Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice: all the news on the superhero showdown

Watchmen and Man of Steel director Zack Snyder was back in the news this week, defending his decision to have Batman kill people in Batman v. Superman. “It’s a cool point of view to be like ‘my heroes are still innocent… My heroes didn’t commit any atrocities.’ That’s cool. But you’re living in a fucking dream world,” he said, in a profanity-filled rant captured on video and posted on Reddit. Bat-fans reacted predictably on social media, insisting that Batman shouldn’t kill, and that Snyder’s dark vision is a betrayal of the character.

To which I say: a pox on both your Batcaves. The entire argument about Batman killing people is ridiculous, and people should stop obsessing over it. Superhero movies take a fundamentally unserious, dumb stance on what violence looks like and what it means, regardless of whether superheroes actually choose to kill people. Batman isn’t a more moral character if he declares his actions don’t kill people, and he isn’t a more grown-up one if he does.

For those who absolutely, positively cannot wait to see the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer set to debut at IMAX theaters on Monday, the official trailer has been released some hours after a low-quality version leaked online. This teaser trailer starts to illuminate the grounds for conflict between two of the world's favorite superheroes. Superman's boundless powers have apparently earned him the public's distrust, and Batman is playing his usual public protector role in taking on the man from Krypton. It's all set to a menacing, pounding soundtrack, and culminates in a badass quip from Batman, wearing a thick new suit of heavy metal armor. "Tell me, do you bleed?" enquires the Dark Knight, before following up with the words, "You will."

The theme of the trailer and very likely the movie as a whole can be summed with some help from Kanye + Comics:

Filming for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is officially underway in Detroit, so of course fans are already trying to get a peek at what's happening on set — and then share it with the entire internet. Yesterday, one determined spectator recorded a scene that featured Bruce Wayne rescuing a little girl from a chaotic situation in Metropolis. A nearby bus confirms that this sequence indeed takes place in Superman's neck of the woods, though it's not immediately obvious why Wayne, who looks slightly older than we've seen in recent Batflicks, is in town.

Notice that up until now we've exclusively said Bruce Wayne, and that's because the Bruce Wayne seen here doesn't look all that much like Ben Affleck, who's of course playing Wayne / Batman in the film. So either Affleck's wearing an astounding amount of makeup, or we're actually seeing his stunt doubles in action here. Odds are it's the latter, though it's hard to make a definitive call. That first guy just might be him. Either way, this Bruce Wayne looks a bit different than Clickhole's hilarious prediction; he's grayer and older, which could mean good things for the character. Aside from "superhero saves a kid as buildings crumble around them," the footage doesn't really contain any other spoilers. And with Batman v. Superman not due until 2016, odds are we'll be seeing plenty more of these leaks in the coming months as fans try to ease the long wait.

Jason Momoa, famous for playing Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, has reportedly been cast as Aquaman in Zack Snyder's upcoming epic Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, due out in 2016. While the rumors haven't yet been confirmed by Warner Bros., HitFix reports that Snyder has already finalized the designs for the character and shooting will ramp up soon.

This week Warner Bros and director Zack Snyder revealed the name and poster for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, the sequel to Man of Steel starring Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, and Jesse Eisenberg as a (perhaps not bald) Lex Luthor. The film isn't coming out until... wait, really? May 2016? That's a long time to wait for this fight. Thankfully, thanks to rigorous scientific research, we can give you a definitive answer to who would win right now.

Zack Snyder's upcoming ensemble superhero film finally has a title: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film will see Henry Cavill reprise his role as Superman from Snyder's 2013 Man of Steel and Ben Affleck filling the role of Batman — who we got a first look at in costume just the other week. A number of other heroes and villains are set to turn up in the film, including Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). Filming has already started for the movie, but it'll be a long time yet before you can watch it: it's set to open on May 6th of 2016.

From the sound of its subtitle, Batman v. Superman will also be a big piece of the setup to the Justice League film that Snyder has signed on to direct next. That film isn't expected until 2017 or 2018, but Warner Bros and DC Comics are clearly eager to stoke some anticipation in advance. Marvel has a huge lead on superhero movies, and Dawn of Justice may well make or break fans' excitement for what comes next. Man of Steel itself saw only lukewarm reviews, but with all of the big names — from both actors and heroes — that Snyder is throwing at this film, there's good reason to raise your expectations.

Batman turns 75 this month, so it's altogether appropriate that director Zack Snyder should rock the internet with his new take on the Caped Crusader and the iconic Batmobile. Ben Affleck looks every bit the brooding superhero in the new photo, and the Batmobile already promises to be the beast of a machine fans have been trained to expect since at least 1989. Still, 75 years is a long time, and Batman has had a particularly storied history on TV and in cinema — with plenty of hits and misses along the way. Taking a look back at just a handful of those classic looks should prepare us for what Snyder has in store for 2016. Now we only wonder what all the other superheroes in Batman vs. Superman will look like.

Zack Snyder's sequel to Man of Steel is shaping up to be a who's who of DC characters. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Lex Luthor, Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman — and of course Ben Affleck will be Batman. Other than casting announcements and a rescheduled release date, however, official news on the movie has been relatively quiet, but Snyder unveiled the first image of Ben Affleck as Batman today, right alongside his new Batmobile.

It follows a tease the director dropped on Twitter yesterday, which made the vehicle look like a cross between the Tumbler from The Dark Knight films and the swooping, long-nosed car from Tim Burton's Batman. Now that we can see the new design in all its glory, it certainly seems to edge more towards the industrial side of things. The as-of-yet-untitled Man of Steel sequel is slated for release in May of 2016, but we imagine we'll be learning quite a bit about the new film this July at San Diego Comic-Con.

A Justice League movie will follow Batman vs. Superman, and Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Man of Steel) is on board to direct again. Warner Bros' president of worldwide production Greg Silverman tells The Wall Street Journal that plans are in motion, with Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and Gal Gadot set to reprise their roles as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. "It will be a further expansion of this universe," says Silverman. "Superman vs. Batman [sic] will lead into Justice League."

A Justice League film that would unite several DC superheroes has been rumored for some time, but this represents the first official confirmation. Comic book action fans may have a while to wait, however — with Batman vs. Superman delayed until May 6th, 2016, the Journal reports that the Justice League movie may not come until 2018. The Hollywood Reporter, on the other hand, has sources that suggest a 2017 release date, and claims that Snyder will shoot the pair back-to-back.

Variety reports that Batman vs. Superman, originally slated for a summer 2015 release, has been pushed to May 6th, 2016. Production has also been pushed to the latter part of this year. The industry paper reports that Pan, a new take on the Peter Pan story, has taken the superhero epic's original theatrical release date of July 17th, 2015.

With Zack Snyder now sitting 2015 out, next year's biggest movies largely belong to Disney. Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron is slated for release on May 1st, 2015, and the Paul Rudd-helmed Ant-Man follows that up in July. Star Wars: Episode VII will then hit theaters that December.

Variety is reporting that Ben Affleck will be the new Batman. The news, reportedly coming straight from Warner Bros., means that he'll be starring opposite Henry Cavill in the 2015 Batman / Superman movie. Affleck has gained critical recognition for his more recent work — especially with Argo — but Batman lovers will have to block out any memories of Affleck's Daredevil they haven't managed to burn away in an indignant fire of righteous comic fan anger.

The Wrap quotes Warner Bros. president Greg Silverman, who says "We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some." Zack Snyder, who will direct the film, says of Affleck: "He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne." So the people making the film are as predictably enthusiastic as you'd expect.