Dark Knight executive producer Christopher Nolan may also be on board in some capacity. Interestingly enough, Goyer has already
penned a Flash screenplay, which has met with a positive response from Warners.
Also of note, no word of Wonder Woman's plans for movie stardom, or the future of Green Lantern, both of whom would be expected to unite along side Superman and Batman in
Justice League. Whether these or any other DC heroes (Aquaman?) get the pre-League reboot treatment is still up the air.
Though the passage chosen from
The Dark Knight Returns leave little doubt DC and WB will continue down the moody path set up in
Man of Steel, and will have the two icons going head-to-head.
Here is the official WB Press Release:
"BURBANK, CA, July 20, 2013 – On the heels of the worldwide success of “Man of Steel,” director Zack Snyder is bringing together the two greatest Super Heroes of all time—Batman and Superman—for the first time on the big screen. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution,Warner Bros. Pictures.
The current hit, “Man of Steel,” has taken in more than $630 million at the worldwide box office to date, and climbing. Along with its star, Henry Cavill, the upcomingfilm brings back Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane. The new Batman has yet to be cast.
Snyder is co-writing the story with David S. Goyer, who will then pen the screenplay. Production is expected to begin in 2014, with an anticipated release date inSummer 2015.
Silverman stated, “Zack Snyder is an incredibly talented filmmaker, but beyond that, he’s a fan first and he utterly gets this genre. We could not think of anyone better suited to the task of bringing these iconic Super Heroes to the screen in his own way.” Kroll added, “We are thrilled to be back in business with Zack and his team on this next movie. The success of ‘Man of Steel’ is a wonderful testament to the love and support that both fans and new audiences, worldwide, have for these characters. We are very excited to see what Zack has in store for all of us.”
SOURCES:
Deadline,
THR
